SBA size standard
1,300 employees
Measured by average number of employees over the last 24 months
SBA table effective March 2023
Official definition
This U.S. industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing small arms ammunition.
FY2025 federal spending
The Department of Defense bought 94% of the $1.3B obligated under 332992 in FY2025.
- Contract awards
- 1,027
- Contract vehicles (IDVs)
- 82
Top buying agencies
- Department of Defense$1.2B
- Department of Homeland Security$39.8M
- Department of Justice$24.2M
- Department of State$7.4M
- Department of the Interior$1.5M
FY2025 federal contract obligations, USAspending.gov
NAICS 332992 obligated $1.3 billion in FY2025 across 1,027 contract awards. DoD is $1.23 billion. DHS follows at $40 million and DOJ at $24 million, which together represent the federal law enforcement duty and training ammunition market, then State at $7 million for security assistance.
What belongs here
Small arms ammunition, full stop. It is one of the narrowest definitions in the manufacturing sector, and that narrowness is useful because there is very little classification ambiguity.
- The weapons and accessories are 332994.
- Bombs, grenades, unguided rockets, mines, and torpedoes are 332993.
Competing in this code
The code had 82 IDVs alongside 1,027 awards in FY2025, few vehicles for $1.3 billion, and that changes the strategy. Much of this code is bought as definite quantity against a specification. An award is winnable on price, lot acceptance testing, and delivery schedule without first fighting your way onto a multiple-award contract. Military ball ammunition at volume runs through the government-owned plant system and is not realistically contestable. Law enforcement duty and training loads, specialty and match ammunition, and non-standard calibers for security assistance are where an independent loader competes and wins. Lot acceptance testing capacity is the constraint that sinks most first-time performers.
NAICS 332992 FAQ
What is the SBA size standard for NAICS 332992?
SBA sets it at 1,300 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 332992 solicitations and eligible for the set-asides in this code.
Which agencies buy small arms ammunition under NAICS 332992?
FY2025 obligations: DoD ($1.2 billion), DHS ($40 million), DOJ ($24 million), State ($7 million), Interior ($1 million). DHS and DOJ are the accessible buyers, purchasing duty and training loads on schedules and BPAs, outside the organic industrial base.
Can an independent ammunition manufacturer win federal contracts under NAICS 332992?
Yes, but not on high-volume military ball, which runs through the government-owned plant system. The competitive lanes are law enforcement duty and training loads at DHS and DOJ, specialty and match ammunition, and non-standard calibers bought for security assistance. Lot acceptance testing capacity, not price, is what usually decides whether a first-time performer succeeds.
Why does NAICS 332992 have so few IDVs?
Small arms ammunition is bought against a published specification, so few vehicles are written for it: the code had 82 IDVs alongside 1,027 awards in FY2025. For a new entrant that is good news, because there are few multiple-award contracts to qualify onto before competing.