How to Fill Out DD Form 1149: Requisition and Invoice/Shipping Document

To fill out DD Form 1149, the DoD’s Requisition and Invoice/Shipping Document, complete the header blocks that identify the shipper, receiver, funding, and requisition number; list each item in the table with its stock number, unit of issue, quantity, and price; have the Commanding Officer or Head of Activity sign Block 10; and distribute copies so one travels with the cargo, one goes to accounting, and one stays with the shipping unit. The current edition is dated January 2016 and is available as a fillable PDF from the Executive Services Directorate.¹

When the DD 1149 Is the Right Form

Use the DD 1149 for shipments and requisitions that fall outside the Military Standard Requisitioning and Issue Procedures. DoD regulations state the form “will not be used for any processes under MILSTRIP” and applies only when other DoD regulations call for a manual requisition or shipping document.² If the item has a compatible MILSTRIP transaction code, use MILSTRIP instead.

Situations where the DD 1149 is appropriate include lateral transfers of equipment between units, shipment of medical and laboratory specimens such as urinalysis samples, transfer of government-furnished equipment to contractors under Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 45,³ returns of damaged equipment to repair depots, and shipment of non-standard items the automated supply system cannot describe. The form functions as both a shipping document and an invoice, so it captures the item’s financial value alongside its movement.

Where To Download the Form

The fillable PDF is hosted by the Executive Services Directorate at esd.whs.mil.¹ The Defense Contract Management Agency also mirrors a copy.⁴ Download the current January 2016 edition; older versions may not be accepted.

Completing the Header Blocks

The numbered blocks at the top of the form identify the parties, the funding, and the logistics of the shipment. Errors here are what send a form back to the shipper.

Block 1 (From). The full mailing address of the shipping activity, including ZIP code.⁴

Block 2 (To). The full mailing address of the receiving activity, including ZIP code. Verify it against the recipient’s Department of Defense Activity Address Code so the shipment reaches the correct dock or warehouse.

Block 4 (Appropriations Data). The funding information that tells the accounting system which budget pays for the shipment. This is typically a Transaction Account Code or another appropriation identifier assigned by your supply or fiscal office. If you don’t have your unit’s TAC, get it before you complete the form. A blank or wrong funding code stalls the transaction.⁵

Block 6 (Requisition Number). The unique identifier for the whole transaction. Build it by combining your unit’s DODAAC, the Julian date of the document, and a four-digit serial number assigned locally. A unit with DODAAC N00210 creating its first document on the 80th day of the year would use N0021050800001. Keep a serial-number log to avoid duplicates.⁵

Block 8 (Priority). The priority designator that matches the urgency of the shipment. Your unit’s supply procedures set which level applies.

Block 10 (Signature). The Commanding Officer or Head of Activity signs to authorize the transfer. An electronic signature is acceptable. This is a legal acknowledgment that the listed items are authorized to move.⁵

Block 11a (Voucher Number and Date). The voucher number assigned to the transaction plus the date in YYYYMMDD format.

Block 12 (Date Shipped). The actual shipping date in YYYYMMDD format.

Block 13 (Mode of Shipment). How the items travel. Common entries are GROUND, MIL-AIR, or MIL-SURFACE.⁵

Completing the Item Table

Below the header, the form has a multi-column table where you describe every item. Each row is one line item, and the columns run (a) through (i).⁴

Column (a) Item No. Number line items sequentially starting with 1.

Column (b) Federal Stock Number, Description, and Coding. Enter the National Stock Number if one exists, followed by a written description. The NSN is a 13-digit code formatted 9999-00-999-9999 (a four-digit Federal Supply Classification code plus a nine-digit National Item Identification Number).⁶ If there is no NSN, describe the item in enough detail that the receiver can identify it without guessing.

Column (c) Unit of Issue. How the item is counted. EA for each, BX for box, KT for kit, and so on. The wrong unit of issue is one of the fastest ways to create a discrepancy at the receiving end.

Column (d) Quantity Requested. The number of units being shipped.

Column (e) Supply Action. The supply action code that describes what is happening (issue, turn-in, transfer).

Column (f) Type Container. The packaging type, if applicable.

Column (g) Container Nos. Container or package tracking numbers, when they exist.

Column (h) Unit Price. The dollar value per single unit.

Column (i) Total Cost. Unit price multiplied by quantity. This total feeds property accounting and sets the baseline value if the item goes missing in transit.

Use capital letters throughout the table so the form remains legible when photocopied or scanned. Errors in the stock number or description are the most common reason shipments are held at receiving. A clerk cannot accept something that does not match the paperwork.

Signing, Distributing, and Tracking Copies

Once the Commanding Officer or Head of Activity signs Block 10, the form goes to several places. Distribution varies by service branch and local procedure, but the pattern is the same across DoD:

The originating unit keeps a shipper’s copy as a permanent record.
One copy travels physically with the cargo. The receiver uses it to verify contents against what arrives. If this copy is missing or illegible, the receiver has no basis for accepting the shipment.
A copy goes to the financial or property accounting office so master inventory records get updated. Without it, the item may remain on the shipper’s property book after it has left the building.

Many logistics units now enter DD 1149 data into the Procurement Integrated Enterprise Environment, which includes the Wide Area Workflow module for electronic invoicing, receipt, and acceptance. WAWF lets both shipper and receiver track the transaction digitally. If your command uses WAWF, you still complete the DD 1149, and you may also need to create a corresponding receiving report in the system.

Mistakes That Get Forms Rejected

Most rejections come down to a small set of repeated errors.

Putting the requisition number in Block 4 instead of Block 6. Block 4 is for appropriations data. Swapping the two misroutes the transaction in the accounting system.
Leaving Block 4 blank or wrong. Without funding data, no one knows which budget pays for the shipment, and the receiving office will often reject the form rather than guess.
Vague item descriptions in Column (b). “Electronic component” is not enough. Something like “Circuit board assembly, AN/PRC-152 radio, NSN 5820-01-451-8250” leaves no room for confusion.
Mismatched quantities and units of issue. Shipping 3 boxes but writing “3 EA” tells the receiver to expect 3 individual items. Confirm the unit of issue matches how the item is actually packaged.
No copy traveling with the cargo. If the shipment arrives without the accompanying DD 1149, the receiving warehouse may refuse delivery or park the items in a suspense account until paperwork catches up.

Why Accuracy Matters if Property Goes Missing

The DD 1149 creates the paper trail the DoD uses to track accountability. When an item documented on a DD 1149 cannot be accounted for, whether it was lost in transit, damaged, or never received, the command may initiate a Financial Liability Investigation of Property Loss. A FLIPL determines what happened, who was responsible, and whether that person should reimburse the government. Individuals found liable can face administrative action, and the assessed amount can be collected through pay deductions.

A properly completed and distributed DD 1149 is your best defense. If your copy shows you shipped the correct items to the correct address with the correct documentation, liability shifts to whoever handled the shipment after it left your custody. A sloppy form makes it much harder to prove you did your part.

1
Washington Headquarters Services. DD 1149
2
Defense Logistics Agency. MILSTRIP Manual
3
Acquisition.GOV. FAR Part 45 – Government Property
4
Defense Contract Management Agency. DD Form 1149 – Requisition and Invoice/Shipping Document
5
Naval Service Training Command. Use of DD Form 1149 for Unit Level Shipping of Urinalysis Samples
6
Western Area Readiness University. National Stock Numbers (NSN)