CPV Codes vs NAICS Codes Explained for Healthcare Procurement

CPV codes are the EU's classification system for procurement, while NAICS codes are used in the US. CPV describes what is being purchased (the product or service), whereas NAICS describes the industry of the supplier. They don't map directly to each other, which is a major challenge for suppliers selling into both markets. Here's what each system is and how to work with both.

What are CPV codes?

CPV (Common Procurement Vocabulary) is the classification system used across the European Union, including on TED Europa. Each CPV code is an 8-digit number that describes what is being bought. For example:

CPV Code	Meaning
33100000	Medical equipment
33600000	Pharmaceutical products
33140000	Medical consumables

The structure is hierarchical: the first digits indicate a broad category, and additional digits narrow it down to specific products.

What are NAICS codes?

NAICS (North American Industry Classification System) is used in the US (and across North America), including on SAM.gov. A NAICS code is a 6-digit number that describes the industry the supplier operates in. For example:

NAICS Code	Meaning
339112	Surgical & medical instrument manufacturing
325412	Pharmaceutical preparation manufacturing
423450	Medical equipment merchant wholesalers

US federal procurement also uses PSC (Product Service Codes) alongside NAICS to describe the specific product or service being bought, closer in spirit to how CPV works.

The key difference

The fundamental difference is what they classify:

• CPV classifies the thing being purchased (product/service focused)
• NAICS classifies the supplier's industry (business focused)
• PSC (US) is product-focused, making it the closest US equivalent to CPV

Because they're built on different logic, there is no clean one-to-one mapping between a CPV code and a NAICS code. A single product category in Europe might correspond to several NAICS or PSC codes in the US, and vice versa.

Why this matters for suppliers

If you sell medical devices in both the EU and US, you have to learn and search two entirely different classification systems. You can't simply reuse your CPV search on SAM.gov, or your NAICS codes on TED. This doubles the effort and creates real risk of missing relevant opportunities because you searched the wrong code. It's one of the hidden reasons cross-market manual tender tracking is so painful.

How HealthProcure Intel helps

HealthProcure Intel normalises procurement categories across both systems, so you can search by a single healthcare category, like "medical devices" or "diagnostics", and get matching results from TED Europa (CPV), SAM.gov (NAICS/PSC), WHO, and NHS at once. No need to memorise two code systems. Try it free, no credit card required.

Frequently asked questions

Can I convert a CPV code to a NAICS code?

Not directly, there's no official one-to-one mapping because they classify different things. You have to identify the relevant codes in each system separately.

Which code system does the UK use now?

The UK still uses CPV codes on its Find a Tender Service and Contracts Finder portals, even after leaving the EU.

What is a PSC code?

A Product Service Code is used in US federal procurement to describe the specific product or service being purchased, complementing the industry-focused NAICS code.