PSC categories
Search federal product and service classification records, then open one PSC category to review hierarchy, spend categories, related federal activity, and buyers.
Click PSC Categories, or open GovTribe, expand the sidebar if it is collapsed, expand Categories, and click PSC Categories.
PSC Categories is available on Launch, Launch Plus, Growth, Growth Plus, and Scale.
Search PSC categories
For reusable guidance on quotes, required terms, alternatives, exclusions, grouped terms, and choosing between modes, see Choose a search mode and write queries.
- To find call center and customer support categories, search "call center", then compare the category summaries and spend categories.
- To review training services categories, search "education and training", then use PSC Hierarchy on a result to confirm the parent family.
- To find administrative support categories, search "administrative support", then add Spend Category Level 1 or Spend Category Level 2 if needed.
- To search professional-service language exactly, search "management support services", then review the spend category badges on likely matches.
- To explore customer-service classifications, search customer contact centers and help desk support services, then review the PSC names and summaries.
- To research consulting support categories, search program management and technical advisory services, then narrow with Parent PSC if you know the parent family.
- To find training-related PSC categories, search workforce training curriculum development and instruction services, then compare related categories.
- To explore software or IT service classifications, search software licensing implementation and technical support, then review the spend category badges.
Filters and macros
For why some filters can include related records, hierarchy matches, or role-specific relationships, see Filter by related records and hierarchies.
| Type | Name | Example question |
|---|---|---|
| Macro | Favorited | Which PSC categories have I saved as favorites? |
| Filter | Parent PSC | Which child categories belong to a known parent PSC family? |
| Filter | Spend Category Level 1 | Which PSC categories belong to a broad spend family? |
| Filter | Spend Category Level 2 | Which PSC categories belong to a narrower spend grouping? |
Sort options
When PSC Categories opens without a search query, filters, or explicit sort, GovTribe may use recent activity and popularity signals to decide which categories appear first. Add search text, filters, or a specific sort when you want the order to match your review task.
| Name | Direction choices | Example question |
|---|---|---|
| Alphabetical | A-Z / Z-A | Which categories should I review by code or name order? |
| Favored | Least First / Most First | Which categories have fewer or more favorite claims? |
Actions
Page actions
- View Favorites filters the page to PSC categories you have saved as favorites.
- Export Search Results exports the current category result set after you narrow it to the records you want to review outside GovTribe.
- Share Search shares the current PSC Categories result set with another GovTribe user.
- Similar finds category records that resemble the selected PSC category. Use it when a category summary or buying lane is close to the product or service area you are researching.
- Add Favorite saves the selected category to your favorites and updates the favorite count on the card. When the category is already saved, the same control can remove the favorite.
Result-level actions
- Add Favorite or Remove Favorite marks the open PSC category for later review.
Review a PSC category
PSC category examples
A personal services contracts category helps you confirm the product or service classification and related buying activity. See the Personal Services Contracts example in GovTribe.
Hierarchy and spend categories
The detail page shows the PSC code, parent or child status, PSC hierarchy, and spend-category grouping. Use hierarchy for code precision and spend categories when a broader buying family is easier to research than one narrow PSC code.
Funding, buyers, and related activity
The detail page can show funding analysis, popular opportunities, buyers, and related federal contract activity. Use these areas to decide whether the PSC is the right product, service, or R&D lens before applying it to federal awards, IDVs, opportunities, or pursuits.
Related tabs
Contacts
Contacts lists people connected to records associated with the PSC category.
Contract IDVs
Contract IDVs lists federal IDV awards associated with the PSC category.
Contract Awards
Contract Awards lists federal contract awards associated with the PSC category.
Contract Opportunities
Contract Opportunities lists federal contract opportunities associated with the PSC category.
Common questions
For general fixes for too many results, no results, unrelated results, broad Semantic Search matches, or filters that narrowed the search too much, see Troubleshoot search results.
What does PSC classify?
PSC category data type records describe federal product, service, or research and development classifications. Use PSC to understand what the federal buyer classified as being bought. PSC complements NAICS, which describes industry context. See Choosing category systems.
How should I use exact PSC codes?
You can search a known code or category name, but the result card and PSC Hierarchy dialog are the safer way to confirm parent and child context. The hierarchy dialog opens linked parent and child category codes so you can move from a broad product or service family to a narrower category.
What are Spend Category Level 1 and Spend Category Level 2?
PSC result cards can show Spend Category Level 1 and Spend Category Level 2 badges. These filters group PSC records into broader and narrower spend families, which can be useful when a PSC code is too specific or when several PSC codes represent related products or services.
How do PSC Hierarchy and spend categories help?
PSC Hierarchy shows how a category fits inside broader and narrower federal product, service, or R&D families. Spend Category Level 1 and Spend Category Level 2 group PSC records into spend families that can be easier to review than individual PSC codes.
What records are connected to PSC categories?
PSC categories can connect to federal contract awards, IDV awards, federal contract opportunities, and pursuits as product, service, or R&D context. Use related record links after you choose the product or service category you want to research.
Related articles
- Choose a search mode and write queries: Choose Keyword Search or Semantic Search and write reusable search queries.
- Use favorites: Mark useful records and return to favorited result sets.
- PSC category data type: Review the GovTribe data type behind PSC category records.
- PSC category attribute: Understand where PSC category relationships appear across GovTribe records.
- Choosing category systems: Choose between NAICS, PSC, NIGP, UNSPSC, and Assistance Listings.
NAICS categories
Search federal industry classification records, then open one NAICS category to review hierarchy, related federal activity, buyers, and market context.
NIGP categories
Search state and local purchasing category records, then open one NIGP category to review hierarchy, related opportunities, contacts, and source-data context.