Codes, numbers and registration
What is a PSC (product and service code)?
Product and Service Code
A PSC is the four-character code the federal government uses to classify what is being bought — the product or service itself — as opposed to NAICS, which classifies the industry that supplies it.
Also written as: product service code, PSC code, FSC code.
Product and Service Codes are maintained for federal procurement data reporting and appear on solicitations and in award records alongside the NAICS code. Service codes begin with a letter; product codes are numeric and descend from the older Federal Supply Classification.
The practical use is search precision. A NAICS code can cover a wide span of work, while the PSC identifies the specific thing being procured, so filtering award history or open solicitations by PSC often produces a cleaner picture of a niche than NAICS alone.
Nothing about your eligibility turns on the PSC. It does not set a size standard and it is not what a set-aside is measured against — it is a classification of the requirement, useful for finding work rather than for qualifying for it.
What this means when you bid
Use PSC to find the work and NAICS to check whether you are eligible for it. They answer different questions.
PSC compared with the terms it gets confused with
PSC vs NAICS code
PSC says what is being bought; NAICS says which industry supplies it, and only NAICS carries a size standard.
What NAICS codemeans →Where this definition comes from
Federal contracting is one of the few fields where the authoritative answer is free, public and one click away. These are the sources this page is built from — go and read them.
- USAspending.gov→
The official record of federal contract awards.
- SAM.gov→
The official federal registration and solicitation system. Free.
This page explains a term in plain English and cites the authority it comes from. It is not legal advice, and the regulation governs where this page and the regulation differ.
Free tools for government contractors
Knowing the term is one thing. These free tools do something with a PSC. No login, no credit card.
See the contracts this applies to
A free weekly digest of new government solicitations for your trade and your state, each summarized in plain English by Sam — so you find out about the work while there is still time to bid it.
We email you bid alerts — that's it. No spam, no selling your address. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy Policy.
Free. No credit card. Unsubscribe any time.
PSC— common questions
- What is a PSC (product and service code)?
- A PSC is the four-character code the federal government uses to classify what is being bought — the product or service itself — as opposed to NAICS, which classifies the industry that supplies it.
- What is the difference between PSC and NAICS code?
- PSC says what is being bought; NAICS says which industry supplies it, and only NAICS carries a size standard.
- Why does a PSC matter when you are bidding?
- Use PSC to find the work and NAICS to check whether you are eligible for it. They answer different questions.
Related terms
- NAICS code — North American Industry Classification System code
- SAM.gov registration