PSC N081

Overview

The Product Service Code (PSC) taxonomy is the standardized federal system that classifies the goods and services acquired across U.S. government procurements to support award and obligation reporting in FPDS and SAM, portfolio analysis, and cross‑agency comparison. The PSC values and their usages are maintained through the Product and Service Codes Manual and FPDS guidance, which describe PSC definitions and reporting practices for contracting officers and analysts. ¹

PSC N081 — Installation of Equipment—Containers, Packaging, and Packing Supplies — is the four‑character FPDS/PSC identifier used when the primary contract effort is installation, assembly, or site integration of container, packaging, or packing‑supply equipment rather than the sale of the supply alone. Reporting the PSC in FPDS classifies the procurement for analytics, budget coding, and portfolio management. ²

What this PSC covers

• Installation of prefabricated or modular containers, storage units, and similar site‑installed enclosures, including anchoring, leveling, and finish work required for operational use. ²
• Site installation of packaging machinery and conveying systems that are part of packing operations, including system alignment and initial calibration. ²
• Installation, setup, and integration of packing‑line equipment such as sealers, strappers, labelers, and inspection stations. ²
• On‑site assembly, mounting, or dispenser installation for packing‑supply fixtures and point‑of‑use systems. ²
• Routing, anchoring, electrical or mechanical interfaces, and any facility tie‑ins required to integrate containers or packaging equipment with existing building systems. ²

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Not specified by official sources; official PSC/NAICS crosswalks that pair N081 with specific NAICS sectors or related PSCs are not published as a single definitive crosswalk on acquisition.gov or in FPDS guidance. Contracting officers determine the most appropriate NAICS and any additional PSCs based on the acquisition’s predominant purpose. ¹

Common contract contexts

Agencies typically report N081 when the principal contract line item covers labor and services to install, integrate, or commission container or packaging equipment as the dominant contract value. Typical contexts include logistics hub buildouts, warehouse retrofits, contingency support where modular container systems are installed, and equipment modernization where the contractor performs site integration rather than simple supply delivery. Contracting officers select the PSC that best represents the predominant work reported to FPDS. ²

Frequently asked questions

• Q: When is N081 chosen instead of a supplies PSC for packaging or containers?
  A: Use N081 when the procurement’s primary effort is installation, site integration, or commissioning of container or packaging equipment rather than the sale or delivery of off‑the‑shelf containers or packaging supplies. The PSC should represent the predominant value and purpose of the award. ²

• Q: Does N081 require specific NAICS codes on solicitations?
  A: Solicitations must report a principal NAICS code for industry classification, but acquisition.gov does not pair a single automatic NAICS with N081; contracting officers select the NAICS that best fits the supplier’s primary industry for the specific procurement. Not specified by official sources. ¹

• Q: Are installations of packing lines reported as services or supplies for FPDS?
  A: When the acquisition covers installation, integration, or construction‑type work, it is reported as a service and the PSC is used to indicate an installation effort (for example, N081 for container/packaging equipment installation). FPDS captures the PSC to reflect the service nature of the action. ²

Useful resources

• G2X — PSC N081 (overview and market intelligence).
• G2X — PSC L081 (technical representative/auxiliary classification).
• G2X — PSC K081 (related PSC for modification/repair contexts).
• Product and Service Codes Manual (Business Zone — acquisition.gov): full PSC definitions and reporting guidance. ¹
• FPDS help and PSC glossary (FPDS.gov): definitions, reporting rules, and FPDS entry guidance. ²

References

1. Acquisition.gov — Business Zone / Product and Service Codes Manual: https://www.acquisition.gov/content/business-zone
2. FPDS — Product or Service Code (PSC) glossary / FPDS help: https://www.fpds.gov/help_V1_1/Glossary.htm