PSC AL13

Overview

The Product Service Code (PSC) system standardizes how the U.S. government classifies what it buys, enabling consistent reporting, analysis, and visibility across federal procurement systems such as FPDS and SAM. The PSC structure and definitions are maintained in the official PSC Manual on Acquisition.gov, which agencies use to select the code that best describes the predominant item or service acquired. ¹

AL13 denotes “Income Security R&D Services; Income Security; Experimental Development.” It is part of the Research and Development (R&D) family and identifies contract actions for experimental development work within the Income Security domain—as distinct from basic or applied research, administrative expenses, or facilities. ¹

See also on G2X:

• G2X — PSC AL13 overview
• G2X — PSC AL11 overview
• G2X — PSC AL12 overview

What this PSC covers

• Experimental development activities in the Income Security domain aimed at producing new or improved products, processes, or systems, drawing on knowledge from prior research and practical experience. ¹
• R&D efforts characterized by novelty, creativity, uncertainty, systematic approach, and transferability or reproducibility, when applied to Income Security objectives. ¹
• Prototype, pilot, or testing work that is part of experimental development (as opposed to routine implementation), when the goal is to develop or improve solutions relevant to Income Security. ¹
• Demonstrations that are part of R&D (not user demonstrations validating a specific operational use case) conducted under experimental development for Income Security. ¹
• Work excluded from product purchases: goods bought in support of R&D should be coded under the appropriate product PSC, not as R&D services. ¹
• Administrative support to Income Security R&D belongs under AL14, not AL13. ¹
• Major facilities and equipment for Income Security R&D are captured under AL15, not AL13. ¹

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Related PSC entries in the same R&D family, per the PSC Manual. ¹

Type | Code | Descriptor

• | - | - PSC | AL11 | Income Security R&D Services; Income Security; Basic Research PSC | AL12 | Income Security R&D Services; Income Security; Applied Research PSC | AL14 | Income Security R&D Services; Income Security; R&D Administrative Expenses PSC | AL15 | Income Security R&D Services; Income Security; Expenses for R&D Facilities and Major Equipment

Coding guidance highlights

• Assign an R&D code when the contract action is for research and experimental development services; select the code that best represents the predominant work. ¹
• Do not use an R&D PSC for products purchased in support of R&D; instead, code the product under the appropriate product PSC. ¹
• Experimental development is directed at producing or improving products or processes; it is distinct from applied research, which seeks to gain knowledge toward a practical aim. ¹
• Exclude user demonstrations focused on validating a specific use case and pre-production development (e.g., tooling, low-rate initial production); these are not R&D. ¹
• PSC is recorded in FPDS as data element 8A “Product or Service Code”; values must be valid from the PSC Manual. ⁴

Frequently asked questions

• What does AL13 mean in federal contracting?

  It identifies R&D services in the Income Security domain at the experimental development stage—creative, systematic work to produce new or improved solutions based on existing knowledge and research. It is separate from basic or applied research, administrative expenses, and facilities. ¹

• How is AL13 different from AL12?

  AL12 is Applied Research—work to gain knowledge toward a practical aim—while AL13 is Experimental Development focused on creating or improving tangible products or processes using that knowledge. See also on G2X: AL12. ¹

• Should equipment purchases supporting R&D be coded as AL13?

  No. Products purchased in support of R&D must be coded with the appropriate product PSC rather than an R&D services PSC. Use AL13 only when the action is for R&D services. ¹

• Are field demonstrations included under AL13?

  Demonstrations that are part of R&D are included; however, user demonstrations that validate a specific use case and pre-production development (including low-rate initial production) are excluded from R&D coding. ¹

• Which NAICS codes typically align to AL13?

  Not specified by official sources. ²

Useful resources

• G2X — PSC AL13 overview
• PSC Manual (FY 2025 Edition) — definitions, inclusions/exclusions, and full R&D code list. ¹
• Product and Service Code Manual hub page (current/archives and supporting materials). ²
• FPDS Help: Product or Service Codes — PSC overview and usage in FPDS. ³

References

1. Acquisition.gov — PSC Manual April 2025 (PDF): https://www.acquisition.gov/sites/default/files/manual/PSC%20Manual%20April%202025.pdf
2. Acquisition.gov — Product and Service Code Manual: https://www.acquisition.gov/psc-manual
3. FPDS — PSC Help: https://www.fpds.gov/help/PSC.htm
4. FPDS — Glossary (Product or Service Code element): https://www.fpds.gov/help_V1_1/Glossary.htm