PSC Q517

Overview

The Product Service Code (PSC) system is a government-wide taxonomy used to classify goods and services acquired through federal procurement; PSCs standardize reporting in FPDS and SAM, support spend analysis, and are maintained and published via the PSC Manual on acquisition.gov. PSC Q517 sits in Category Q (Medical) and is defined as Medical — Pharmacy Services, covering pharmacists, clinical pharmacists, pharmacologists, pharmacy technicians, and virtual pharmacy services. The manual also lists explicit “Excludes” (product PSCs for drugs/biologics and certain equipment, and PSC DA10 for pharmacy software), indicating Q517 applies to people-based pharmacy and pharmacology services rather than product procurement.¹

What this PSC covers

• Professional pharmacy services (pharmacists, clinical pharmacists).¹
• Pharmacology expertise and consultative services (pharmacologists).¹
• Pharmacy technicians and dispensing support.¹
• Virtual or telepharmacy services (remote pharmacy support).¹
• Pharmacy-related clinical program support (medication management, reconciliation).¹

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Type	Code	Descriptor
PSC (product)	6505	Drugs & Biologicals
PSC (product)	6515	Medical & Surgical Instruments, Equipment and Supplies (medication dispensing machines excluded from Q517)
PSC	DA10	Pharmacy software / health IT (excluded from Q517)

Source: PSC Manual Q517 includes explicit “Excludes” referencing the product and software PSCs listed above.¹

Common contracting notes

• Coding intent: The FPDS data element for Product or Service Code should reflect the predominant service being procured. Pharmacy staff and clinical pharmacology labor are coded to PSC Q517, whereas procurement of drugs, biologics, dispensing equipment, or software uses the appropriate product PSCs (6505, 6515) or PSC DA10.¹

• Observed pairings: FPDS award records commonly show PSC Q517 used in contracts where staffing or clinical services NAICS codes are primary — for example NAICS 561320 (Temporary Help Services) appears in some paired records; agency practice varies, so select the PSC matching the predominant requirement.²

Frequently asked questions

• What exactly should be coded to PSC Q517?
  Use PSC Q517 for acquisition of pharmacy and pharmacology labor and services: pharmacists, clinical pharmacists, pharmacologists, pharmacy technicians, and virtual pharmacy services. Excludes procurement of drugs, biologics, medical devices, or dedicated software.¹

• When should a purchase be coded to product PSC 6505 instead of Q517?
  If the primary deliverable is physical drugs or biologics rather than pharmacy professional services, use product PSC 6505. The PSC Manual lists 6505 under Q517 “Excludes,” so product purchases belong on the product PSC path.¹

• Can pharmacy software purchases be coded to Q517?
  No. Pharmacy-specific or health IT software should be coded to PSC DA10 (software/service product classification); Q517 is for people-based pharmacy services and explicitly excludes software acquisitions.¹

• Are temporary staffing or contracted clinical pharmacists commonly reported under Q517?
  Yes. FPDS records show Q517 used in awards for contracted pharmacy staffing and temporary help when the predominant purchase is pharmacy labor; validate the PSC against the contract’s primary requirement and applicable NAICS.²

Useful resources

• G2X — PSC Q517 (internal G2X code page).
• PSC Manual (official): Product and Service Code (PSC) Manual — Fiscal Year 2025 Edition (PDF). https://www.acquisition.gov/sites/default/files/manual/PSC%20Manual%20April%202025.pdf
• PSC Manual landing / index (acquisition.gov PSC Manual page). https://www.acquisition.gov/psc-manual
• FPDS ezSearch portal (sample award records and searches). https://www.fpds.gov/ezsearch/fpdsportal

References

1. Acquisition.gov — Product and Service Code (PSC) Manual — Fiscal Year 2025 Edition (PDF). https://www.acquisition.gov/sites/default/files/manual/PSC%20Manual%20April%202025.pdf

2. FPDS — ezSearch (FPDS award search portal). https://www.fpds.gov/ezsearch/fpdsportal