Software Publishers (NAICS 511210) covers companies that develop, publish, and sell prepackaged software products. Unlike custom programming (541511), software publishers create products sold to multiple customers. If you develop SaaS platforms, packaged applications, or commercial software products that federal agencies purchase, 511210 applies.
What Businesses Fall Under This Code
511210 includes software companies that develop and publish packaged applications, SaaS platforms, software suites, and licensed software. Examples include companies selling security software to federal agencies, IT management platforms, productivity software, and any packaged solution sold to multiple government customers. This differs from contract development where custom software is built specifically for one agency.
SBA Size Standard and What It Means
The SBA size standard for 511210 is $8.5 million in annual revenue—lower than many IT services codes. If your packaged software revenue is under $8.5 million, you qualify as small business under this code. Small software publishers can access GSA Schedule contracts and small business set-asides.
Federal Spending in This Category
Federal software spending exceeds $25 billion annually for packaged software, SaaS platforms, and commercial products. Agencies buy security software, IT management tools, productivity software, and specialized business applications from software publishers.
Top Agencies Buying in This Code
The Department of Defense, Homeland Security, Veterans Affairs, Treasury, and Social Security Administration are major software purchasers. Every federal agency procures software products for operations, security, productivity, and mission-specific needs.
Tips for Tech Companies Using This Code
If you develop packaged software or SaaS platforms, use 511210. Getting on the GSA Schedule is valuable for software publishers—it allows federal agencies to purchase your software directly at negotiated rates. Show that your product serves federal customers and understand federal licensing and compliance requirements (FedRAMP for cloud products, NIST standards, etc.).
Pro Tip: Software publishers have unique advantages in federal procurement. Your software can be sold to thousands of federal customers through GSA Schedule without competing for each sale. Focus on compliance certifications (FedRAMP, NIST, CMMC) relevant to your product category.
Register Under NAICS 511210
Classify your business correctly to maximize visibility to federal buyers and access small business set-asides.
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