1. Nine Tips for “Nailing” Your NAICS
And Your Product Service Codes
1. You can do a keyword search to find your North American Industrial Classification System code
at the census website: www.census.gov/eos/www/naics/ or at this commercial website:
http://www.naics.com/search/
2. Search the list of all Product Service Codes here, and click on individual codes to see expanded
definitions: www.support.outreachsystems.com/resources/tables/psc/
3. Also look at what codes are used by your competitors. Search www.sam.gov for all
businesses or SBA’s Dynamic Small Business Search for more information
http://dsbs.sba.gov/dsbs/search/dsp_dsbs.cfm on small businesses.
4. Look at what codes are used in the solicitations. Do keyword, NAICS, and PSC searches at
www.fbo.gov, using the advanced search options.
5. Look at the codes assigned to contracts that have been awarded. See this database online
at: www.fpds.gov
6. There is no limit on how many NAICS and PSCs you can choose, but you must also select a
primary NAICS code, which would be the industry sector in which you generate most of your
revenues.
7. Contracting officers do not always agree on what codes should be used for each product or
service, so be very thorough in your research and remember you can always revise your codes.
8. The codes you select to describe your company may be different from the codes that are used
in larger solicitations where you would be a subcontractor. Accumulate an additional list of
codes for bid searching purposes that would include the codes used by the prime contractors.
An example would be general building construction and plumbing.
9. If you would like more help with your codes, or any topics related to pursuing contracts with
government and public agencies, please call our PTAC to learn about our free counseling
services: 619-285-7020.
SDCOC's “Nine Tips for Nailing Your NAICS” ©2013 by San Diego Contracting Opportunities Center,
4007 Camino del Rio South, #210, San Diego, CA, 92108, www.ptac-sandiego.org This is not to be
reproduced for commercial purposes, and not to be reproduced without full citation of copyright and
all information about SDCOC as shown above.