PSC 9630

Overview

The Product Service Code (PSC) is a standardized taxonomy the U.S. federal government uses to classify what is bought across procurement systems, enabling consistent reporting, analysis, and category management. PSC entries appear on contract actions in FPDS and are referenced across acquisition workflows, with maintenance governed through the PSC Manual issued on Acquisition.gov. ¹

9630 — Additive Metal Materials — is a product class within PSC Group 96 (Ores, Minerals, and Their Primary Products). Official guidance specifies that only bulk material is identified here; “additive metal materials” are substances added to metals to improve characteristics (e.g., lead added to steel for machinability). It includes alloying additives such as aluminum, antimony, copper, and others, and excludes fuel-inhibiting additives classified under 6850. ¹

See also on G2X:

• G2X — PSC 9640 Iron and Steel Primary and Semifinished Products
• G2X — PSC 9650 Nonferrous Base Metal Refinery and Intermediate Forms

What this PSC covers

• Bulk alloying additions used to modify metal properties (e.g., machinability), not finished parts or semi-finished mill forms. ¹
• Examples of additive elements explicitly noted: aluminum, antimony, copper; “and others” indicates a non-exhaustive set of alloying additions. ¹
• Materials recorded at the bulk-material level; specially designed or finished items belong in more specific classes. ¹
• Alloying inputs intended to be combined with ferrous or nonferrous metals during melting, refining, or secondary metallurgy. ¹
• Transactions coded when the predominant deliverable is the alloying additive itself, not the base metal or fabricated product. ¹
• Excludes chemical fuel inhibitors and similar specialty chemicals, which fall under 6850. ¹
• Distinct from primary/semi-finished metal forms (e.g., ingots, billets, plate) covered by 9640 or 9650. ¹

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Type	Code	Descriptor
PSC	9610	Ores (bulk ore inputs; not alloying additives).
PSC	9620	Minerals, Natural and Synthetic (bulk minerals; excludes refractory clays and abrasives).
PSC	9640	Iron and Steel Primary and Semifinished Products (ingots, billets, muck bar, rods for wire, sheet bar).
PSC	9650	Nonferrous Base Metal Refinery and Intermediate Forms (ingots, slabs).

Adjacent-class decision cues

• Use 9630 when the deliverable is a bulk alloying additive intended to be combined with metals to improve characteristics. Use 9640 or 9650 when the deliverable is a primary or semi-finished metal form (e.g., ingot, billet, plate). ¹
• Do not assign 9630 for fuel-inhibiting chemical additives; code those under 6850. ¹

Data and reporting notes

• The PSC Manual emphasizes selecting the PSC that reflects the predominant supply on the action and records environmental attributes separately in FPDS data element 8L; these instructions apply across product classes, including 9630. ¹
• PSCs also serve downstream reporting, including SAM-based service-contract inventories where specified; agencies reference PSCs when compiling inventory data. ²

Frequently asked questions

• Q1: What exactly qualifies as “additive metal materials” in 9630?

  A1: They are bulk materials added to metals to improve characteristics, such as machinability (e.g., lead added to steel). The class includes alloying additives like aluminum, antimony, copper, and others, but excludes fuel-inhibiting additives, which are coded under 6850. ¹

• Q2: Are metal powders or wires for additive manufacturing (3D printing) included in 9630?

  A2: The Manual frames “additive metal materials” as alloying additions to enhance metal properties, not as additive manufacturing feedstocks. It does not state coverage for 3D-printing powders or wires. Not specified by official sources ¹.

• Q3: How should 9630 be distinguished from 9640 or 9650?

  A3: Use 9630 for bulk alloying additives. Use 9640 for iron/steel primary or semi-finished forms and 9650 for nonferrous refinery or intermediate forms. Those classes cover base metal forms rather than alloying additions. ¹

• Q4: Are elements beyond aluminum, antimony, and copper covered under 9630?

  A4: Yes. The Manual describes “Alloying Additives (Aluminum, Antimony, Copper, and Others),” indicating the list is illustrative, not exhaustive. Other alloying additions fit when delivered as bulk materials and used to modify metal characteristics. ¹

• Q5: Are there environmental reporting requirements tied to 9630?

  A5: Environmental and sustainability attributes are captured via FPDS data element 8L, independent of PSC selection. Follow agency and government-wide reporting policies for energy-efficient, biobased, or environmentally preferable products where applicable. ¹

Useful resources

• G2X — PSC 9630 overview
• Product and Service Code (PSC) Manual – current library and April 2025 edition, including Group 96 definitions and class 9630. ¹
• DFARS Procedures, Guidance, and Information (PGI) 204.1703 – Service contract inventory reporting references PSC use in SAM-based reporting. ²

References

1. PSC Manual April 2025 (PDF), Acquisition.gov. https://www.acquisition.gov/sites/default/files/manual/PSC%20Manual%20April%202025.pdf
2. DFARS PGI Part 204.1703, Service contract inventory reporting (SAM). https://www.acquisition.gov/dfarspgi/pgi-part-204-administrative-and-information-matters