PSC R418

Overview

The Product Service Code (PSC) system standardizes how the U.S. federal government classifies goods and services in procurement records. PSCs identify “what” a contract action procures and are used in FPDS/SAM reporting; authoritative definitions, Includes/Excludes guidance, and maintenance for PSCs are provided in the PSC Manual. ¹

The PSC R418 (Support‑Professional: Legal) designates professional legal services such as attorney representation and litigation support, testimony preparation, adjudication support, arbitration, and mediation. The PSC Manual also lists explicit exclusions (for example, expert witness services, court reporting, and environmental legal support). ¹

What this PSC covers

• Attorney services and litigation support, including drafting briefs and preparing testimony. ¹
• Adjudication and administrative hearing support. ¹
• Arbitration and mediation services. ¹
• Legal research and written opinions for non‑environmental matters. ¹

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Not specified by official sources ¹. The PSC Manual does not publish a canonical PSC→NAICS crosswalk for R418; agencies typically assign the service NAICS that best reflects the primary service in FPDS.

Type	Code	Descriptor
PSC	R424	SUPPORT‑PROFESSIONAL: Expert witness services — explicitly excluded from R418. 1
PSC	R606	SUPPORT‑ADMINISTRATIVE: Court reporting — explicitly excluded from R418. 1
PSC	F115	ENVIRONMENTAL LEGAL SUPPORT — explicitly excluded from R418. 1

How FPDS and agencies use R418

FPDS records PSC values in data element 8A (Product or Service Code); agencies must select the PSC that best represents the predominant product or service for the contracting action. ²

The PSC Manual provides the authoritative Includes/Excludes guidance used by agencies when deciding whether to code an award to R418 versus another PSC. ¹

Example reporting: agency service contract inventories and FPDS award records show instances of spend reported under R418 in legal/support professional categories (illustrative agency inventory data are publicly posted by some agencies). ³

Frequently asked questions

• What specifically is included in PSC R418?
  R418 covers professional legal services such as attorney services, litigation support, testimony preparation, adjudication support, arbitration, and mediation. Environmental legal support, expert witness services, and court reporting are explicitly excluded per the PSC Manual. ¹

• How should an agency choose R418 versus a related PSC such as R424?
  Agencies select the PSC that best represents the predominant service. If the primary requirement is expert witness testimony or non‑attorney expert analysis, select R424; if the primary requirement is legal counsel or litigation support, select R418. ¹

• Is there a government PSC→NAICS crosswalk for R418?
  The PSC Manual does not publish a canonical PSC→NAICS mapping for R418; agencies assign the principal NAICS appropriate to the service reported in FPDS. Not specified by official sources. ¹

• Where is R418 recorded in FPDS?
  PSC values are recorded in FPDS data element 8A (“Product or Service Code”); agencies must select the PSC that best represents the predominant service being procured and report it in that field. ²

Useful resources

• G2X — PSC R418 (overview).
• PSC Manual (authoritative PSC definitions and Includes/Excludes): https://login.acquisition.gov/sites/default/files/manual/PSC%20Manual%20April%202024.pdf.
• FPDS guidance — PSC and reporting data elements (including 8A): https://www.fpds.gov/wiki/index.php/PSC,_NAICS_and_more.
• Example agency inventory with reported legal support spend: HHS FY2014 Service Contract Inventory Summary Analysis: https://www.hhs.gov/grants-contracts/contracts/get-ready-to-do-business/service-contract-inventory/fy2014-service-contract-inventory-summary-analysis/index.html. ³

References

1. Product and Service Code (PSC) Manual, Acquisition.gov (PSC Manual April 2024 PDF). https://login.acquisition.gov/sites/default/files/manual/PSC%20Manual%20April%202024.pdf
2. “PSC, NAICS and more” — FPDS Wiki, FPDS.gov. https://www.fpds.gov/wiki/index.php/PSC,_NAICS_and_more
3. FY2014 Service Contract Inventory Summary Analysis — HHS.gov. https://www.hhs.gov/grants-contracts/contracts/get-ready-to-do-business/service-contract-inventory/fy2014-service-contract-inventory-summary-analysis/index.html