This standard provides a framework for the exchange of messages concerning cargo and content of vehicles and content of buildings involved in transportation-related events, to support the management of those events. The clearest examples of the need for these messages are in cases where the cargo and/or content include hazardous material or hazardous waste. However, these messages are also often needed where the cargo and/or content is nonhazardous, as described in 1.1. This standard is part of the IEEE 1512 Family of Standards. The purpose of that family of standards as a whole is presented in the Base Standard and will not be repeated here.In more detail, the purpose of this standard is to support the communication necessary to take the real world, available-information situation confronting the incident manager, and use off-site databases to make further information available to that manager, to best support this individual in managing the event. That calls for messages that support communications of whatever information is available, often quite partial, to off-site databases and resources, and (often) then among off-site databases and resources, to accomplish the following two decision-support functions: a) To retrieve further information about what the cargo and/or contents are, based on what are often quite partial cues available on site. That information is available in off-site databases managed by shippers, carriers, and fleet and freight management centers. b) To retrieve information about the characteristics of the cargo and/or contents that is important for incident management, such as toxicity, flammability, danger of explosion, size of a potential toxic plume, environmental damage, recommended set-back distances, and evacuation areas.