PSC AG13

Overview

The Product Service Code (PSC) is a governmentwide taxonomy used to identify the products, services, and research and development that agencies buy. PSCs are entered on contract actions in FPDS and maintained through the PSC Manual to support classification, reporting, and analysis of federal spend. ¹

PSC AG13 is defined in the PSC Manual as Energy R&D Services; Energy Supply; Experimental Development. Agencies use AG13 when the principal purpose of an award is experimental development work aimed at producing new or improved energy supply products or processes. It aligns with the Manual’s R&D stage definitions, distinguishing experimental development from applied research and basic research within the energy supply sub-portfolio. ²

See also on G2X:

• G2X — PSC AG13 overview: https://app.g2xchange.com/psc/AG13
• G2X — PSC AG12
• G2X — PSC AG14

What this PSC covers

• Experimental development for energy supply technologies and processes, drawing on knowledge from prior basic and applied research. ²
• Design, build, and test of prototypes or pilot-scale systems for energy supply where work remains research-oriented and results are transferable. ²
• Integration, scale-up, and maturation activities needed to transform lab concepts into viable energy-supply capabilities. ²
• Development efforts to improve performance, reliability, or cost of existing energy supply methods through systematic R&D. ²
• Field trials and demonstrations that are themselves R&D (technical demonstrations), not end-user or pre-production activities. ²
• Work coded to the “energy supply” sub-portfolio within Energy R&D Services, at the experimental development stage. ²

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Coding boundaries and exclusions

• Do not assign an R&D PSC to purchases of products used in R&D; code the product itself with the appropriate product PSC. ²
• Exclude user demonstrations and low-rate initial production; these are not R&D for PSC purposes. ²
• Exclude non-experimental pre-production activities (e.g., tooling for full production); these are not experimental development. ²

FPDS reporting notes

• When the principal purpose is research and experimental development services, select an R&D PSC; PSCs are recorded in FPDS element 8A. ²
• Environmental attributes (e.g., energy efficient, biobased) are captured separately in FPDS element 8L and are selected based on the predominant item or service. ²
• PSC selection should reflect the predominant deliverable of the action; mixed buys must be classified by the primary purpose. ²

Frequently asked questions

• When should an award use PSC AG13 instead of AG12 or AG11?
  Use AG13 when the work is experimental development—systematic, creative efforts to produce or improve energy supply products or processes using existing knowledge. Use AG12 for applied research and AG11 for basic research. ²

• Are prototype or pilot demonstrations coded to AG13?
  Yes, when the demonstration is integral to R&D (a technical demonstration supporting development objectives). Exclude user demonstrations that validate a specific operational use and exclude pre-production or low-rate initial production activities, which are not R&D for PSC purposes. ²

• Should equipment bought to support AG13 efforts be coded AG13?
  No. Code tangible items to the applicable product PSC. Only the research service itself should be coded AG13 when the principal purpose is experimental development within the energy supply domain. Ancillary equipment purchases should not use an R&D PSC. ²

• Where in FPDS are PSCs and environmental attributes recorded?
  Enter the PSC in FPDS element 8A. If applicable, select environmental attributes in element 8L based on the predominant product or service. These fields are separate and should be populated per the PSC Manual’s instructions for R&D coding. ²

• Is AG13 used to buy delivered electricity?
  No. Purchasing electricity is a product buy. Use the appropriate product PSC (e.g., 9105 Electric Power Supply from a Third Party Generation Entity) rather than an R&D PSC, which is reserved for research and experimental development services. ²

Useful resources

• G2X — PSC AG13: https://app.g2xchange.com/psc/AG13
• Acquisition.gov — Product and Service Code Manual (landing page). https://www.acquisition.gov/psc-manual
• PSC Manual, April 2025 edition (PDF) — authoritative definitions and code list. https://www.acquisition.gov/sites/default/files/manual/PSC%20Manual%20April%202025.pdf
• PSC Manual Archives (historical versions). https://www.acquisition.gov/psc-manual/archives
• GSA guidance on reporting contract actions in FPDS (includes PSC selection tool reference). https://origin-www.gsa.gov/technology/it-contract-vehicles-and-purchasing-programs/gwacs/how-to-use-gwacs/report-contract-actions-in-the-federal-procurement-data-system

References

1. Acquisition.gov — Product and Service Code Manual (landing page): https://www.acquisition.gov/psc-manual
2. PSC Manual, April 2025 (PDF), Section A (R&D codes) and Energy R&D excerpts: https://www.acquisition.gov/sites/default/files/manual/PSC%20Manual%20April%202025.pdf