PSC 9640

Overview

The Product Service Code (PSC) system categorizes what the U.S. government buys so contract actions can be consistently classified in FPDS and SAM, supporting tracking, analysis, and reporting. Codes and definitions are maintained in the official PSC Manual issued by GSA.¹

PSC 9640 covers iron and steel primary and semifinished products identified as bulk materials. The manual defines primary products (for example, raw ingots and pigs requiring further refinement) and semifinished items (for example, billets and blooms requiring additional manufacturing to reach a final, usable state). The class explicitly includes ingots, pigs, billets, blooms, muck bar, rods for wire, sheet bar, skelp, and tube rounds.¹

See also on G2X:

• G2X — PSC 9670 Iron and Steel Scrap
• G2X — PSC 9510 Bars and Rods

What this PSC covers

• Bulk iron and steel material only, not discrete finished items.¹
• Primary products such as iron or steel ingots and pigs that require further refinement.¹
• Semifinished forms requiring additional processing, including billets and blooms.¹
• Muck bar (puddled bar) as an early-stage iron/steel form.¹
• Rods intended for drawing into wire (rods for wire).¹
• Sheet bar and skelp used to produce plate, sheet, or pipe.¹
• Tube rounds as semifinished inputs for tubular products.¹

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Coding and reporting context

• The PSC is entered in FPDS data element 8A (“Product or Service Code”). Environmental attributes (for example, recovered content, biobased, energy‑efficient) are reported in element 8L and selected based on the predominant product or service purchased.¹

Domestic content considerations for iron and steel

• For DoD acquisitions, an end product consisting wholly or predominantly of iron or steel must contain less than 5 percent foreign iron or steel (by cost) for the item to qualify as domestic under DFARS 225.101. This rule specifically references mill products such as bar, billet, slab, wire, plate, or sheet.³

Frequently asked questions

• What items are included under PSC 9640?
  PSC 9640 includes bulk iron and steel primary and semifinished products such as ingots, pigs, billets, blooms, muck bar, rods for wire, sheet bar, skelp, and tube rounds. It distinguishes early-stage material requiring additional processing from finished mill products.¹

• How does PSC 9640 differ from related mill product classes?
  Finished or standard mill products like plate, sheet, strip, bars/rods, and structural shapes are classified in Group 95 (for example, 9515, 9510, 9520). Items such as muck bar, sheet bar, and rods for wire are specifically routed to 9640.¹

• Is there an official NAICS mapping for PSC 9640?
  Not specified by official sources²

• How is PSC 9640 recorded in FPDS?
  Agencies select the PSC in FPDS element 8A to represent what was bought; environmental attributes (if applicable) are reported in element 8L. The selection should reflect the predominant product on the action.¹

• Are there special domestic preference rules for iron and steel items?
  For DoD buys, DFARS 225.101 requires that iron and steel content not produced in the United States or a qualifying country be under 5 percent of component cost for items consisting wholly or predominantly of iron or steel.³

Useful resources

• G2X — PSC 9640
• Acquisition.gov — PSC Manual (April 2025 edition).¹
• Acquisition.gov — PSC Manual index and archives.²
• Acquisition.gov — DFARS 225.101 General (domestic content for iron and steel).³

References

1. Acquisition.gov. Product and Service Codes (PSC) Manual, April 2025 (Sections: Group 95–96; Class 9640). https://www.acquisition.gov/sites/default/files/manual/PSC%20Manual%20April%202025.pdf
2. Acquisition.gov. Product and Service Code Manual — All versions/index. https://www.acquisition.gov/psc-manual/all
3. Acquisition.gov. DFARS 225.101 General. https://www.acquisition.gov/dfars/225.101-general