PSC H953

Overview

The Product Service Code (PSC) system is a governmentwide taxonomy used to classify goods and services purchased through federal procurement. PSCs are recorded in the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS) to identify what the government bought, and the PSC Manual on Acquisition.gov documents maintenance, activation/end‑dating, and coding guidance. ¹

PSC H953, labeled "Other Quality Control, Testing, and Inspection‑ Hardware and Abrasives," is a Category H9 entry used to report quality control, testing, and inspection actions specifically associated with hardware and abrasive products when recorded in FPDS. The PSC Manual lists H953 under Category H9 but does not provide detailed includes/excludes or task examples for this single code beyond its title. ¹

See also on G2X:

• H953
• H153 — Quality Control‑ Hardware and Abrasives
• H353 — Inspection‑ Hardware and Abrasives

What this PSC covers

• Quality control, testing, and inspection services for hardware and abrasives.
• Acceptance and conformance inspection activities.
• Functional or performance testing of hardware components and abrasive products.
• Non‑medical laboratory or commercial testing that supports acceptance/quality determinations.
• Ancillary reporting and documentation associated with inspection/testing results. ¹

Not specified by official sources: detailed includes, excludes, or example task descriptions for H953 beyond its title in the PSC Manual. ¹

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Not specified by official sources: an official NAICS‑to‑PSC crosswalk for H953 is not printed in the PSC Manual; the manual references supporting PSC data files and spreadsheets for category alignment that agencies may use for mapping. Agencies should consult the PSC data files and agency guidance for verified NAICS mappings. ¹

How H953 is recorded and used in FPDS

When the predominant purpose of the procurement action is other quality control, testing, or inspection of hardware and abrasives, contracting officers record H953 in FPDS as the Product or Service Code data element (8A). Agencies should select the PSC that best represents the predominant product or service; environmental attributes, for example, are recorded separately in data element 8L. ¹

Frequently asked questions

• Q: When should a contracting officer select PSC H953 for an action?
  A: Select H953 when the predominant line item or task is quality control, testing, or inspection specifically tied to hardware and abrasives. The PSC Manual requires choosing the code that best represents the predominant product or service procured. ¹

• Q: Does the PSC Manual list includes and excludes for H953?
  A: The PSC Manual lists H953 by title under Category H9 but does not provide specific includes/excludes or detailed examples for that single code in the manual text. ¹

• Q: Is there an official NAICS mapping for H953?
  A: The manual references supporting spreadsheets for PSC data and category alignment; however, an explicit NAICS–PSC crosswalk for H953 is not printed in the manual text. Agencies should consult PSC data files or agency guidance for mappings. ¹

• Q: Can H953 be used for laboratory testing performed by an external commercial lab?
  A: Possibly—if the work is predominantly QC/testing/inspection of hardware and abrasives, H953 may apply. The manual does not state specific allowances for this code beyond its title; use depends on the action’s predominant purpose. ¹

Useful resources

• G2X — PSC H953 (overview)
• Product and Service Code (PSC) Manual — Fiscal Year 2025 (Acquisition.gov) ¹

References

1. Product and Service Code (PSC) Manual, Fiscal Year 2025 Edition — Acquisition.gov (PSC Manual and supporting data referenced throughout this entry).