NMC1 (NATO Manual on Codification)

NMC1 is the short form of the NATO Manual on Codification. NATO's glossary of acronyms and abbreviations lists it under that name, and NATO's current publication page identifies the same manual as Allied Codification Publication No. 1 (ACodP-1).

The manual belongs to the NATO Codification System (NCS), a common system for identifying, classifying and assigning stock numbers to items of supply. For a Canadian supplier, NMC1 and ACodP-1 are two names for the same rulebook, and it matters most when the customer is the Department of National Defence (DND).

NMC1, ACodP-1 and the NATO Codification System

The NATO acronym glossary (AAP-15) gives "NMC1" as the NATO Manual on Codification. NATO's own publication page uses the newer ACodP-1 designation. Bid documents and policies may use either label, so bid teams should treat them as one document.

ACodP-1 contains the basics of the NCS. NATO describes the NCS in its NCS booklet as a system for uniquely identifying and recording items of supply. The goal is that every item has one identity that all participating nations recognize, which supports logistics and materiel-data management.

Who the manual binds: bureaux, users and contractors

ACodP-1 sets out the basic rules of the NCS and defines the responsibilities of National Codification Bureaux, users and contractors. Contractors are named directly in the manual, which means a supplier can be expected to follow codification procedures and not only the buying organization.

NATO states that each participating nation must implement the rules and procedures. The relevant National Codification Bureau is the final authority for applying them alongside national regulations. In practice, the national bureau, and not the supplier, decides how the rules apply to a given item.

Identifiers that sit alongside NMC1

Several terms appear next to NMC1 in codification and logistics documents:

• NCS: the NATO Codification System that the manual governs.
• NSN: the NATO Stock Number, used to identify an item of supply.
• NCAGE/NSCM: the NATO Commercial and Government Entity code, also called the NATO Supply Code for Manufacturers, used to identify manufacturers and suppliers.
• NMCRL: the NATO Master Catalogue of References for Logistics, a NATO codification database described on the NMCRL terms page.

How DND applies NMC1 in Canada

DND's DAOD 3038-0, Materiel Identification requires materiel classification and codification in accordance with ACodP-1, the NATO Manual on Codification. DND also describes this requirement in its guide to navigating NATO procurement.

The requirement shows up in solicitations. A DND request for proposal published on CanadaBuys, solicitation W8485-237545, asks bidders to provide the manufacturing entity's NSCM/CAGE code in a deliverable-item grid. That type of solicitation can also state that the part number and NSCM/CAGE code in the bid are the references DND knows to meet the required form, fit and function.

The documented use of NMC1 in Canada is in DND materiel identification and defence procurement. Suppliers to other buyers should read each solicitation for its own identification requirements.

What NMC1 means for a supplier bidding on Canadian public contracts

If you bid on DND materiel, expect codification to be part of the requirement. Four practical steps follow from the documents above:

• Follow the codification requirements that apply to the materiel you supply.
• Provide the manufacturer-identification information requested, such as an NSCM/CAGE code.
• Give item and part-number information in the format the solicitation specifies.
• Check that the identification you submit matches the item you are offering and the entity that manufactures it.

Because the bid's part number and NSCM/CAGE code become the references DND relies on, errors in those fields can undermine an otherwise compliant bid. You can find DND and other federal opportunities through CanadaBuys, which also explains that Canadian businesses can bid on many opportunities from the NATO Support and Procurement Agency.