SBA size standard
750 employees
Measured by average number of employees over the last 24 months
SBA table effective March 2023
Official definition
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing metal hardware, such as metal hinges, metal handles, keys, and locks (except coin- or card-operated, time locks).
FY2025 federal spending
The Department of Defense bought 89% of the $536.9M obligated under 332510 in FY2025.
- Contract awards
- 80,822
- Contract vehicles (IDVs)
- 1,546
Top buying agencies
- Department of Defense$477.6M
- General Services Administration$33.9M
- Department of State$6.0M
- Department of Homeland Security$4.0M
- Department of the Interior$3.0M
FY2025 federal contract obligations, USAspending.gov
NAICS 332510 obligated $537 million in FY2025 across 80,822 contract awards. That is an average of roughly $6,600 per award, which puts most of this code in micro-purchase and simplified acquisition territory. DoD is $478 million, GSA $34 million, State $6 million, DHS $4 million, Interior $3 million.
What belongs here
Metal hardware: hinges, handles, keys, and locks other than coin-operated or time locks. Federal demand concentrates in three places, none of which look alike commercially: installation facility maintenance, secure-space hardware meeting federal specification, and shipboard and vehicle hardware.
- Bolts, nuts, screws, rivets, and washers are 332722.
- Alarm and access control systems, including installation and monitoring, are 561621.
- Residual metal products with no specific code are 332999.
Competing in this code
80,822 awards and 1,546 IDVs means the transaction cost of a proposal has to be near zero for this code to be profitable. Vendors who succeed sell through catalog vehicles, GSA schedules, and DLA long-term contracts, then let the orders arrive. Chasing individual solicitations at $6,600 a piece does not cover the bid and proposal cost. The two credentials that open the higher-value slice are GSA Approved Products List listing for security containers and locks, and Buy American or Trade Agreements Act compliant domestic sourcing, which a large share of commercial hardware cannot document.
NAICS 332510 FAQ
What is the SBA size standard for NAICS 332510?
SBA sets it at 750 employees, counted as a 24-month average headcount across your company and every affiliate, not revenue. At or under that number you are small on NAICS 332510 solicitations and eligible for the set-asides in this code.
Which agencies buy locks and builders hardware under NAICS 332510?
FY2025 obligations: DoD ($478 million), GSA ($34 million), State ($6 million), DHS ($4 million), Interior ($3 million). DoD is nearly 90 percent, split between installation facility maintenance and shipboard or vehicle hardware.
Is federal hardware business worth pursuing at $6,600 per award?
Only through catalog vehicles. NAICS 332510 ran 80,822 awards for $537 million in FY2025, so bid and proposal cost per award has to be effectively zero. Vendors who profit here hold a GSA schedule or a DLA long-term contract and receive orders automatically instead of responding to individual solicitations.
What certifications raise the value of a NAICS 332510 registration?
Listing on the GSA Approved Products List for security containers and high-security locks moves you into a smaller, higher-value competitive pool. Documented Buy American or Trade Agreements Act compliant domestic sourcing matters just as much, because a large share of commercial builders hardware cannot substantiate country of origin.