NAICS Codes Guide for Government Contracting

What are NAICS Codes?

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is the standard used by Federal statistical agencies to classify business establishments for the purpose of collecting, analyzing, and publishing statistical data related to the U.S. business economy.

For government contracting, NAICS codes are critically important as they:

• Determine which contracts your business is eligible for
• Define size standards for small business set-asides
• Help government agencies find your business
• Ensure you receive relevant contract opportunity notifications

Why NAICS Codes Matter for Government Contractors

Selecting the right NAICS codes is one of the most important strategic decisions you'll make when registering with SAM.gov. Each NAICS code has an associated size standard (either in terms of annual receipts or number of employees) that determines whether your business qualifies as "small" for government contracting purposes.

If your business qualifies as small under a particular NAICS code, you may be eligible for:

• Small business set-aside contracts
• Sole-source contracts
• Small business subcontracting opportunities
• Various small business preference programs

How to Select the Right NAICS Codes

When registering with SAM.gov, you should select NAICS codes that:

• Accurately represent your business activities and capabilities
• Align with the types of contracts you want to pursue
• Have size standards that allow you to qualify as a small business (if applicable)
• Cover both your primary business activities and secondary capabilities

You can select multiple NAICS codes in your SAM.gov registration, but you should designate one as your primary NAICS code that best represents your main business activity.