PSC H242

Overview

The Product Service Code (PSC) system standardizes how the U.S. federal government classifies products and services procured across agencies. PSCs are recorded in FPDS and SAM to indicate what was bought, support spend analysis, and enable consistent reporting; the PSC Manual governs code definitions, change control, and related guidance. ¹

PSC H242 is the service-category entry that covers equipment and materials testing for fire-fighting, rescue, and safety equipment, and for environmental-protection equipment and materials. The PSC Manual lists H242 in Category H2 (Equipment and Materials Testing) and directs users to select the PSC that best matches the predominant product or service procured. ²

• See also on G2X:
  • H242
  • H241
  • H243

What this PSC covers

• Equipment and materials testing for fire-fighting, rescue, and safety systems. ²
• Laboratory or field testing of environmental-protection equipment and related materials. ²
• Performance, durability, and compliance testing of protective gear and rescue apparatus. ²
• Inspection and technical verification of safety components and assemblies. ²
• Test services that primarily focus on hardware rather than purely labor-based services. ²

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Official PSC–NAICS crosswalk entries specific to PSC H242 are not provided in the public PSC Manual or the published category-alignment spreadsheet; related NAICS associations are therefore not specified by official sources. ³

Guidance for application and coding

• Predominant-purchase rule — When multiple products or services are included in a single award, FPDS data element 8A (Product or Service Code) should reflect the predominant product or service; H242 applies where equipment/materials testing for firefighting/rescue/safety or environmental-protection items constitutes the primary deliverable. ²
• Environmental attributes and FPDS — If environmental attributes apply to the item or service, use FPDS data element 8L to report recovered-materials or other attributes in addition to coding H242 where appropriate. ²

Frequently asked questions

• Q: When should H242 be selected instead of a product PSC?
  A: H242 is a service PSC for equipment and materials testing. If the contract’s primary purpose is testing or laboratory/field evaluation of fire-fighting, rescue, safety, or environmental-protection equipment, code H242; if the prime deliverable is the sale of equipment itself, use the corresponding product PSC. ²

• Q: Does H242 cover certification testing for personal protective equipment (PPE)?
  A: Certification and formal performance testing of PPE intended for fire, rescue, or safety use fall under H242 when testing is the predominant service. Deliverable test reports and certification documentation support coding to this PSC. ²

• Q: Are environmental attributes recorded with H242-coded actions?
  A: Environmental attributes are recorded in FPDS data element 8L and can be used together with H242 where the tested items have recoverable or environmentally preferable attributes; the PSC Manual instructs agencies to populate 8L as applicable. ²

• Q: If a contract includes both testing and delivery of equipment, how should coding be handled?
  A: Apply the predominant-purchase rule: determine whether testing or equipment delivery is the primary contract purpose. Code the award to H242 when testing is the main deliverable; otherwise use the product PSC that best represents the delivered hardware. ²

Useful resources

• G2X — PSC H242 page
• PSC Manual (overview and process documentation): https://www.acquisition.gov/psc-manual
• PSC Manual, April 2024 (Category H2 and H242 entry): https://www.acquisition.gov/content/psc-manual-april-2024.pdf
• PSC April 2025 spreadsheet (official PSC data and category-alignment spreadsheets): https://www.acquisition.gov/content/psc-april-2025.xlsx

References

1. https://www.acquisition.gov/psc-manual
2. https://www.acquisition.gov/content/psc-manual-april-2024.pdf
3. https://www.acquisition.gov/content/psc-april-2025.xlsx