NAICS code

The Census Bureau publishes NAICS, which groups the economy into sectors, subsectors and six-digit industries. In federal contracting, the contracting officer assigns the one code that most accurately describes the principal purpose of the purchase (FAR 19.102), and the SBA size standard for that code decides whether you are small for that buy.

NAICS codes also drive search: contractors filter opportunities by their codes, agencies use them in market research, and SAM.gov registrations list them. A product or service code (PSC) describes what is being bought; NAICS describes the industry.

List the codes you can actually perform and prove, with your primary code first. Too few codes and you miss notices; too many and your capability statement looks unfocused.

Common mistakes: assuming you are small under every code (each has its own standard), not checking the code a solicitation uses before deciding to bid on a set-aside, and forgetting that a code can be challenged before the proposal due date. State and local buyers often use their own commodity codes instead of NAICS.

NAICS codes are revised every five years by the Census Bureau, most recently for 2022, and the SBA updates size standards on its own schedule, so a code or a size standard can change between pursuits. When a solicitation's code looks wrong for the work, raise it promptly: a NAICS code designation can be appealed to the SBA's Office of Hearings and Appeals within a short window after the solicitation is issued. Getting the code changed can make a set-aside open, or closed, to your company.