Federal Supply Classification System.

The Government catalogs and manages products and services bought by the Federal Government thru the Federal classification System using codes arrived from the Nation Stock Number (NSN) assigned to the item.

When an item is introduced into the Federal Supply System the Defense Logistics Service Center (DLSC), Battle Creek, Michigan assigns a National Stock Number (NSNs).

• The NSN is a 13 digit number. ex 6240-00-027-2059

• The first two digits (62) are the Federal Supply classification Group ( FSG ).

• The first four digits (6240) identifies the Federal Supply Class ( FSC ) of the product.

• The 5th and 6th digit are the Nato Country Code

• The next nine numbers (000272059) represent the National Item Identification Number (NIIN) .

  • The first two numbers of the NIIN  (00) identifies the country of origin.

  • The remaining seven digits (0272059) identifies the specific item.

Sometimes only the two-digit group code is used by procurement agencies, this means in general, the same agency buying officials buy most of the products in the group.

Most of the time the four-digit class codes are used.