PSC Q524

Overview

The Product Service Code (PSC) system is a governmentwide taxonomy that classifies products and services procured by the U.S. Federal Government and is used in FPDS to indicate what was purchased on each contract action. The PSC Manual on Acquisition.gov governs code definitions, activation and end dates, and reporting guidance for PSC selection and related FPDS data elements. ¹

PSC Q524 is listed in the PSC Manual as Medical‑ Cardiothoracic Surgery (category Q). Agencies use this PSC to identify spend for cardiothoracic surgical services in FPDS; the manual places Q524 alongside other medical specialty PSCs and shows how surgical and medical specialties are segregated for reporting. ¹

• See also on G2X:
  • PSC Q524
  • PSC Q523
  • PSC Q502

What this PSC covers

• Cardiothoracic surgical services (cardiac and thoracic surgery)
• Cardiothoracic surgical physician services
• Perioperative surgical specialty services specific to cardiothoracic care
• Surgical subspecialty team support directly tied to cardiothoracic procedures
• Exclusion of non‑surgical cardiology and general surgical specialties where noted

Source: PSC Manual definitions and includes/excludes that reference Q524. ¹

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Type | Code | Descriptor

• | - | - PSC | Q523 | Medical‑ Surgery (related surgical specialty grouping) PSC | Q502 | Medical‑ Cardiology (clinical cardiology; excludes cardiothoracic surgeons) PSC | Q521 | Medical‑ Pulmonary (adjacent thoracic specialty)

Source: PSC Manual includes/excludes that reference Q524. ¹

FPDS coding guidance

FPDS data element 8A ("Product or Service Code") should capture the predominant product or service on a contract; for multi‑service actions, agencies select the PSC that best represents the primary purchase. The PSC Manual documents this guidance and describes the relationship between PSC selection and FPDS reporting. ¹

Exclusions and adjacent specialties

The PSC Manual uses explicit "Excludes" notes to separate clinical roles and specialties (for example, Q502 Cardiology excludes cardiothoracic surgeons and points to Q524). These exclusion statements help prevent miscoding between cardiology, surgery, radiology, and nursing PSCs. ¹

Frequently asked questions

• What exactly does PSC Q524 represent?
  PSC Q524 is defined in the PSC Manual as Medical‑ Cardiothoracic Surgery and is intended for cardiothoracic surgical services reported in FPDS; the manual situates Q524 among surgical and medical specialty PSCs for reporting consistency. ¹

• Which practitioners or roles are explicitly included under Q524?
  The PSC Manual identifies Q524 as cardiothoracic surgery but does not provide an extended role‑level "Includes" list in the same format used for some other codes. Not specified by official sources ¹

• How should agencies choose Q524 versus related PSCs?
  Select the PSC that reflects the predominant work. If the primary requirement is cardiothoracic surgery, use Q524; if primary work is interventional cardiology or general surgery, consider Q502 or Q523 per the PSC Manual includes/excludes guidance. ¹

• Where can FPDS users find help for entering PSCs?
  FPDS provides user help and search tools for award reporting, and the PSC Manual explains intended use of data element 8A and related reporting attributes; consult FPDS help for system navigation. ²

Useful resources

• PSC Q524 — G2X overview (internal).
• PSC Manual (official): https://www.acquisition.gov/sites/default/files/manual/PSC%20Manual%20April%202025.pdf ¹
• FPDS help and ezSearch guidance: https://www.fpds.gov/help/index.jsp ²

References

1. Product and Service Code (PSC) Manual, April 2025 edition. Acquisition.gov (GSA). https://www.acquisition.gov/sites/default/files/manual/PSC%20Manual%20April%202025.pdf

2. FPDS Help—ezSearch and reporting guidance. FPDS.gov. https://www.fpds.gov/help/index.jsp