PSC H181

Overview

The Product Service Code (PSC) system is the governmentwide taxonomy used to classify goods and services procured by the federal government. PSCs are recorded in the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS) to indicate “what” was purchased; the Product and Service Codes (PSC) Manual on Acquisition.gov documents PSC management, the grouping structure, update procedures, and FPDS data‑element guidance used by agencies. ¹

The PSC H181 — Quality Control‑ Containers, Packaging, and Packing Supplies — is a service‑category PSC used to record quality‑control, testing, inspection, or other quality‑assurance activities specifically associated with containers, packaging, and packing supplies when those services are the predominant deliverable reported in FPDS. Use H181 when the primary contract deliverable is a QC/QA service for packaging rather than the packaging items themselves. ¹

• See also on G2X:
  • G2X — PSC H181
  • G2X — PSC H281
  • G2X — PSC H381

What this PSC covers

• Quality‑control services for shipping containers and protective packaging, including inspection planning and acceptance checks. ¹
• Inspection and acceptance testing of packing materials and assemblies to verify conformance to specifications. ¹
• Sampling, laboratory testing, and conformity assessment of packaging components and protective materials. ¹
• Audit and verification of packaging processes and vendor packing performance, with corrective‑action tracking. ¹
• Documentation, reporting, and corrective‑action tracking tied to packaging quality and acceptance decisions. ¹

Related NAICS and PSC codes

• Type | Code | Descriptor
• • | - | -
• PSC | H281 | Equipment and Materials Testing — Containers, Packaging, and Packing Supplies
• PSC | H381 | Inspection — Containers, Packaging, and Packing Supplies
• PSC | H981 | Other Quality Control, Testing, and Inspection — Containers, Packaging, and Packing Supplies
• PSC | L081 | Technical Representative — Containers, Packaging, and Packing Supplies

(These related PSCs are enumerated in the PSC Manual under the Containers, Packaging, and Packing Supplies grouping.) ¹

How this PSC is used in federal reporting

Agencies select PSCs in FPDS data element 8A to indicate the predominant product or service on a reported procurement; quality‑control service PSCs such as H181 should be used when the contract’s primary deliverable is a quality‑control service for packaging rather than the packaging items themselves. ¹

Associated Group 81 product classes

Group 81 (Containers, Packaging, and Packing Supplies) contains product PSCs such as 8105 (Bags and Sacks), 8115 (Boxes, Cartons, and Crates), and 8135 (Packaging and Packing Bulk Materials); those product PSCs identify purchased packaging items, while H181 identifies quality‑control services related to those items. ¹

Frequently asked questions

• Q: When should H181 be chosen instead of a Group 81 product PSC?
  A: Choose H181 when the predominant contract deliverable is a quality‑control service (inspection, testing, or QA) for packaging or packing supplies rather than the physical packaging items themselves; use Group 81 product PSCs when the end items are the primary procurement. ¹

• Q: Does the PSC Manual define detailed tasks covered under H181?
  A: The PSC Manual lists H181 by title within the Quality Control category but does not provide exhaustive task‑level definitions for every PSC. Not specified by official sources ¹

• Q: Are inspection or testing activities for packaging captured by other PSCs?
  A: Yes — inspection and testing variants appear as separate PSCs (for example, H281 for equipment and materials testing and H381 for inspection). Selection depends on the primary service performed and FPDS reporting rules. ¹

• Q: How does FPDS treat multiple products/services on a single contract when packaging QC is included?
  A: FPDS requires selecting the PSC that represents the predominant product or service by dollar value or primary purpose of the contract; if packaging QC is ancillary and not predominant, a Group 81 product PSC or other PSC should be used instead. ¹

Useful resources

• G2X — PSC H181 overview
• Product and Service Codes (PSC) Manual (PDF). Acquisition.gov: https://login.acquisition.gov/sites/default/files/manual/PSC%20Manual%20April%202024.pdf ¹

References

1. Product and Service Codes (PSC) Manual (April 2024). Acquisition.gov. https://login.acquisition.gov/sites/default/files/manual/PSC%20Manual%20April%202024.pdf