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NAICS 541715: Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology)

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) is NAICS code 541715. A business is small under it with 1,000 employees or fewer. 296 federal contracts are open on SAM.gov under this code right now.

SBA size standard
1,000 employees or fewer
Open contracts now
296
Federal spending, FY2026
$42.5 billion
Share won by small businesses
23%
Small businesses registered
12,503
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541715 contracts ending in the next 12 months →

Recent 541715 contract awards: who won →

Primes that subcontract 541715 work to small businesses →

Open federal contracts for research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences (except nanotechnology and biotechnology)

See all 296 open contracts under NAICS 541715 →

What NAICS 541715 covers

The Census Bureau's NAICS index lists these kinds of work under 541715:

  • Aerospace research and development (except prototype production)
  • Agriculture research and development laboratories or services (except biotechnology and nanotechnology research and development)
  • Artificial intelligence research and development laboratories or services
  • Bacteriological research and development laboratories or services (except biotechnology and nanotechnology research and development)
  • Biology research and development laboratories or services (except biotechnology and nanotechnology research and development)
  • Botany research and development laboratories or services (except biotechnology and nanotechnology research and development)
  • Chemical research and development laboratories or services (except biotechnology and nanotechnology research and development)
  • Computer and related hardware research and development laboratories or services (except nanotechnology research and development)
  • Dental research and development laboratories or services
  • Electronic research and development laboratories or services (except nanotechnology research and development)
  • Engineering research and development laboratories or services (except nanotechnology research and development)
  • Entomological research and development laboratories or services (except biotechnology and nanotechnology research and development)
  • Environmental research and development laboratories or services (except biotechnology and nanotechnology research and development)
  • Experimental farms

The index lists 33 entries for this code in all.

Read the full definition, including what's excluded, on census.gov.

SBA size standard for 541715

To count as a small business for a contract assigned NAICS 541715, your business must have 1,000 employees or fewer. Employees are averaged over the last 24 months.

Some contracts under this code use a different limit:

  • Aircraft, Aircraft Engine and Engine Parts: 1,500 employees or fewer
  • Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment: 1,250 employees or fewer
  • Guided Missiles and Space Vehicles, Their Propulsion Units and Propulsion Parts: 1,300 employees or fewer

SBA note: NAICS Codes 541713, 541714 and 541715

From SBA's table of size standards, effective Mar 17, 2023. Confirm it with SBA's size standards tool before you certify your size.

Who buys research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences (except nanotechnology and biotechnology)

Agencies that awarded the most under NAICS 541715 over the last three fiscal years, per USAspending.gov:

AgencyObligated
Department of the Air Force$36.1 billion
Department of the Navy$21.7 billion
National Aeronautics and Space Administration$17.6 billion
Missile Defense Agency$15.3 billion
Department of the Army$12.7 billion
Department of Energy$10.1 billion
National Institutes of Health$4.4 billion
Federal Acquisition Service$4.2 billion

Open notices right now come from Dept of Defense (227), Department of Health and Human Services (20), Department of Energy (11), Department of Transportation (10), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (10) and Department of Homeland Security (4).

Set-asides on open 541715 contracts

  • No set-aside (full and open): 276
  • Total small business set-aside: 19
  • Women-owned set-aside: 2
  • Partial small business set-aside: 1

Not sure which set-asides you qualify for? Try the free SBA certification screener, or read set-aside contracts, explained.

Your competition

12,503 businesses with active SAM.gov registrations are rated small under NAICS 541715, most of them in Virginia (1,843), California (1,393), Florida (1,015), Texas (993) and Maryland (957). Look any of them up with the free CAGE code and UEI lookup.

Small businesses winning 541715 contracts

Firms with 541715 as their primary code and the most federal contract dollars over the last three fiscal years:

Federal spending under 541715 by year

Fiscal yearContract obligations
FY2024$43.2 billion
FY2025$46.4 billion
FY2026$42.5 billion
FY2027 (so far)$39.4 million

Source: USAspending.gov, all contract awards with this NAICS code. Fiscal years start October 1.

Related NAICS codes

Frequently asked questions

What is NAICS code 541715?

541715 is the 2022 NAICS code for Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology). The Census Bureau's index lists work such as aerospace research and development (except prototype production), agriculture research and development laboratories or services (except biotechnology and nanotechnology research and development), artificial intelligence research and development laboratories or services under it. Federal contracting uses the 2022 codes.

What is the SBA size standard for NAICS 541715?

1,000 employees or fewer. A business at or under that is small for contracts assigned this code. Some kinds of contracts under this code use a different limit. The current SBA table took effect Mar 17, 2023.

Are there government contracts for research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences (except nanotechnology and biotechnology)?

Yes. 296 federal contract opportunities under NAICS 541715 are open on SAM.gov right now. Agencies obligated about $42.5 billion under this code in fiscal year 2026, according to USAspending.gov.

How do I add NAICS code 541715 to my SAM.gov registration?

Update your entity registration on SAM.gov and add the code on the Goods and Services page, in the Assertions section. You can list several NAICS codes and mark one as your primary. Changes are free.

Keep going

FedReady is an independent company, not affiliated with SBA, SAM.gov, the Census Bureau or any government agency. Open-contract counts come from SAM.gov and update daily; spending figures come from USAspending.gov.