IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oct 23, 2003
(703)697-5131(media)
(703)428-0711(public/industry)

DoD Announces Radio Frequency Identification Policy

The Department of Defense announced today the establishment of a Radio
Frequency
Identification Policy (RFID). RFID technology greatly improves the
management of
inventory by providing hands-off processing. The equipment quickly
accounts for and
identifies massive inventories, enhancing the processing of materiel
transactions to
allow DoD to realign resources and streamline business processes.

Implementation of RFID minimizes time spent through the normal means of
inventory
processing. This technology allows the improvement of data quality, items
management, asset visibility, and maintenance of materiel. Further,
RFID will
enable DoD to improve business functions and facilitate all aspects of
the DoD
supply chain.

The new policy will require suppliers to put passive RFID tags on the lowest
possible piece part/case/pallet packaging by January 2005.
Acknowledging the impact
on DoD suppliers, the department plans to host an RFID Summit for
Industry in
February 2004. The RFID policy and implementation strategy will be
finalized by
June 2004.

RFID policy and the corresponding RFID tagging/labeling of DoD materiel are
applicable to all items except bulk commodities such as sand, gravel or
liquids.