Type Classification (TC)
Type classification is the US_Army declaring, on the record, that a piece of materiel is acceptable for the Army inventory. Per AR_700-142 it “ensures that materiel is acceptable for Army use prior to spending procurement funds at the Full-Rate Production Decision Review.” Without it, a system cannot get a standard line item number and cannot appear on a unit’s authorization document.
The designations
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| STD (Standard) | Acceptable for the intended mission, supportable in its intended environment, acceptable for introduction into the Army inventory. Includes materiel being replaced but still acceptable. |
| LP (Limited Procurement) | Materiel required for a limited time in a specified limited quantity. Covers low-rate initial production, initial quantities for operational test, and demonstrations. Reviewed within three years to extend, convert to STD, or declare obsolete. |
| OBS (Obsolete) | No longer required or acceptable for Army use. Removed from authorization documents; not reissued or reprocured, though it may support the international logistics program. |
| Exempt | Categories AR 700-142 excludes from the process. |
TC STD is normally assigned before the full-rate production decision review on developmental programs, or after government acceptance following qualification testing on non-developmental and commercial items. Where Milestone C and full-rate production happen simultaneously, a TC LP decision at Milestone C lets the government obligate production funds against contracts protected by first-article test provisions.
What the package requires
Table 3-3 of the regulation lists the gates. Among them: a JCIDS-approved capabilities document, assignment of a national stock number, adequate product definition data including data rights sufficient for competitive procurement, an HQDA-approved basis of issue plan, an operational assessment of technical support and effectiveness, a production readiness review, and environmental conformance certification. The Milestone_Decision_Authority signs the acquisition decision memorandum, and the approved TC goes into SLAMIS to generate the standard LIN and the SB 700-20 entry.
Why it matters
The data-rights line is the one that surprises vendors. TC STD requires product definition data “including data rights or data use for competitive procurement.” A company planning to hold its technical data closely will collide with type classification long before it collides with a contracting officer. TC also runs in parallel with Materiel_Release — the two are distinct decisions, TC STD and full materiel release may occur simultaneously, and both are required before routine fielding.
See Also
US_Army · Materiel_Release · AMC · Milestone_Decision_Authority · Defense_Acquisition_System · JCIDS · ASAALT · Army_Organic_Industrial_Base