Shelf life items are products that are effective, useful or suitable for consumption for a limited time period. They are expected to deteriorate or become unstable to the degree that a storage period must be assigned to assure that the material will perform satisfactorily in service. In short, the item spoils or will not perform its intended function for the customer after long-term, or even short-term, storage. All of these shelf life items are recognized for their sensitivity to light, temperature, moisture or handling. Packaging deterioration and improper storage or preservation can also adversely affect shelf life.
The “Program Objectives” under 41CFR 101-27.203 cite the need to identify those items having a limited serviceable life. In order to assure maximum customer use of shelf life items, each of these items must be identified, including newly procured items having limited serviceability. Expired shelf life items no longer support the customer’s mission, and incur additional costs for disposal. Defense Department customers maintain stocks of shelf life products to support their mission. GSA is sensitive to their needs concerning these items.
Shelf Life is defined by the DoD shelf life management manual (DoD 4140.27-M/May 5, 2003) as:
“The total period of time beginning with the date of manufacture, date of cure (for elastomeric and rubber products only), date of assembly, or date of pack (subsistence only), and terminated by the date by which an item must be used (expiration date) or subjected to inspection, test, restoration, or disposal action; or after inspection/laboratory test/restorative action that an item may remain in the combined wholesale (including manufacture’s) and retail storage systems and still be suitable for issue or use by the end user.”
Within the federal supply system, appropriate shelf life codes are designated for each national stock number. These codes are contained in DoD shelf life management manual 4140.27-M [PDF][pdf], Appendix E. Shelf life codes are detailed in the DoD shelf life management manual. These codes classify items as:
Type I (using alpha characters, except X):
- Expire on specified date
- Become unfit for use at expiration
Type II (using numeric and alpha X characters):
- Can be extended through visual inspection
- May require laboratory testing
- Subject to management activity storage standards
Items deemed “non-deteriorative” are identified by Shelf Life Code 0.
The GSA shelf life management procedures are outlined in Federal Standard 793B, Depot Storage Standards. In addition, GSA fully supports DoD shelf life management manual 4140.27-M [PDF].
Guidance and direction for shelf life material
The Department of Defense maintains a website with multiple reference documents regarding shelf life topics. If you select on “Policy” in the left column at this site, you will see documents including:
GSA shelf life management policy
GSA closely coordinates its shelf life program with the Defense Department and other federal agencies, as described in Defense Department supply chain material management regulations.
FED-STD-793, Depot storage standards
FED-STD-793 provides guidance on how the depots determine shelf life extensions for products currently stored in their facility. GSA’s acquisition centers establish initial shelf life requirements and inspection criteria, based on manufacturer recommendations and commodity specialist oversight.
Minimum shelf life criteria
In accordance with DoD 4140.27-M, Section 2-12 (A),“Acquisition/procurement documentation shall specify that shelf life items/materiel will have not less than 85 percent (allowing for rounding to whole months) of shelf life remaining at time of receipt by the first government activity.” Any direct delivery from a GSA supplier to our customer, not having at least 85 percent shelf life remaining, will normally be considered non-conforming.
Defense Department material quality control storage standards and quality status list
Defense Department material quality control storage standards outlines storage standards for deteriorative items. The quality status list displays current results of shelf life extension tests, by national stock number, manufacturer, lot and batch number. Users of the Defense Department shelf life website can request shelf life extension system account access to view material quality control storage standards and qualification shelf life data online. Access is limited to users from a “.mil” or “.gov” host.
Defense Department inventory control points
The role of each Defense Department inventory control point is to determine storage standards for deteriorative items that they manage, and to arrange for laboratory shelf life extension tests when their Installation Supply Activities request such tests. Storage standards (including length of shelf life and whether an item requires only a visual inspection or a full laboratory test in order to extend shelf life) are recorded in the on-line material quality control storage standards. Each inventory control point has update rights to this system. The type of test required on each item (visual inspection or laboratory testing) is determined by the managing inventory control point .
Defense Department installation responsibility
If an installation finds that shelf life extension information is not available in the qualification shelf life for one of its items, staff can contact their service inventory control point for further instructions on possible extensions. Laboratory test requests are only allowed when there has not already been a shelf life test for that national stock number, manufacturer, lot and batch, and when the quantities of material in question warrant the expense of laboratory testing. When these tests are accomplished, test results and extension data are entered into the qualification shelf life.
Other related hyperlinks:
Questions regarding GSA products and shelf life should be directed to GSA’s national customer service center at 800-488-3111 or emailed to: sles.gsa@dla.mil
For more information or questions, contact Jawad Abdeljawad at jawad.abdeljawad@gsa.gov or 703-605-2566.
U.S. General Services Administration