In this paper we study the classifying theory of principal bundles in the parametrized setting, motivated by recent interest in higher gauge theory. Using simplicial techniques, we construct a product-preserving classifying space functor for groups in the category of spaces over a fixed space B. Additionally, we prove that the fiberwise geometric realization functor sends a large class of simplicial parametrized principal bundles to ordinary parametrized principal bundles. As an application we show that the fiberwise geometric realization of the universal simplicial principal bundle for a simplicial group G in the category of spaces over B gives rise to a parametrized principal bundle with structure group |G|.

DMR and DS were supported by the Australian Research Council (grant number DP120100106); DS was also supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (grant number EP/I010610/1)