NAICS 334511 — Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing
Manufacturing of radar, sonar, GPS, avionics, missile guidance, and related instruments. The most concentrated DoD electronics-manufacturing NAICS, dominated by major weapon-system primes.
Quick facts
Top federal customers
Federal agencies that obligate the most spending under NAICS 334511 (FY2024 reporting period). Order tracks federal-obligation volume on USAspending.gov.
- 1.Department of Defense
- 2.NASA
- 3.Department of Homeland Security
- 4.Department of Transportation
- 5.Department of Energy
Set-aside fit
Whether NAICS 334511 commonly carries set-aside designations on federal awards. Eligibility for any specific solicitation is set by the contracting officer; this table reflects the FY2024 award pattern, not a guarantee of set-aside status.
- SDVOSB (Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business)
- 8(a) Business Development Program
- HUBZone Small Business
- WOSB / EDWOSB
- VOSB (Veteran-Owned Small Business)
Set-aside primes are rare due to capital intensity. SDVOSB / 8(a) firms typically participate as subs or specialty component manufacturers.
Frequent prime contractors
Companies that most frequently appear as prime awardees under NAICS 334511 for FY2024. Drawn from USAspending.gov public award records — verify currency at the live link below.
- Lockheed Martin
- Raytheon Technologies
- Northrop Grumman
- L3Harris Technologies
- BAE Systems
- General Dynamics Mission Systems
- Boeing
- Leonardo DRS
- Elbit Systems of America
- Mercury Systems
Common FAR / DFARS clauses
Frequently flowed-down clauses on contracts in this NAICS. The clause text on acquisition.gov is authoritative; this list captures the practical pattern, not an exhaustive flowdown.
- DFARS 252.204-7012Safeguarding Covered Defense Information
NIST 800-171 mandatory; this NAICS routinely handles classified and CUI technical data.
- DFARS 252.225-7008Restriction on Acquisition of Specialty Metals
Specialty-metals domestic-source restriction applies to electronic system materials.
- DFARS 252.227-7013Rights in Technical Data — Noncommercial Items
DoD weapon-system data rights regime.
- DFARS 252.211-7003Item Unique Identification and Valuation
IUID marking required on items above thresholds for serialized parts.
- FAR 52.246-2Inspection of Supplies — Fixed-Price
First-article and lot inspection regimes apply to instrument manufacturing.
Indirect rate considerations
Manufacturing firms run materials-handling pools, manufacturing overhead, engineering overhead, and G&A. Forward pricing rate agreements (FPRAs) common for major primes. CAS coverage typical above thresholds. IR&D programs sized by funded research.
See FieldLedger's Indirect Rate Engine for pool definition and rate tracking, or read the FieldLedger methodology for the underlying FAR Part 31 framework.
How FieldLedger fits NAICS 334511
Indirect Rate Engine handles multi-pool manufacturing rate structure. Signed timekeeping for engineering and manufacturing labor. Project P&L for program-level cost tracking. Cybersecurity readiness add-on aligns with NIST 800-171 evidence.
Frequently asked
- What is the SBA size standard for NAICS 334511?
- The SBA size standard for NAICS 334511 (Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing) is 1,250 employees in average employee headcount, per 13 C.F.R. § 121.201.
- Is NAICS 334511 eligible for SDVOSB, 8(a), HUBZone, or WOSB set-asides?
- Set-aside programs that commonly apply: SDVOSB, 8(a), HUBZone, WOSB, VOSB. Set-aside primes are rare due to capital intensity. SDVOSB / 8(a) firms typically participate as subs or specialty component manufacturers.
- Which federal agencies buy under NAICS 334511?
- For FY2024 reporting, the leading federal customers under NAICS 334511 were Department of Defense, NASA, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Transportation, Department of Energy. Live obligation data is available on USAspending.gov.
- What FAR or DFARS clauses commonly apply to NAICS 334511 contracts?
- Frequent clause flowdowns include DFARS 252.204-7012 (Safeguarding Covered Defense Information); DFARS 252.225-7008 (Restriction on Acquisition of Specialty Metals); DFARS 252.227-7013 (Rights in Technical Data — Noncommercial Items); DFARS 252.211-7003 (Item Unique Identification and Valuation); FAR 52.246-2 (Inspection of Supplies — Fixed-Price). Each contract instrument will incorporate clauses by reference under FAR 52.252-2; this list reflects the high-frequency set for this NAICS, not an exhaustive flowdown.
- What indirect-rate structure works for a federal contractor in NAICS 334511?
- Manufacturing firms run materials-handling pools, manufacturing overhead, engineering overhead, and G&A. Forward pricing rate agreements (FPRAs) common for major primes. CAS coverage typical above thresholds. IR&D programs sized by funded research.
- How does FieldLedger help small federal contractors in NAICS 334511?
- Indirect Rate Engine handles multi-pool manufacturing rate structure. Signed timekeeping for engineering and manufacturing labor. Project P&L for program-level cost tracking. Cybersecurity readiness add-on aligns with NIST 800-171 evidence.
Sources
- U.S. Census NAICS manual — census.gov/naics
- SBA size-standards table — 13 C.F.R. § 121.201 (eCFR)
- Federal obligations + prime awardees — USAspending.gov NAICS 334511
- FAR / DFARS clause text — acquisition.gov
Snapshot date: 2026-05-08 (FY2024 reporting period). Federal-obligation bands and prime-contractor lists reflect the data as of the snapshot — refresh against USAspending.gov for current figures.