PSC Q519

Overview

The Product Service Code (PSC) framework is a governmentwide taxonomy used to classify goods and services procured by the U.S. federal government. PSCs enable consistent reporting and analysis in systems such as FPDS and SAM and are maintained through the PSC Manual and associated GSA processes and updates. ¹

PSC Q519 (Medical — Behavioral and Mental Health) is the PSC Manual entry for clinical behavioral‑health and psychiatric services. The Manual describes the code by the clinical roles and services it covers (inpatient and outpatient behavioral and mental‑health professionals, psychiatric evaluation services) and lists exclusions such as certain social‑work case‑management activities and pure nursing staffing. Use Q519 when the primary contract deliverable is clinical behavioral‑health care provided by psychiatric or behavioral‑health clinicians. ²

What this PSC covers

• Inpatient and outpatient psychiatry and behavioral‑health services. ²
• Psychiatric evaluation, diagnostic services, and clinical assessments. ²
• Psychiatrists and clinical psychologists (MD/DO and PhD clinicians). ²
• Advanced Practice Registered Nurses certified in psychiatric/mental health. ²
• Certified drug and substance counselors and related substance‑use counseling. ²
• Psychiatric technicians, psychometrists, recreational and art therapists. ²

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Type	Code	Descriptor
PSC	Q401	Medical — Nursing (registered nurses and nursing specialties; used for nursing staffing and nursing clinical services).
PSC	Q518	Medical — Physical Medicine/Rehabilitation (physical, occupational, and speech therapy services).
PSC	Q528	Social Work (licensed clinical social work and case management services).

(PSC relationships, inclusions, and exclusions are documented in the PSC Manual.) ²

Contracting guidance

• FPDS coding principle — select the PSC that represents the predominant product or service being purchased; service procurements should reflect the primary clinical discipline required. ¹
• Use of Q519 — code the action to Q519 when the requirement’s primary deliverable is clinical behavioral or mental‑health care provided by psychiatric/behavioral practitioners. ²
• Exclusions — case‑management social‑work services and pure nursing staffing are coded to other PSCs (for example, Q528 and Q401, respectively). ²

Frequently asked questions

• Q: Which professionals are specifically included under PSC Q519?
  A: PSC Q519 includes psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, psychiatric‑certified APRNs, psychiatric technicians, psychometrists, recreational and art therapists, and certified drug/substance counselors; psychiatric evaluation services are explicitly listed in the Manual. ²

• Q: Where is the PSC entered in federal reporting systems?
  A: The PSC is reported in FPDS data element 8A, “Product or Service Code.” Agencies must select the PSC that represents the predominant product or service purchased for the contract action. ¹

• Q: When should a requirement use Q519 instead of Q528 or Q401?
  A: Use Q519 when the primary requirement is clinical behavioral or psychiatric care provided by mental‑health clinicians. Use Q528 for licensed clinical social‑work and case‑management services, and Q401 for nursing staffing or nursing clinical deliverables. ²

• Q: Does Q519 cover substance‑use counseling and treatment programs?
  A: Certified drug and substance counselors are listed under the inclusions for Q519, so clinical substance‑use counseling by those practitioners falls within this PSC; broader programmatic or residential services may be coded differently depending on the predominant service. ²

Useful resources

• G2X — PSC Q519 overview.
• Product and Service Code Manual (PSC Manual) — landing page. ¹
• Product and Service Code Manual (PSC Manual), April 2025 PDF (definitive Q519 definition and inclusions/exclusions). ²

References

1. https://www.acquisition.gov/psc-manual
2. https://www.acquisition.gov/sites/default/files/manual/PSC%20Manual%20April%202025.pdf