Guide
NAICS and PSC codes for janitorial, grounds and facilities work
What NAICS and PSC codes do government janitorial and landscaping contracts use?
Janitorial work is usually NAICS 561720 with PSC S201, landscaping and grounds work NAICS 561730 with PSC S208, and bundled facility services NAICS 561210 with PSC S216. The NAICS code sets the small business size standard. The PSC code describes what is bought. Search SAM.gov with both, since buyers code similar work differently.
Updated
Key facts
- 561720 Janitorial Services, 561730 Landscaping Services, 561210 Facilities Support Services.
- S201 Custodial janitorial, S208 Landscaping/groundskeeping, S216 Facilities operations support.
- Each solicitation carries one NAICS code, picked by the contracting officer for the main purpose of the work (FAR 19.102).
- The NAICS code decides the size standard, so it decides whether your firm counts as small for that bid.
- You can appeal a NAICS code to SBA's Office of Hearings and Appeals within 10 calendar days of the solicitation (FAR 19.103).
The codes, side by side
Three NAICS codes and a handful of PSC codes cover nearly all federal cleaning, grounds and facility services work.
PSC codes come from the federal Product and Service Codes Manual, and NAICS codes from the Census Bureau's NAICS manual. A janitorial contract coded 561720 can carry PSC S201 or, for a mixed scope, S299 (other housekeeping).
| Work | NAICS code | PSC code |
|---|---|---|
| Janitorial and custodial cleaning | 561720 Janitorial Services | S201 Custodial janitorial |
| Mowing, grounds and landscape maintenance | 561730 Landscaping Services | S208 Landscaping/groundskeeping |
| Several services at one facility (base operations) | 561210 Facilities Support Services | S216 Facilities operations support |
| Carpet cleaning | 561740 Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services | S214 Carpet laying/cleaning |
| Snow removal | 561790 Other Services to Buildings and Dwellings | S218 Snow removal/salt |
| Trash and portable toilets | 562111 Solid Waste Collection or 562991 Septic Tank and Related Services | S205 Trash/garbage collection |
| Pest control | 561710 Exterminating and Pest Control Services | S207 Insect/rodent control |
What is the difference between a NAICS and a PSC code?
The NAICS code classifies the industry and sets the size standard for the contract. The PSC code classifies the product or service bought, for spending reports and searches.
You list NAICS codes in your SAM.gov registration, and they decide which set-asides you can bid as a small business. You don't register PSC codes, but they are one of the best ways to find notices, because buyers sometimes put the same work under different NAICS codes.
How does the contracting officer pick the code?
By the industry that best describes the main purpose of the work, usually the part with the largest share of the contract value. One code per solicitation.
A building-cleaning contract with some grounds work is usually 561720. When cleaning, grounds, maintenance and other services are bundled at a base or campus, 561210 is common, and its size standard is higher, so larger firms compete as small businesses. If the code looks wrong for the work, you have 10 calendar days from the solicitation, or from an amendment that changes the code, to appeal to SBA's Office of Hearings and Appeals.
What are the size standards?
SBA sets them by NAICS code, as average annual receipts in millions of dollars. Check the current SBA table before every bid, because SBA adjusts the numbers.
561210 has a much higher size standard than 561720 or 561730. Your size is checked as of the date of your initial offer with price, and it includes your affiliates.
How to find open bids on SAM.gov with these codes
In SAM.gov Contract Opportunities, filter by NAICS code and by PSC code in two saved searches, add your states, and turn on email alerts.
- Search Contract Opportunities with NAICS 561720 (or 561730, 561210) and your place-of-performance states.
- Save a second search with PSC S201 (or S208, S216): it catches work coded under a different NAICS.
- Include sources sought and presolicitation notices, not only solicitations; that is where you can shape a set-aside.
- Add keyword searches for words buyers use: custodial, janitorial, grounds maintenance, mowing, snow removal.
- Turn on email notifications for each saved search, and check your registration lists the NAICS codes you bid under.
Questions
Can I bid a contract outside my NAICS codes?
Yes. You need to meet the size standard for the solicitation's NAICS code if it is set aside for small businesses, and you should add the code to your SAM.gov registration, but you are not limited to the codes you listed before.
Is window cleaning janitorial?
In NAICS, window cleaning is part of 561720 Janitorial Services. Federal buyers often include it in a custodial contract coded S201.
Which code do mowing contracts use?
Usually NAICS 561730 with PSC S208. Some mowing work at bases is bundled into a 561210 facilities support contract.
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