PSC 8960

Overview

The Product and Service Code (PSC) system is the federal government’s standard taxonomy for classifying supplies and services in contract actions, enabling consistent reporting in FPDS and SAM for spend analysis and policy oversight. The PSC Manual maintained on Acquisition.gov governs the definitions and use of these codes across agencies, including rules for selecting the appropriate code on mixed buys and reporting attributes. ¹

PSC 8960 — Beverages, Nonalcoholic — sits in Group 89 (Subsistence). The PSC Manual specifies that 8960 includes “Soft Drinks; Ice,” distinguishing it from adjacent food-and-beverage classes such as coffee, tea, cocoa, juices, and alcoholic beverages. Contracting officers select 8960 when the predominant items on a contract action are nonalcoholic beverages as defined in the manual, applying the same “predominant product” principle used elsewhere in Group 89. ²

See also on G2X:

• G2X — PSC 8955 (Coffee, Tea, and Cocoa)
• G2X — PSC 8965 (Beverages, Alcoholic)

What this PSC covers

• Nonalcoholic beverage supplies within PSC Group 89 (Subsistence). ²
• Items explicitly included: soft drinks. ²
• Items explicitly included: ice. ²
• Alcoholic beverages are excluded and placed under PSC 8965. ²
• Coffee, tea, and cocoa are excluded and placed under PSC 8955. ²
• Dietetic/specialty foods are classified under PSC 8940, not 8960. ²
• Fruit and vegetable juices are listed under PSC 8915, not 8960. ²

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Type	Code	Descriptor
PSC	8955	Coffee, Tea, and Cocoa 2
PSC	8915	Fruits and Vegetables (includes juices) 2
PSC	8965	Beverages, Alcoholic 2

Group 89 context and coordinated acquisition

• Group 89 (Subsistence) spans food and beverage supplies across multiple PSC classes, including 8960; agencies code to the predominant product on the action per the PSC Manual. ²
• DFARS PGI 208.7006 identifies a coordinated acquisition assignment for “Beverages, Nonalcoholic,” managed by DLA Troop Support (DSCP), signaling centralized DoD sourcing for this commodity. ³

Frequently asked questions

• How does PSC 8960 differ from nearby beverage and food PSCs? — 8960 covers nonalcoholic beverages and ice; alcoholic items belong to PSC 8965, coffee/tea/cocoa to PSC 8955, dietetic foods to PSC 8940, and juices appear under PSC 8915. ²

• Does the PSC Manual list bottled water under 8960? — Not specified by official sources. The 8960 entry lists “Soft Drinks; Ice” as explicit inclusions; the manual does not enumerate bottled water in this class. ²

• Are there recent changes to PSC 8960 in the FY 2025 manual update? — The April 2025 PSC Manual’s summary of changes notes one new product code (9105) and no changes to 8960. ²

• Who manages coordinated DoD sourcing for nonalcoholic beverages? — DFARS PGI 208.7006 shows “Beverages, Nonalcoholic” under coordinated acquisition with DLA Troop Support (DSCP) as the assignment. ³

• How are environmental attributes reported for product buys like beverages? — Agencies report environmental or sustainability attributes in FPDS per government-wide policy; the PSC Manual provides the reporting framework but does not include beverage-specific attribute designations. Not specified by official sources ².

Useful resources

• G2X — PSC 8960 (Beverages, Nonalcoholic): https://app.g2xchange.com/psc/8960
• Acquisition.gov — Product and Service Code Manual (landing page). ¹
• Acquisition.gov — PSC Manual, April 2025 (PDF), Group 89 entries. ²
• DFARS PGI 208.7006 — Coordinated acquisition assignments (lists “Beverages, Nonalcoholic”). ³

References

1. Acquisition.gov — Product and Service Code Manual index: https://www.acquisition.gov/psc-manual
2. Acquisition.gov — PSC Manual April 2025 (PDF), Group 89 (Subsistence) and PSC 8960 entry: https://www.acquisition.gov/sites/default/files/manual/PSC%20Manual%20April%202025.pdf
3. Acquisition.gov — DFARS PGI 208.7006 Coordinated acquisition assignments: https://www.acquisition.gov/dfarspgi/pgi-part-208-required-sources-supplies-and-services