PSC H395

Overview

The Product Service Code (PSC) system standardizes how the U.S. federal government classifies goods and services for procurement, improving spend reporting and searchability in contract databases such as FPDS and SAM. The PSC Manual on Acquisition.gov is the authoritative maintenance source for PSC entries, their includes/excludes language, and grouping conventions.¹

PSC H395 — Inspection‑ Metal Bars, Sheets, and Shapes — identifies federal acquisitions for inspection and commercial laboratory/testing services that apply specifically to metal bars, sheets, and shapes. The official manual notes the code “Includes: Commercial Testing and Laboratory Services” and “Excludes: Medical and Dental Laboratory Services.”¹

• See also on G2X:
  • H395
  • H295
  • K095

What this PSC covers

Official manual text states H395 covers commercial testing and laboratory inspection services for metal bars, sheets, and shapes and excludes medical/dental laboratory work.¹

• Dimensional inspection and measurement — Not specified by official sources ¹.
• Mechanical‑property testing (tensile, hardness) — Not specified by official sources ¹.
• Chemical/compositional analysis and metallurgical testing — Not specified by official sources ¹.
• Non‑destructive testing (ultrasonic, radiographic, magnetic particle) — Not specified by official sources ¹.
• Acceptance testing, certification, and lot sampling — Not specified by official sources ¹.
• On‑site inspection at mills or fabricators and laboratory testing — Not specified by official sources ¹.

Related NAICS and PSC codes

These adjacent H39x inspection codes and descriptors appear in the PSC Manual.¹

Classification guidance

• Use PSC H395 when the primary deliverable is inspection or commercial laboratory/testing specifically addressing metal bars, sheets, or shapes. Routine purchases of raw metal stock or fabrication services should be classified under supply or manufacturing PSC/NAICS codes instead. Not specified beyond the includes/excludes language in the PSC Manual.¹

Frequently asked questions

• Q: When is PSC H395 the correct PSC to assign on a solicitation?
  A: Assign PSC H395 when the procurement’s primary requirement is inspection or commercial testing services targeted at metal bars, sheets, or shapes. The manual emphasizes commercial testing/laboratory services and explicitly excludes medical/dental laboratory work.¹

• Q: Can H395 be used for non‑destructive testing (NDT)?
  A: The PSC Manual groups commercial testing and laboratory services together, so NDT may fall under H395 where the work specifically targets metal bars, sheets, or shapes, but the manual does not enumerate NDT explicitly; scope statements should reflect the solicitation’s technical requirements.¹

• Q: How does H395 relate to equipment testing or maintenance PSCs?
  A: H395 is focused on inspection/testing services. Use separate PSCs (for example, H295 or K095) when the procurement is maintenance, modification, or equipment repair rather than inspection alone.¹

• Q: Are there NAICS codes to pair with H395 for capability statements?
  A: The PSC Manual does not prescribe specific NAICS pairings for H395. Agencies typically pair inspection/testing PSCs with manufacturing, testing laboratory, or materials-related NAICS based on the solicitation context; the manual provides only the PSC definitions.¹

Useful resources

• G2X — PSC H395 overview (internal)
• PSC Manual — Product and Service Code Manual (Acquisition.gov PDF): https://www.acquisition.gov/content/psc-manual-april-2025.pdf¹
• PSC Manual landing and downloads: https://www.acquisition.gov/psc-manual

References

1. PSC Manual April 2025 — Product and Service Code Manual, Acquisition.gov. https://www.acquisition.gov/content/psc-manual-april-2025.pdf