PSC B527

Overview

The Product and Service Codes (PSC) system is a governmentwide taxonomy used to classify the goods, services, and research that agencies buy. PSCs are recorded on contract actions in FPDS/SAM.gov to identify what was purchased and to support consistent tracking, analysis, and reporting. The code set and guidance are maintained in the PSC Manual issued by GSA. ¹

PSC B527 is defined as “Special Studies/Analysis – Recreation.” It is part of Category B (Special Studies/Analysis, Not R&D) and is used when the principal purpose of the acquisition is an analytical study related to recreation, rather than design, construction, facility operation, or research and development. ¹

See also on G2X:

• G2X — PSC B527 overview: https://app.g2xchange.com/psc/B527
• G2X — PSC B510
• G2X — PSC C1PA

What this PSC covers

• Non-R&D analytical services focused on recreation topics (e.g., studies, evaluations, or assessments whose main purpose is analysis, not execution). ¹
• Work coded to Category B when the predominant purpose of the contract action is a recreation-focused study, per PSC selection guidance. ¹
• Studies that are separate from design, construction, or facility operations activities, which fall under other PSC categories. ¹
• Situations where Category B “special studies/analysis” better describes the requirement than support, medical, A–E, or utilities/housekeeping services. ¹
• Specific methods, deliverables, or subtopics under B527 are not enumerated in the PSC Manual. Not specified by official sources ¹.

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Type	Code	Descriptor
PSC	B510	Special Studies/Analysis – Environmental Assessments 1
PSC	B513	Special Studies/Analysis – Feasibility (Non-Construction) 1
PSC	C1PA	Architect and Engineering – Construction: Recreational Facilities (Non-Building) 1
PSC	M1PA	Operation of Recreation Facilities (Non-Building) 1

Coding guidance and adjacent categories

• Use B527 when the requirement is primarily a study or analysis about recreation; do not use it for R&D (Category A), which is a separate set of PSCs. ¹
• For environmental assessments, use B510 when EA work is the predominant purpose; otherwise use B527 if the recreation study predominates. ¹
• For A–E design related to recreation facilities, consider C1PA (non-building recreation facilities). ¹
• For operating recreation facilities, use M1PA (operation of recreation facilities, non-building) or M1FB (operation of recreational buildings), as appropriate. ¹

Data reporting notes

• PSC is captured as FPDS/SAM.gov data element 8A “Product or Service Code”; agencies select the code based on the predominant product or service bought. ¹
• Contract award data by PSC are searchable in SAM.gov (Contract Awards) and via the DataBank; FPDS remains the authoritative source during the migration. ³

Frequently asked questions

• What is PSC B527?

  • B527 is the PSC for “Special Studies/Analysis – Recreation.” It applies to non-R&D analytical studies centered on recreation topics and is part of Category B special studies/analysis services. ¹

• How is B527 different from A–E or construction codes?

  • B527 covers analytical studies, not design or construction. A–E and construction work are coded under Category C and Category Y, respectively; for recreation facilities, see C1PA. ¹

• Is B527 considered research and development?

  • No. Category B is explicitly “Special Studies/Analysis, Not R&D.” R&D uses a separate set of Category A PSCs. ¹

• Which NAICS codes typically align with B527?

  • The PSC Manual defines the service but does not prescribe NAICS pairings. Not specified by official sources ¹.

• Where can award data tagged with B527 be found?

  • Search SAM.gov’s Contract Awards domain and build reports in the DataBank using PSC filters; FPDS remains authoritative during the migration period for searchable contract data. ³

Useful resources

• G2X — PSC B527 overview: https://app.g2xchange.com/psc/B527
• PSC Manual (current editions and downloads). ²
• PSC Manual, April 2025 edition (PDF). ¹
• SAM.gov — Contract Data (search and reporting). ³

References

1. https://www.acquisition.gov/sites/default/files/manual/PSC%20Manual%20April%202025.pdf
2. https://www.acquisition.gov/psc-manual
3. https://sam.gov/content/contract-data