Glossary term
SP6 (supply point)
TERM SUMMARY
SP6 is the NATO glossary abbreviation for "supply point," a logistics term. The glossary gives the French equivalent as "point de ravitaillement" and attributes the entry to the NATO Standardization...
- Why it matters
- SP6 stands for supply point . It is a logistics abbreviation listed in the NATO glossary of acronyms and abbreviations, published as AAP-15.
- Category
- Canadian government procurement terminology
- Reference role
- This term page is designed to be linkable, crawlable, and easy to quote or summarize.
SP6 stands for supply point. It is a logistics abbreviation listed in the NATO glossary of acronyms and abbreviations, published as AAP-15. The glossary gives the French equivalent as point de ravitaillement, in keeping with NATO's two official languages. You can check the entry in the NATO glossary of acronyms and abbreviations.
The entry attributes the term to the NATO Standardization Agreement Glossary, known as NASG. In other words, SP6 is a short form used in NATO's standardized terminology for logistics. It is a defined term. Canadian suppliers are most likely to meet it in NATO-related documents, where it should be read as "supply point."
What the SP6 entry says in the NATO glossary
The NATO glossary entry for SP6 contains three pieces of information. The abbreviation is SP6. The English term is "supply point." The French equivalent is "point de ravitaillement." The entry also names its source as NASG.
The entry is a terminology listing. It does not set out a procedure, a specification or a supplier obligation. Its job is to make sure that people working across NATO's member countries and languages read the abbreviation the same way.
SP6 and SP5: two entries for the same term
The same glossary lists a second abbreviation, SP5, which also stands for "supply point." The two entries differ in their source. SP5 is attributed to AAP-06, while SP6 is attributed to NASG.
For a bid team, the practical point is that the two abbreviations carry the same English meaning. If you see SP5 in one NATO document and SP6 in another, both refer to a supply point. The source attribution tells you which NATO terminology publication each form comes from.
Where NATO publishes logistics terminology
NATO maintains NATOTerm, which it describes as its official terminology database for non-classified military and relevant non-military terminology. It is the first place to look when you need to confirm how NATO defines a term.
NATO also publishes logistics material that includes unclassified policy and doctrinal documents and logistics terminology. The NATO logistics handbook is one example of that material. Reading it alongside the glossary helps you see how terms such as supply point sit within NATO's wider logistics vocabulary.
What SP6 means for a Canadian supplier
SP6 is a vocabulary item, not a contract clause. If it appears in a NATO-related document, read it as "supply point" and confirm the surrounding requirement in the document itself. Your bid should answer what the solicitation asks, not the abbreviation.
- Check the abbreviation against the NATO glossary or NATOTerm before you use it in a proposal.
- Use "point de ravitaillement" when you prepare French-language content that needs the NATO equivalent.
- Treat SP5 and SP6 as the same English term, drawn from different NATO sources.
- For NATO-led opportunities, review the NATO business and project opportunities page and the NSPA eProcurement opportunities list.
Keeping your terminology aligned with NATO's published definitions reduces the risk of misreading a requirement and keeps your response consistent with the buyer's own language.