PSC AF12: Education, Training, Employment, & Social SVCS R&D SVCS; Education SVCS R&D; Applied Research
AF12 is the product and service code (PSC) federal agencies use for education, training, employment, & social svcs r&d svcs; education svcs r&d; applied research, in the r&d – educational group. Here are the contracts open under it now, the NAICS codes it pairs with, and who buys and wins this work.
- Open contracts now
- 0
- Spending, FY2025
- $6.8 million
- Share to small businesses, since FY2024
- 63%
Open count as of Oct 11, 2026, 10:11 PM ET.
Where AF12 sits in the PSC Manual
- Category: Research and Development
- Group AF: Education, Training, Employment, and Social Services R&D Services
- Group AF1: R&D – Educational
- Code AF12: Education, Training, Employment, & Social SVCS R&D SVCS; Education SVCS R&D; Applied Research
NAICS codes used with PSC AF12
The NAICS code on a contract sets the size standard for who counts as small. These are the codes agencies pair with AF12 most often:
| NAICS | Industry | Spent, last 3 years | Open notices |
|---|---|---|---|
| 541712 | Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology) (old code; now 541715) | $5.2 million | — |
| 541720 | Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities | $4.8 million | — |
| 541211 | Offices of Certified Public Accountants | $945,102 | — |
| 541810 | Advertising Agencies | $831,915 | — |
| 541613 | Marketing Consulting Services | $498,197 | — |
| 541715 | Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) | $314,182 | — |
Who buys under PSC AF12
Agencies with the most contract dollars under AF12 over the last three fiscal years, per USAspending.gov:
| Agency | Obligated |
|---|---|
| Federal Acquisition Service | $5.3 million |
| Department of Education | $3.3 million |
| National Highway Traffic Safety Administration | $945,102 |
| Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service | $831,915 |
| U.S. Secret Service | $636,256 |
| Department of Veterans Affairs | $617,110 |
| Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | $600,975 |
| U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement | $498,197 |
Federal spending under PSC AF12 by year
| Fiscal year | Contract obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2024 | $9.5 million |
| FY2025 | $6.8 million |
| FY2026 (incomplete) | -$3.4 million |
Headline figures use FY2025, the last complete year. FY2026 is still incomplete and will rise until about early January 2027 as Defense data arrives: USAspending.gov publishes Defense contracts 90 days after they're signed.
Who wins PSC AF12 contracts
| Company | Obligated, last 3 years |
|---|---|
| Applied Research Solutions, Inc. | $5.6 million |
| Research Triangle Institute | $2 million |
| American Institutes for Research in the Behavioral Sciences | $945,102 |
| Optimal Solutions Group, L.L.C | $869,987 |
| Crosby Marketing Communications Inc. | $831,915 |
| The Manhattan Strategy Group LLC | $790,777 |
| University of Connecticut | $636,256 |
| Red Carrot Inc | $498,197 |
| President and Fellows of Harvard College | $249,370 |
| DCI Consulting Group Inc | $228,900 |
Linked names have a FedReady profile, which shows the NAICS codes a business is registered as small under. Most large companies have none.
Related PSC codes
- AF11 Education, Training, Employment, & Social SVCS R&D SVCS; Education SVCS R&D; Basic Research
- AF13 Education, Training, Employment, & Social SVCS R&D SVCS; Educ SVCS R&D; Experimental Development
- AF14 Education, Training, Employment, & Social SVCS R&D SVCS; Educ SVCS R&D; R&D Administrative Expenses
- AF15 Education, Training, Employment, & Social SVCS R&D SVCS; Educ SVCS R&D; R&D Facilities & Maj Equip
- AF16 R&D – Education: Educational (Management/Support)
- AF17 R&D – Education: Educational (Commercialized)
Frequently asked questions
What is PSC AF12?
AF12 is the research and development code in the federal Product and Service Code (PSC) Manual for education, training, employment, & social svcs r&d svcs; education svcs r&d; applied research, under AF (Education, Training, Employment, and Social Services R&D Services) and AF1 (R&D – Educational). Agencies put a PSC on every contract to record what they bought.
What is the difference between a PSC and a NAICS code?
A PSC describes what the government is buying. A NAICS code describes the industry of the business doing the work, and it sets the SBA size standard for small business set-asides. Every contract notice has both.
How do I find contracts that use PSC AF12?
Contract opportunities are posted on SAM.gov with their PSC and NAICS codes. FedReady can match new ones to your business and email you, free.