Skip to main content

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are advised that this website may contain images and voices of deceased people.

Back to Resource Centre
Tuesday, 31 Mar 2020
Image
United Nations standard products and service codes

United Nations standard products and service codes

Publication author(s):

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

Publication abstract:

The United Nations standard products and services code (UNSPSC) is an open, global, multi-sector standard for efficient accurate classification of products and services for buying, selling or otherwise exchanging goods and services in the global marketplace. 

Read full resource

The United Nations standard products and services code (UNSPSC) is an open, global, multi-sector standard for efficient accurate classification of products and services for buying, selling or otherwise exchanging goods and services in the global marketplace. 

The UNSPSC is used for reporting procurement activity across the Australian Government, including under the Indigenous Procurement Policy (IPP). The UNSPSC is used by portfolios to decide whether a contract must meet mandatory minimum requirements (MMR). The mandatory minimum requirements are minimum levels of Indigenous employment and supplier use that must be met over the life of a contract.

This approach ensures First Australians gain skills and economic benefit from some of the bigger contracts awarded by the Australian Government, including in remote areas.

Codes for mandatory minimum requirements

MMRs for Indigenous participation apply to contracts wholly delivered in Australia that are valued at $7.5 million (GST inclusive) or more, where more than half of the value of the contract is being spent in one or more of the eight UNSPSC Industry Sectors in Table 1.

From 1 July 2020 an additional 11 UNSPSC Industry sectors apply to Approach to Market documentation for procurements to be wholly delivered in Australia where more than half the value of the contract is being spent in one or more of the specified UNSPSC industry sectors.  Table 2 sets out the additional 11, bringing the total applicable UNSPSC Industry sectors to 19.

Table 1: Industry categories with Mandatory Minimum Requirements (including sub-category exemptions)

Effective from 1 July 2016

UNSPSC Category ID Description Sub-category exemptions from MMR
UNSPSC Code Description
70 Farming and fishing and forestry and wildlife contracting services    
72 Building construction and maintenance services    
76 Industrial cleaning services    
78 Transportation, storage and mail services    
82 Editorial and design and graphic and fine art services    
86 Education and training services    
90 Travel and food and lodging and entertainment services    
93 Politics and civic affairs services    

Table 2: Additional 11 Industry categories with Mandatory Minimum Requirements (including sub-category exemptions)

Effective from 1 July 2020

UNSPSC Category ID Description Sub-category exemptions from MMR
UNSPSC Code Description
64 Financial Instruments, Products, Contracts and Agreements    
71 Mining and oil and gas services    
73 Industrial Production and Manufacturing Services    
77 Environmental Services    
80 Management and Business Professionals and Administrative Services 80131500 Lease and rental of property or building
80131501 Land leases
80131503 Residential rental
81 Engineering and Research and Technology Based Services    
84 Financial and Insurance Services 84130000 Insurance and retirement services
84131800 Retirement funds
85 Healthcare Services    
91 Personal and Domestic Services    
92 National Defence and Public Order and Security and Safety Services 92110000 Military services and national defence
92111700 Military science and research
94 Organisations and Clubs    

Finding the right code for a product or service

The codes can be accessed at www.unspsc.org. Non-members can access codes via the ‘Search-Code’ tab or by downloading a free pdf list of up-to-date codes from the ‘Codeset-Downloads’ tab.

The easiest way to find a code is to search the codeset online at https://www.unspsc.org/search-code.

A useful feature of the search the code function is to use “%” as a wild card. This can be used for the ‘Search Code’ field and ‘Search Title’ field.

If you want a complete listing of all codes starting with 72 (Building and Facility Construction and Maintenance Services), enter ‘72%’ in the Search Code field. The result returned is five pages of possible codes within this Industry sector range. All codes resulting from this search apply to MMR contracts.

Searching the ‘Title’ field will find the most appropriate 8 digit code to use for a particular good or service.

Entering ‘building%’ in the title field returns a list of codes for goods or services that start with ‘building’. Note results from this search may include categories that are not applicable to MMRs.

 Entering ‘%building%’ in the title field returns a list of codes for goods and services that include ‘building’ in the title.  Note results from this search may include categories that are not applicable to MMRs.

If you are unable to find a code for a good or service, please contact your Portfolio’s procurement team for advice.

Feedback

Did you find this page useful?