SBA size standard
1,250 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 (1) manufacturing guided missile and/or space vehicle propulsion units and propulsion unit parts and/or (2) developing and making prototypes of guided missile and space vehicle propulsion units and propulsion unit parts.
FY2025 federal spending
The Department of Defense bought 68% of the $1.6B obligated under 336415 in FY2025.
- Contract awards
- 622
- Contract vehicles (IDVs)
- 45
Top buying agencies
- Department of Defense$1.1B
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration$533.1M
- Department of Homeland Security$14.1K
FY2025 federal contract obligations, USAspending.gov
NAICS 336415 obligated $1.6 billion in FY2025 across 622 contract awards. The split is what makes this code unusual: DoD at $1.1 billion and NASA at $533 million. NASA takes 32 percent, the largest civil-space share of any federal manufacturing code, which means a propulsion company here can build a credible past performance record without a defense program.
What belongs here
Guided missile and space vehicle propulsion units and propulsion unit parts, plus prototypes. Solid motors, liquid engines, thrusters, turbopumps, nozzles, and igniters are all inside the boundary.
- Complete missiles and space vehicles are 336414.
- Non-propulsion parts and auxiliary equipment are 336419.
- Aircraft propulsion, including turbine engines, is 336412.
Competing in this code
The code had 45 IDVs in FY2025, the fewest in the missile family, so there are few multiple-award vehicles to get onto first, and that cuts in favor of a new entrant. Awards turn on technical merit and qualification status. The two things that decide awards are hot-fire test data on your own hardware and a qualified propellant or energetics supply chain. NASA's smaller propulsion technology solicitations are the cheapest place to generate both.
NAICS 336415 FAQ
What is the SBA size standard for NAICS 336415?
SBA sets it at 1,250 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 336415 solicitations and eligible for the set-asides in this code.
Which agencies buy rocket propulsion under NAICS 336415?
FY2025 obligations: DoD ($1.1 billion), NASA ($533 million). NASA's 32 percent share is the highest civil-space concentration among the manufacturing codes we track, and it is the practical entry point for a propulsion company without defense past performance.
Does NAICS 336415 cover in-space propulsion and thrusters?
Yes. The code covers guided missile and space vehicle propulsion units and propulsion unit parts without limiting by thrust class or propellant type, so electric thrusters, monopropellant systems, and reaction control assemblies belong here alongside large solid motors and liquid engines.
How does a new propulsion company win first work in this code?
Through NASA, not DoD. NASA obligated $533 million of the code's $1.6 billion in FY2025, and its propulsion technology solicitations run at award sizes a small company can execute. The code carries only 45 IDVs, so there are few vehicles to get onto first.