PSC R420

Overview

The Product Service Code (PSC) system is a standardized taxonomy used across U.S. federal procurement to classify goods and services reported in FPDS/SAM and related acquisition systems. The PSC Manual on Acquisition.gov provides maintenance, assignment, and reporting guidance for PSC use across agencies. ¹

PSC R420 (Support‑ Professional: Certifications and Accreditations (Other Than Educational Institutions or Info Tech C&A)) identifies professional services that provide certification, accreditation, and related assessment activities for products, systems, laboratories, or organizations where those services are not part of educational‑institution programs and are not the information‑technology certification and accreditation work covered under IT‑specific PSCs. Agency assignment and usage guidance appears in the PSC Manual. ¹

• See also on G2X:
  • PSC R420
  • PSC R425
  • PSC R499

What this PSC covers

• Laboratory accreditation and external assessment services for testing and calibration organizations. ¹
• Product or system certification services (conformity assessment against standards). ¹
• Third‑party accreditation of management systems (quality, environmental, safety). ¹
• Certification program administration and audit services provided by non‑educational providers. ¹
• Accreditation support services such as proficiency testing and interlaboratory comparisons. ¹
• Regulatory compliance verification when delivered as an independent certification activity. ¹

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Not specified by official sources. ¹

Contracting notes

• Agencies normally assign PSCs at the contract or award line‑item level in FPDS; R420 is intended for professional certification and accreditation services distinct from education/training and IT C&A work. ¹
• When reporting procurement data or preparing a solicitation that requests a PSC (for example, DD Form 2579 block 7b), follow the PSC selection guidance in the PSC Manual and related procurement reporting instructions. ¹

Frequently asked questions

• Q: What activities should be coded R420?

  • A: Use R420 for procurements of third‑party certification and accreditation services (for example, ISO/IEC 17025 laboratory accreditation or product conformity certification) that are not part of educational‑institution offerings and are not IT certification/accreditation activities. ¹

• Q: Is training or classroom instruction covered by R420?

  • A: No. Educational institutions and training programs are excluded. Training or instructional services should be coded under the appropriate education/training PSC or NAICS per agency guidance; the PSC Manual does not assign a specific alternative PSC for training. ¹

• Q: How should R420 be recorded in acquisition reporting?

  • A: The contracting officer or data reporter assigns the PSC on the award/line item record in FPDS. PSC selection follows the PSC Manual; follow agency reporting procedures and the prescribed form fields when recording PSCs. ¹

Useful resources

• G2X — PSC R420
• Product and Service Code Manual (Acquisition.gov PSC Manual page). ¹

References

1. Product and Service Code Manual (Acquisition.gov). https://www.acquisition.gov/psc-manual