SBA size standard
1,200 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 irradiation apparatus and tubes for applications, such as medical diagnostic, medical therapeutic, industrial, research, and scientific evaluation. Irradiation can take the form of beta-rays, gamma-rays, X-rays, or other ionizing radiation.
FY2025 federal spending
The Department of Veterans Affairs bought 50% of the $855.6M obligated under 334517 in FY2025.
- Contract awards
- 2,189
- Contract vehicles (IDVs)
- 67
Top buying agencies
- Department of Veterans Affairs$429.7M
- Department of Homeland Security$256.2M
- Department of Defense$129.7M
- Department of Energy$25.0M
- Department of Health and Human Services$10.1M
FY2025 federal contract obligations, USAspending.gov
NAICS 334517 obligated $856 million in FY2025 across 2,189 contract awards, and the code contains two markets that share nothing but a classification. VA at $430 million buys diagnostic imaging and radiation therapy equipment for its medical centers. DHS at $256 million buys radiation detection and screening systems for ports, borders, and transportation checkpoints. DoD follows at $130 million, DOE at $25 million, HHS at $10 million.
What belongs here
Irradiation apparatus and tubes for medical diagnostic, medical therapeutic, industrial, research, and scientific applications, including beta, gamma, X-ray, and other ionizing radiation equipment.
- Electromedical and electrotherapeutic devices without ionizing radiation are 334510.
- Analytical laboratory instruments are 334516.
- Surgical and medical instruments with no radiological element are 339112.
Competing in this code
The code had 67 IDVs alongside 2,189 awards in FY2025, and each of the two markets has a different gate. Medical imaging requires FDA clearance and, for VA, participation in the national contract structure that standardizes equipment across the enterprise. Detection and screening requires performance testing against DHS and national laboratory standards, plus in many cases a specific approval for deployed use. A manufacturer strong in one of these has essentially no advantage in the other, so treating 334517 as one addressable market is the most common planning error vendors make here.
NAICS 334517 FAQ
What is the SBA size standard for NAICS 334517?
SBA sets it at 1,200 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 334517 solicitations and eligible for the set-asides in this code.
Which agencies buy irradiation apparatus under NAICS 334517?
FY2025 obligations: VA ($430 million), DHS ($256 million), DoD ($130 million), DOE ($25 million), HHS ($10 million). VA medical imaging and DHS radiation screening are two unrelated markets inside a single code, together carrying 80 percent of the spend.
Is NAICS 334517 a medical code or a security code?
Both, and that is the trap. VA obligated $430 million on diagnostic imaging and radiation therapy in FY2025 while DHS obligated $256 million on radiation detection and screening. The qualification paths are completely separate, and capability in one market carries no weight in the other.
What qualifies a detection product for DHS purchase under this code?
Performance testing against DHS and national laboratory standards for the specific detection application, and in many cases an approval for deployed use at ports or checkpoints. FDA clearance, which governs the medical half of the code, is irrelevant on that side.