PSC B541

Overview

The Product Service Code (PSC) is a governmentwide taxonomy used to classify what the U.S. government buys so spending can be tracked, analyzed, and reported consistently. PSCs are maintained in the PSC Manual and recorded on contract actions to indicate the purchased product, service, or R&D effort in federal procurement data systems. ¹

PSC B541 is titled “Special Studies/Analysis – Defense” and sits in Section C, Category B (Special Studies/Analysis, Not R&D). It is used when the predominant deliverable is a defense‑focused study or analysis rather than research and development. The PSC Manual directs agencies to select the code that best represents the principal product or service purchased, so use B541 when defense analysis is the primary objective of the acquisition. ¹

See also on G2X:

• G2X — PSC B541 overview: https://app.g2xchange.com/psc/B541
• G2X — PSC B538 Special Studies/Analysis – Intelligence: https://app.g2xchange.com/psc/B538
• G2X — PSC B549 Special Studies/Analysis – Foreign/National Security Policy: https://app.g2xchange.com/psc/B549

What this PSC covers

• Defense‑focused special studies and analyses that are explicitly “not R&D,” per Category B. ¹
• Service acquisitions where the predominant deliverable is an analytical product (e.g., a study or assessment) rather than goods. ¹
• Coding of contract actions in federal procurement data to reflect a defense analysis requirement. ¹
• Selection of B541 when it best represents the primary subject over adjacent codes such as B538 (Intelligence) or B549 (Foreign/National Security Policy). ¹
• Use aligned with the PSC Manual’s instruction to choose the code based on the predominant product or service purchased. ¹
• Typical deliverable formats (reports, briefings, models) — Not specified by official sources ²

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Related PSCs within Category B5 (Special Studies/Analysis), per the PSC Manual. ¹

Type	Code	Descriptor
PSC	B538	Special Studies/Analysis – Intelligence
PSC	B549	Special Studies/Analysis – Foreign/National Security Policy
PSC	B551	Special Studies/Analysis – Mobilization/Preparedness
PSC	B546	Special Studies/Analysis – Security (Physical/Personal)

Coding notes and boundaries

• Category context: B541 belongs to Service Codes, Section C, Category B (Special Studies/Analysis, Not R&D). Use it for non‑R&D defense analyses; do not use R&D codes from Section A. ¹
• Predominant deliverable: When a contract spans multiple tasks, select the PSC that reflects the predominant effort; use B541 only if the defense study/analysis dominates. ¹
• Distinguishing nearby options: Prefer B538 for intelligence‑centric studies, B549 for foreign/national security policy analyses, and B551 for mobilization/preparedness studies. ¹
• Data visibility: PSCs are captured on contract awards and exposed as searchable filters (NAICS and PSC) in SAM.gov’s Contract Award Data interface. ³

Frequently asked questions

• What is PSC B541?
  PSC B541 designates non‑R&D “Special Studies/Analysis – Defense” within Section C, Category B. It should be applied when the primary deliverable is a defense‑related analytical study rather than research and development. The PSC Manual directs selection based on the predominant product or service acquired. ¹

• How is B541 different from intelligence or foreign policy study codes?
  Use B538 for intelligence‑focused studies and B549 for foreign or national security policy analyses. Choose the PSC that best matches the principal subject of the study to ensure accurate reporting and comparability across awards. ¹
  See also on G2X: https://app.g2xchange.com/psc/B538 and https://app.g2xchange.com/psc/B549

• Does B541 prescribe a specific NAICS code?
  No. The PSC Manual does not prescribe NAICS pairings; NAICS is selected separately based on the acquisition’s principal nature of the work. Not specified by official sources ²

• Can B541 be used for research and development projects?
  No. Category B codes are explicitly “Special Studies/Analysis, Not R&D.” R&D requirements should be coded under Section A research and development PSCs to reflect their developmental nature and ensure accurate categorization. ¹

• How can contract data for B541 be found?
  Use SAM.gov’s Contract Award Data search, filter by PSC, and include keywords if needed. PSCs and NAICS both appear as selectable filters on award records, enabling targeted retrieval and analysis of defense study/analysis obligations. ³
  See also on G2X: https://app.g2xchange.com/psc/B541

Useful resources

• G2X — PSC B541 overview: https://app.g2xchange.com/psc/B541
• Acquisition.gov — PSC Manual (April 2025 edition, PDF). ¹
• Acquisition.gov — PSC Manual library (current and archived editions). ²
• SAM.gov — Contract Award Data (PSC and NAICS filter capability). ³

References

1. Acquisition.gov. Product and Service Codes (PSC) Manual, April 2025 (PDF). https://login.acquisition.gov/sites/default/files/manual/PSC%20Manual%20April%202025.pdf
2. Acquisition.gov. Product and Service Code Manual — All versions library. https://login.acquisition.gov/psc-manual/all
3. SAM.gov. Contract Award Data — filter overview (NAICS and PSC). https://sam.gov/contract-data