PSC H218

Overview

The Product Service Code (PSC) system is a standardized four-character classification used across federal procurement to categorize the types of products and services bought by U.S. government agencies; PSCs enable consistent FPDS reporting, spend analysis, and portfolio management and are maintained via the official PSC Manual. ¹

PSC H218 — Equipment and Materials Testing‑ Space Vehicles — identifies contract actions for testing and laboratory services associated with space vehicles. The PSC Manual lists H218 under the H2 category (Equipment and Materials Testing) and it is the designated code to report space‑vehicle testing services in contract reporting systems such as FPDS. ¹

See also on G2X:

• H218
• J018
• L018

What this PSC covers

• Equipment and materials testing for space vehicles. ¹
• Commercial testing and laboratory services specific to space‑vehicle hardware and subsystems. ¹
• Environmental and structural test support (scope varies by award) — Not specified by official sources. ¹
• Propulsion, avionics, and systems‑level test and evaluation support — Not specified by official sources. ¹
• Qualification, acceptance, and certification testing services — Not specified by official sources. ¹

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Type | Code | Descriptor

• PSC | H318 | Inspection‑ Space Vehicles
• PSC | J018 | Maintenance, Repair, and Rebuilding of Equipment‑ Space Vehicles
• PSC | L018 | Technical Representative‑ Space Vehicles

(Related PSC entries shown above are identified within the Product and Service Code Manual as adjacent or companion codes for space‑vehicle requirements.) ¹

Common awarding agencies and contract contexts

• Department of Defense and components (including space systems and development organizations) commonly report awards against space‑vehicle testing PSCs in FPDS and other DoD reporting, especially for research, development, and prototype test contracts. ³
• Other agencies with space test needs (for example, NASA) also classify applicable testing services under space‑vehicle PSCs when reporting procurements; the PSC Manual does not provide detailed agency-level usage rules. ¹

Frequently asked questions

• What is the canonical definition of PSC H218?

  • PSC H218 is listed in the Product and Service Code Manual as Equipment and Materials Testing — Space Vehicles; it is the reporting code for contract actions that procure testing or laboratory services for space‑vehicle systems. ¹

• When should H218 be used instead of an inspection PSC (for example, H318)?

  • Use H218 for equipment and materials testing services; inspection codes such as H318 cover inspection and laboratory services. Agencies should select the code that reflects the predominant work—testing versus inspection. ¹

• Are NAICS crosswalks assigned to H218?

  • The PSC Manual and its published crosswalk files map PSCs to suggested NAICS codes; contracting officers should select the NAICS that best matches the principal purpose of the acquisition using the official crosswalk resources. ¹

• Does H218 cover medical or clinical laboratory work on spaceflight personnel?

  • The H2 category and H218 focus on equipment and materials testing for space vehicles; medical and clinical laboratory services for personnel are generally excluded from H2 entries in PSC guidance. ¹

• Where is H218 used in federal reporting?

  • H218 is the product/service code value used on FPDS and similar reporting tools to indicate space‑vehicle testing services in contract award records. ²

Useful resources

• G2X — PSC H218 overview: https://app.g2xchange.com/psc/H218
• Product and Service Code Manual (PSC Manual — current edition and downloadable PSC spreadsheet). ¹
• FPDS Product or Service Code guidance and glossary (FPDS reporting definitions). ²
• Federal Register / procurement policy notices that reference space‑vehicle PSCs and related PSC groupings. ³

References

1. Product and Service Code Manual (PSC Manual — current edition). https://www.acquisition.gov/content/psc-manual-april-2025.pdf.
2. FPDS Glossary — Product or Service Code (FPDS Help). https://www.fpds.gov/help_V1_1/Glossary.htm.
3. Federal Register / DARS notice referencing space‑vehicle PSCs (DARS-2019-0030-0001). https://downloads.regulations.gov/DARS-2019-0030-0001/content.htm.