PSC B522

Overview

The Product Service Code (PSC) is a standardized taxonomy the U.S. federal government uses to classify products, services, and research and development in procurement systems. PSCs appear on contract actions reported in FPDS and are maintained through the PSC Manual to support tracking, analysis, and reporting of spending across agencies. ¹

PSC B522 — “Special Studies/Analysis – Legal” — is a Service category B5 code used when the predominant requirement is a non-R&D legal study or analytical effort (for example, assessments, reviews, or evaluations of legal issues), as distinct from procuring ongoing professional legal services coded elsewhere. ¹

See also on G2X:

• G2X — PSC B522 overview
• G2X — PSC R418 Support–Professional: Legal
• G2X — PSC B528 Special Studies/Analysis–Regulatory

What this PSC covers

• Non-R&D special studies and analyses focused on legal subject matter. ¹
• Analytical projects examining statutes, regulations, or legal frameworks rather than providing representation or advocacy. ¹
• Assessments that synthesize legal authorities to inform policy or program decisions. ¹
• Legal issue reviews performed as discrete studies with defined deliverables (e.g., reports, briefings). ¹
• Predominantly labor-based research and analysis activities categorized under Special Studies/Analysis (Category B). ¹
• Work selected based on the contract’s predominant objective when multiple tasks exist. ¹

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Type	Code	Descriptor
PSC	B528	Special Studies/Analysis – Regulatory
PSC	R418	Support – Professional: Legal
PSC	R424	Support – Professional: Expert Witness
PSC	R606	Support – Administrative: Court Reporting

Boundaries and coding notes

• Distinguish B522 (legal studies/analysis) from R418 (professional legal services such as adjudication, arbitration, or mediation), which the PSC Manual lists separately with explicit “Includes” and “Excludes.” ¹
• Use the PSC that reflects the predominant service on the award; the Manual directs coding to the main product/service when multiple elements are present. ¹
• Category B is expressly “Special Studies/Analysis, Not R&D”; R&D requirements use Section A R&D PSCs, not B522. ¹

Frequently asked questions

• How is PSC B522 different from PSC R418?

  • B522 covers non-R&D special studies and analysis with legal subject matter. R418 is for professional legal services (e.g., adjudication, arbitration, mediation) and is listed with explicit “Includes/Excludes” distinct from B5 codes. ¹

• Does B522 include litigation support or court reporting?

  • The Manual places professional legal services under R418, expert witness under R424, and court reporting under R606. These are different from special studies/analysis coded under B522. ¹

• Are there official NAICS crosswalks specifically tied to B522?

  • Not specified by official sources ².

• Where is B522 captured in federal reporting?

  • PSCs, including B522, are recorded in FPDS as data element 8A (“Product or Service Code”) and support governmentwide reporting and analysis of contract actions. ¹

• Do environmental attributes apply to B522 services?

  • The Manual notes environmental attributes can be challenging to apply to services because many are predominantly labor-based; agencies should use the applicable FPDS environmental field only when appropriate to the contract. Not specific to B522. ¹

Useful resources

• Product and Service Code (PSC) Manual — April 2025 edition (current). ¹
• Product and Service Code Manual landing page and archives. ²
• FPDS Help: ezSearch and reporting guidance. ³

References

1. Acquisition.gov — PSC Manual April 2025 (PDF), including Category B and R4 code descriptions: https://www.acquisition.gov/content/psc-manual-april-2025.pdf
2. Acquisition.gov — Product and Service Code Manual landing page (current and archives): https://www.acquisition.gov/psc-manual
3. FPDS.gov — Help index for FPDS reporting and ezSearch: https://www.fpds.gov/help/index.jsp