FEDERAL SUPPLY CATALOG SYSTEM
The Defense Logistics Agency administers the Federal Supply Catalog System under the direction of the Secretary of the Navy. This includes the naming, description, classification, and numbering of all items carried under centralized control of the United States Government. Only one identification maybe used for each item from purchase to final disposal.
The Department of Defense Supply System contains more than 4 million different items and the Navy alone stocks more than 1 1/2 million items. To order supplies effectively from this system, you must have a basic understanding of its structure and terminology.
TERMINOLOGY
BULK STOCK—Material in full, unbroken containers available for future use.
CONSUMABLES—Any supplies that are consumed in use or disposed of after use.
CONTROLLED EQUIPAGE—Equipment that is under management control due to high replacement cost, likelihood of pilferage, or is highly essential to mission accomplishment.
EQUIPMENT—Any functional unit of hull, mechanical, electrical, ordnance, or electronic material operated singly or as a component of a system or subsystem. Equipment is a nonconsumable item.
MATERIAL—All supplies, repair parts, equipment, and equipage. REPAIR PART—A replaceable part of machinery or equipment.
RESERVE STOCK—Items on hand and available for issue for a specific purpose, but not for general use.
STANDARD STOCK—Material under the control of an inventory manager and identified by a National Item Identification Number (NIIN).
STOCK UNIT—The smallest quantity of a supply item.
FEDERAL SUPPLY CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM
The Federal Supply Classification (FSC) System is designed to permit the classification of all items of supply used by the United States Government. Each item of supply is classified by a single 4-digit number. The first two digits identify the major group and the second two digits identify the class of commodities within that group.
As presently established, the FSC consists of 90 groups, some of which are currently unassigned. These groups are subdivided into approximately 600 classes.
An example of an FSC group and its classes is as follows:
| Group 65 Medical, Dental, and Veterinary Supplies and Equipment | 6505 Drugs Biological, and Official Reagents — 6508 Medicated Cosmetics and Toiletries 6510 Surgical Dressing Material |
NATIONAL STOCK NUMBERS
Every item in the Federal Supply Catalog is identified by a single 13-digit number. The National Stock Number (NSN) is composed of a 4-digit classification code and a 9-digit National Item Identification Number.
The National Item Identification Number is a 9-digit number that identifies each item of supply used by the Department of Defense. Although the NIIN is part of the NSN, it is used independently to identify an item within a classification. Unlike the FSC, the NIIN is assigned serially, without regard for the name, description, or classification of the item. NAVY ITEM CONTROL NUMBERS The Navy Item Control Number (NICN) identifies items of material that are not included in the FSC but are stocked in the Navy supply system. These are 13-digit numbers assigned by inventory control managers for either temporary or permanent control.
LOCAL ITEM CONTROL NUMBERS
Technically, any item identification number assigned by an activity for its own use is a Navy Item Control Number. To distinguish between
