Electronic Supply Chain Solutions was recently asked about National Stock Number acronyms and thought we would share what some of those letters mean.
ESCS shares this National Stock Number Glossary and takes no responcibility for its accuracy.
•AAC (Acquisition Advice Code): A table of codes and explanation of each indicating how and under what restrictions an item will be acquired. Reference: DoD 4100.39-M, Volume 10, Chapter 3, Table 58.
•Cage (Commercial and Government Entity Code): Any reference number entered into the Federal Catalog System will have a CAGE Code assigned to it prior to entering the central catalog file. The CAGE Code is a five character data element assigned to establishments which are manufacturers or have design control of items of supply procured by the Federal Government. The first and last positions of a CAGE Code will be numeric. Under certain conditions revision actions shall be initiated by DLIS: When a CAGE Code is cancelled and replaced by a code assigned to a single manufacturer; or when DLIS cannot determine, without collaboration, which items formerly manufactured by a defunct organization are now manufactured by the acquiring organization(s).
•CIIC (Controlled Inventory Item Code): A one position alphanumeric code that indicates the security classification and/or security risk or pilferage controls for storage and transportation of department of defense (DOD) assets. In accordance with NAVSUP P-485, VOLUME II, APPENDIX 9, PART D; DA PAM 708-2, TABLE 3-9; AND DOD 4100.39-M, VOLUME 10, TABLE 61. A code which delineates the specific category of required Item Management Coding (IMC). Reference: DoD 4100.39-M, Volume 10, Chapter 3, Table 137.
•Clear Text Reply: A listing of replies (data items) applicable to a requirement or group of requirements derived from a single data element. Each reply in the table is assigned a different reply code.
•CRITL Code (Criticality Code): A table of codes which indicates when an item is technically critical by reason of tolerance, fit restrictions, application, nuclear hardness properties, or other characteristics which affect identification of the item. Reference: DoD 4100.39-M, Volume 10, Chapter 3, Table 181.
•DML (Demilitarization): A table of codes instructing the user on method and degree of demilitarizing items when required. Reference: DoD 4100.39-M, Volume 10, Chapter 3, Table 38.
•DEMIL Code: A one position alpha code that identifies items requiring demilitarization and the type of demilitarization required. In accordance with DA PAM 708-2, TABLE 3-12; DOD 4100.39-M, VOLUME 10, TABLE 38 and DOD 4160.21-M-1.
•ENAC (Environment Attribute Code): A two position alphanumeric code that Identifies items of supply that have Environmentally Preferred Characteristics. See DRN 3025, volume 12. See volume 10, table 194.
•ESDC (Electrostatic Discharge Code): A one position alpha code that indicates if an item is susceptible to electrostatic discharge or electromagnetic interference damage. Electrostatic discharge damage occurs when an accumulation of static electricity generated by the relative motion or separation of materials is released to another item by direct contact. Electromagnetic interference damage occurs when an item comes into proximity with an electrostatic or magnetic field. In accordance with DOD 4100.39-M, VOLUME 10, TABLE 189.
•FIIG (Federal Item Identification Guide): A guide prescribing standard requirements formats, and machine oriented coding structure for the collection of item characteristics and other item-related logistics data.
•FSC (Federal Supply Class): Permits the classification of all items of personal property used by participating activities. Groups and classes have been established for the universe of commodities with emphasis on the items known to be in the supply systems of participating activities. This classification system with its present structure of groups and classes represents those groupings and relationships which are based on current, as well as anticipated, management needs. The Federal Supply Classification structure is modified, as the needs of management change, by the addition of newly developed groups and classes, the subdivision of existing classes, and the revision of definitions of classes. The uniform Federal Supply Classification is governed by daily management requirements and provides uniform management categories throughout military activities and Civil Agency organizations, functions, operations, and supply pipelines. It permits greater uniformity within and between Military Services and Civil Agencies in the operations of reporting, accounting, financial management, inventory control, and budgeting.
•FSG (Federal Supply Group): See DRNs 3994 and 3996, volume 12.
•HCC (Hazardous Characteristics Code): A two-digit alphanumeric code developed primarily for storage purposes to assure that incompatible Hazards are not stored next to one another. The HCC that is visible in FLIS only pertains to the latest formulation for this CAGE/Part Number. User needs to be aware that additional information may reside in the Hazardous Material Information System (HMIS) for a different formulation of the same CAGE/Part Number. The technical definitions are provided in the agency and services storage manuals (DLAM 4145.11, Army TM 38-410, NAVSUP PUB 573, AFR 69-9, and MCO 4450-12. These manuals are being replaced by DoD 4145.19-R-2). See volume 10, table 214.
•HMIC (Hazardous Material Indicator Code): A code instructing the user on the type of hazardous material(s) used. A table of codes used as indicators to provide hazardous material information. Reference: DoD 4100.39-M, Volume 10, Chapter 3, Table 179.
•INC (Item Name Code): See DRN 4080, volume 12. A five position numeric code that is assigned to each approved item name. Non-approved item names are assigned item name code 77777. In accordance with DOD 4100.39-M, VOLUME 10, TABLE 20
•Item Name: See DRNs 5010 and 5020, volume 12. Alphanumeric or special character name, which establishes a basic concept of the item of supply to which the item belongs. It may be a basic noun or noun-phrase, followed by those modifiers necessary to differentiate between item concepts for items having the same basic noun.
