How to choose NAICS codes for contract searches
NAICS codes classify business activities. They are useful search filters, but they are not a substitute for reading a solicitation or confirming eligibility.
Start with what your business actually does
List your main services and look up the official NAICS definitions. Choose codes that describe your current capabilities rather than selecting every nearby category. Read the exclusions as well as the short label.
NAICS 561720 covers janitorial services, for example, while construction and specialty-trade activities have different classifications. A familiar keyword in a code title does not make every notice under that code a fit.
Distinguish search relevance from small-business eligibility
An agency assigns a NAICS code to a solicitation. The applicable small-business size standard varies by industry and may use employees or average annual receipts, with additional rules for calculation and affiliates.
Do not assume that calling your firm a small business establishes eligibility for a particular set-aside. Check the solicitation and current SBA requirements.
Combine codes with scope and location
Codes are broad. Use the description, place of performance, response dates, and your own capabilities to decide what deserves attention. If results are noisy, narrow your selected trades and describe your specialties more precisely.
If a relevant project is missing, compare the notice's classification with the codes in your profile. That is more useful than expanding the profile to every trade. GovShark cannot guarantee that a code-based match captures every relevant notice.
Review the profile when your business changes
Update search preferences when you add an actual capability, obtain a required certification, or expand your service area. Search preferences do not change your official government registration or confer eligibility.