FAR 47.301-3—Using the Defense Transportation System (DTS).
Plain-English Summary
FAR 47.301-3 explains how federal agencies and contractors must use the Defense Transportation System (DTS) when shipments move by military-controlled transportation or through military transshipment facilities. It requires agencies to follow DoD 4500.9-R, Defense Transportation Regulation Part II, which standardizes transportation documentation, communication, movement control, and shipment visibility worldwide. The section also places responsibility on contracting activities to build these transportation requirements into contracts and to enforce them for shipments under their control. In addition, it requires contracts to identify a contract administration office as the point of contact for shipment information, including documentation, movement control, terminal clearances, shipment marking, and freight routing. Practically, this section ensures that military and civilian agencies, as well as contractors, use the correct procedures before shipping, so shipments are properly authorized, tracked, cleared, and routed without delays or security problems.
Key Rules
Use DoD transportation procedures
All military and civilian agencies using military-controlled transport or military transshipment facilities must follow DoD 4500.9-R, Defense Transportation Regulation Part II. This creates uniform rules for generating, documenting, communicating, and using transportation information in the DTS.
Apply worldwide DTS rules
The DoD transportation regulation is implemented worldwide, so the same basic DTS requirements apply regardless of location. Agencies and contractors cannot assume local practices override the DoD transportation rules.
Include requirements in contracts
Contracting activities must make sure the DoD transportation requirements are included in all applicable contracts for shipments that will use the DTS. This includes requirements for documentation, marking, advance notice of shipment dates, and terminal clearances.
Enforce shipment controls
Contracting activities must enforce the DTS-related requirements for shipments under their control. It is not enough to include the clauses; the government must also ensure compliance during performance.
Use the contract administration office
Contractual documents must identify a contract administration office as the contact point for the contractor to provide shipment information. That office is the channel for documentation, movement control, terminal clearances, shipment marking data, and freight routing data.
No direct shipment without authorization
The contractor may not ship directly to a military air or water port terminal unless the designated contract administration office authorizes it. This prevents unauthorized deliveries and ensures movement control and clearance procedures are completed first.
Responsibilities
Military and civilian agencies
When shipping through military-controlled transport or military transshipment facilities, they must follow DoD 4500.9-R, Defense Transportation Regulation Part II and use the required transportation documentation and procedures.
Contracting activities
They must include the DoD transportation requirements in applicable contracts and actively enforce those requirements for shipments under their control, including documentation, marking, advance shipment notice, and terminal clearance requirements.
Contracting officer / contract administration office
They must ensure the contract identifies the contract administration office as the contractor’s contact point for shipment-related information and authorization, and they must provide or coordinate the information needed for movement control, routing, marking, and terminal clearances.
Contractor
The contractor must provide required shipment information to the designated contract administration office, follow the required documentation and marking instructions, give advance notice of shipment dates when required, obtain necessary clearances, and not ship directly to a military air or water port terminal without authorization.
DoD transportation system personnel
They must use the standardized documentation and movement control information to manage, clear, and track shipments moving in the DTS.
Practical Implications
This section is mainly about preventing shipment delays, rejected deliveries, and clearance problems by making sure transportation data is correct before the shipment moves.
A common pitfall is treating DTS requirements as optional logistics guidance instead of mandatory contract and shipment requirements; if the contract does not include them, compliance problems often follow.
Another frequent issue is shipping directly to a military terminal without prior authorization, which can cause the shipment to be refused or held.
Contractors should expect to coordinate early with the contract administration office on marking, routing, shipment dates, and clearance needs rather than waiting until the shipment is ready to move.
Contracting officers and administrators should verify that the contract language clearly assigns the contact point and incorporates the applicable DoD transportation procedures, especially for overseas or military-terminal shipments.
Official Regulatory Text
(a) All military and civilian agencies shipping, or arranging for the acquisition and shipment by Government contractors, through the use of military-controlled transport or through military transshipment facilities shall follow Department of Defense (DoD) Regulation DoD 4500.9-R, Defense Transportation Regulation Part II. This establishes uniform procedures and documents for the generation, documentation, communication, and use of transportation information, thus providing the capability for control of shipments moving in the DTS. DoD 4500.9-R, Defense Transportation Regulation Part II has been implemented on a world-wide basis. (b) Contracting activities are responsible for (1) ensuring that the requirements of the DoD 4500.9-R, Defense Transportation Regulation Part II regulation are included in appropriate contracts for all applicable shipments and (2) enforcing these requirements with regard to shipments under their control. This includes requirements relating to documentation, marking, advance notification of shipment dates, and terminal clearances. (c) Contractual documents shall designate a contract administration office (see 42.202 (a)) as the contact point to which the contractor will provide necessary information to- (1) Effect DoD 4500.9-R, Defense Transportation Regulation Part II documentation and movement control, including air or water terminal shipment clearances; and (2) Obtain data necessary for shipment marking and freight routing. Contractual documents shall specify that the contractor shall not ship directly to a military air or water port terminal without authorization from the designated contract administration office (see 47.305-6 (f)).