•Military Specification (MILSPEC): A procurement specification in the military series promulgated by one or more of the military agencies and used for the procurement of military supplies, equipment, or services.
•Military Standard (MILSTD): An established or accepted level of performance in the military used as a yardstick in evaluating actual progress.
•MRC (Master Requirement Code): See DRN 3445 , volume 12. A four position alpha code assigned to each physical or performance characteristics requirement in a Federal Item Identification Guide (FIIG).
•MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet): A five- position alphanumeric number assigned to each MSDS entry in the Hazardous Materials Information System (HMIS). User should use this number to interrogate HMIS for technical information for the items.
•NATO Stock Number: An item of supply produced by a NATO member nation other than the U.S. identified by that nation by the assignment of a NATO Stock Number (e.g., 0000-21-000-0000). When such items enter the supply system of the U.S. Government, they will be identified by the NATO Stock Number if codification agreements have been extended to provide for acquisition of foreign item identification data through DLIS. For such items, the NATO Stock Number will be used and recognized as the National Stock Number in internal management of the item in the U.S.
•NIIN (National Item Identification Number): See DRN 4000, volume 12. A nine position numeric number assigned to each approved item. It is the last nine digits of the National Stock Number.
•NIIN ASGMT (NIIN Assignment): The date the NIIN was originally assigned to an item.
•NMF DESC: A definition of a required characteristic.
•NSN (National Stock Number): For a complete description, please see "What is an NSN?"
•Part Number: A field containing the part number assigned by the manufacturer. In some cases, the part number field is used to identify a drawing, source controlling, or specification controlling number of the item identified by the National Stock Number (NSN). Part Number is also called the Reference Number.
•Phrase Statement: This field is found in the FLIS (Federal Logistics Information System) database results window in the part pricing Item tab.
•QUP (Quantity Unit Pack): A table of codes indicating the number of units of issue in the unit package as established by the managing activity. Reference: DoD 4100.39-M, Volume 10, Chapter 3, Table 56.
•Reference Number (Reference): A reference number is any number, other than an activity stock number, used to identify an item of production or, either by itself or in conjunction with other reference numbers, to identify an item of supply (when used in conjunction with the CAGE Code). Reference numbers include manufacturer’s part, drawing, model, type, source-controlling, or specification-controlling numbers and the manufacturer’s trade name, when the manufacturer identifies the item by trade name only; NATO Stock Numbers; specification or standard part, drawing, or type numbers. The submittal of all known reference numbers related to an item of production or an item of supply, with the applicable Reference Number Category Code, the applicable Document Availability Code, and the applicable Reference Number Variation Code, is mandatory.
•Related NSN: An item of supply which has functional or physical characteristics which render it a lower order of preference for use than that accorded to the Master Item of an I&S Family.
•Replacement NSN: Indicates a new NSN that has replaced, or is interchangeable from the relevant NSN. The replacement NSN is to be used when previous NSN supply has been exhausted.
•RNCC (Reference Number Category Code): A code that designates the relationship of a reference number to the item of supply. Reference: DoD 4100.39-M, Volume 10, Chapter 3, Table 6.
•RNVC (Reference Number Variation Code): A table of codes to indicate that a cited reference number is item identifying, is not item identifying, or is a reference number for information only. Reference: DoD 4100.39-M, Volume 10, Chapter 3, Table 7. In accordance with DOD 4100.39-M, VOLUME 10, TABLE 7.
•SA (Service Agency): Branch Codes (BR) designate the branch of the DoD (Department of Defense) Supply System that purchases or stocks the item referenced by the National Stock Number (NSN).
•SADC (Service Agency Designator Code): A table of codes to designate the Service(s) and/or Agency (ies) that accepted an NSN that was offered as a substitute. It is recorded with a reference number that has no direct relationship to the NSN but is a cross- reference to an item of supply. The following codes are not intended to encompass all SADCs. For complete listing refer to DoD 4100.39-M, Volume 10, Chapter 3, Table 154. (AA = Army, AB = Air Force, AC = Navy, AD = Marine)
•SLC (Shelf Life Code): A table of codes indicating the storage time period or perishability of an item. Reference: DoD 4100.39-M, Volume 10, Chapter 3, Table 50.
SLC (Shelf Life Code) Table
•SMCC (Special Material Content Code): A one position alphanumeric code that indicates that an item represents or contains peculiar material requiring special treatment, precautions, or management control of the item. In accordance with NAVSUP P-485, VOLUME II, APPENDIX 9, PART V and DOD 4100.39-M, VOLUME 10, TABLE 102.
•SOS (Source of Supply): Codes that identify a specific supply and distribution organization or requisition processing point as to its Routing Identifier Code (RIC), Military Service or Governmental ownership, and location, as well as the Cataloging Activity Code (AC) when applicable. (The Q8 return code edit will be bypassed for those RICs which reflect N/A in the AC column.) Reference: DoD 4100.39-M, Volume 10, Chapter 3, Table 103.
•Technical Characteristic: A record of various functional, electrical, and physical characteristics, manufacturer\'s data, special notations, or narrative description that uniquely identifies equipment and components.
•UI (Unit of Issue): A table of unit of issue terms/designations authorized for assignment to items of supply. Reference: DoD 4100.39-M, Volume 10, Chapter 3, Table 53.
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