SBA size standard
$29 million
Measured by average annual receipts over the last 5 fiscal years
SBA table effective March 2023
Official definition
This U.S. industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing advice and assistance to businesses and other organizations in one or more of the following areas: (1) human resource and personnel policies, practices, and procedures; (2) employee benefits planning, communication, and administration; (3) compensation systems planning; and (4) wage and salary administration.
FY2025 federal spending
The Department of Defense bought 43% of the $795.1M obligated under 541612 in FY2025.
- Contract awards
- 1,047
- Contract vehicles (IDVs)
- 962
Top buying agencies
- Department of Defense$340.1M
- Department of Homeland Security$128.4M
- Department of the Treasury$61.2M
- Agency for International Development$58.5M
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration$31.3M
FY2025 federal contract obligations, USAspending.gov
NAICS 541612 obligated $795 million in FY2025 across 1,047 contract awards, alongside 962 IDVs. That ratio, close to one vehicle for every award, is the highest of any professional services code we track, and it defines how the code works. DoD is $340 million, DHS $128 million, Treasury $61 million, USAID $59 million, NASA $31 million.
What belongs here
Advice and assistance on human resource and personnel policies and procedures, employee benefits planning and administration, compensation systems planning, and wage and salary administration.
- Training delivery, not workforce policy advice, is 611430.
- Supplying staff to perform an agency's work is 561320.
- General organizational design and HR policy bundled with broader management advisory often codes to 541611.
Competing in this code
With nearly as many vehicles as awards, the competition that decides your next five years is the vehicle competition, not the task order. Human capital services are consolidated onto governmentwide and agency-specific multiple-award contracts, and firms not on them are invisible regardless of qualifications. Plan around the on-ramp windows; the daily solicitation feed is the wrong calendar. The $29 million size standard is comparatively high, meaning a firm can grow substantially before losing small business status, which makes an early vehicle position compound for a long time.
NAICS 541612 FAQ
What is the SBA size standard for NAICS 541612?
SBA sets it at $29 million in average annual receipts, averaged over your last five completed fiscal years. Come in at or under that and you are small on every NAICS 541612 solicitation, including the set-asides.
Which agencies buy human resources consulting under NAICS 541612?
FY2025 obligations: DoD ($340 million), DHS ($128 million), Treasury ($61 million), USAID ($59 million), NASA ($31 million). USAID's presence in the top five is distinctive and reflects overseas workforce and local-hire compensation advisory work.
Why does NAICS 541612 have almost as many IDVs as contract awards?
Because federal human capital services are consolidated onto multiple-award vehicles. The code had 962 IDVs alongside 1,047 contract awards in FY2025. Practically, that means a firm without a vehicle position is not competing at all, and the meaningful competitive events are vehicle awards and on-ramps, not individual task orders.
What is the line between NAICS 541612 and 561320?
541612 sells advice about workforce policy, benefits design, and compensation structure. 561320 supplies people to do the agency's work. The distinction is visible in the deliverable: a compensation study versus a staffed help desk. Registering for consulting when your revenue is staffing means the staffing solicitations never reach you.