PSC H384

Overview

The Product Service Code (PSC) system is the government-wide taxonomy used to classify goods and services purchased by federal agencies. PSCs are the primary “what” codes reported in FPDS and SAM for procurement transactions and are maintained via the Product and Service Code Manual on Acquisition.gov. These codes support consistent tracking, analysis, and reporting of federal spending and help contracting officers and analysts align solicitations and awards to standardized service categories.¹

PSC H384 is titled “Inspection - Clothing, Individual Equipment, and Insignia.” The PSC Manual indicates this category covers inspection services for Group 84 items and commonly includes commercial testing and laboratory services that support inspection; it explicitly excludes medical and dental laboratory services. Use of this PSC signals that inspection/testing of clothing or individual equipment is the primary deliverable for the procurement.¹

What this PSC covers

• Inspection services for uniforms, outerwear, and similar garments, including conformity checks to specification and workmanship reviews.¹
• Inspection and testing of individual equipment (for example, packs, belts, helmets, and personal gear) for compliance to contract requirements.¹
• Quality inspection and verification of insignia, badges, and related items for size, marking, and material conformance.¹
• Commercial testing and laboratory services that support clothing/equipment inspection activities (chemical, physical, textile testing as specified in contract documents).¹
• Services that validate materials, workmanship, and compliance to specifications for Group 84 products as defined in the PSC Manual.¹

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Type | Code | Descriptor

• | - | - PSC | H984 | Other QC/Test/Inspect - Clothing, Individual Equipment, and Insignia
  PSC | J084 | Maintenance, Repair, and Rebuilding of Equipment - Clothing, Individual Equipment, and Insignia
  PSC | L084 | Technical Representative - Clothing, Individual Equipment, and Insignia

Source: PSC Manual group and category listings for Group 84 and related service categories.¹

Contracting and reporting considerations

• FPDS reporting: The Product or Service Code is entered in FPDS data element 8A; contracting officers should select the PSC that best represents the predominant product/service by contract value (use H384 where inspection of clothing/individual equipment/insignia is the primary deliverable).²
• Scope and deliverables: For contracts coded to H384, solicitation documents should specify required test methods, acceptance criteria, reporting, sample sizes, and whether accredited commercial lab services are required (the PSC Manual lists “Includes: Commercial Testing and Laboratory Services”).¹
• Exclusions: Medical and dental laboratory services are specifically excluded from H384 and must be coded under appropriate medical/dental PSCs determined by the service type and FPDS guidance.¹

Frequently asked questions

• Q: What exact activities does H384 describe?
  A: H384 covers inspection and associated commercial testing/laboratory services for Group 84 items (clothing, individual equipment, insignia). It excludes medical and dental laboratory services; use the PSC Manual entries to confirm whether a specific laboratory activity is covered.¹

• Q: How should contracting officers choose between H384 and adjacent PSCs like H984, J084, or L084?
  A: Select the PSC that represents the predominant product or service by contract value. If inspection/testing is the core deliverable, use H384; maintenance, technical representative, or other QC/test tasks map to J084, L084, or H984 respectively.¹

• Q: Are PSC and NAICS assignments linked automatically in FPDS?
  A: No. FPDS requires both PSC (element 8A) and NAICS (element 8G) as separate data elements; the PSC Manual groups services by category but NAICS must be selected independently based on the nature of the work and FPDS guidance.²

• Q: Does H384 cover biological hazard testing of clothing?
  A: The PSC Manual includes commercial testing broadly but excludes medical/dental laboratory services; whether a biological hazard analysis fits H384 depends on whether the service is medical in nature. When in doubt, document scope and consult PSC guidance.¹

Useful resources

• PSC H384 — G2X PSC page.
• Product and Service Code Manual (PSC Manual), Acquisition.gov.¹
• FPDS data dictionary / Product or Service Code (data element 8A), FPDS.gov.²

References

1. Product and Service Code Manual (PSC Manual), April 2022 edition, Acquisition.gov: https://www.acquisition.gov/sites/default/files/manual/PSC%20Manual%20April%202022.pdf.
2. V1.4 FPDS‑NG Data Dictionary / Product or Service Code (8A), FPDS.gov: https://www.fpds.gov/wiki/index.php/V1.4_FPDS-NG_Data_Dictionary.