Frustrated by SAM registration? You definitely aren’t alone. Most of our clients come to us either because they’ve tried to register with SAM and were overwhelmed by the process or they’ve heard from others how difficult it be, but we can help with CAGE code renewal and your initial registration process.
CAGE Code Registration
For those new to government contracting, you might be thinking, “what is a CAGE code and what about SAM?” Once you complete your System for Award Management (SAM) registration, you will be given a Corporate and Government Entity (CAGE) Code, and this code is your link to the contracting world.
Without a CAGE code, you cannot do business with the government. Even state and local government agencies will ask for your CAGE code, so no matter what level of government you plan to work with, this CAGE code is essential.
Now, the government constantly reminds potential contractors that SAM registration is free, and it is, but this doesn’t tell the whole picture. The SAM registration process is difficult and can take 10 or more hours to complete, which is why so many people simply hire a third-party registration service.
We are a third-party registration service and we liken our business to that of an accountant. Filing your taxes is free, but millions of Americans hire accountants to do their taxes. Why? The tax code is complicated, and using a qualified accountant just makes the process easier and ensures that it’s completed correctly.
We are CAGE code and SAM experts, and we not only can relieve you of the burden of SAM registration and ensure that the process is completed correctly. It’s not uncommon for people to spend 15 hours completing their registration only to have the people at SAM email them to correct problems in one or more sections of the application.
It takes the government several weeks to approve you SAM registration in general, if you make mistakes, this can delay approval by several more weeks. We can complete each section of the application quickly and correctly, so that you can be up and running with government contracting as soon as possible.
CAGE Code Renewal: Is It Worth It?
If you currently are in the middle of a government contract or have earned one or two contracts during your current registration year, your answer is probably a resounding “yes!” However, many companies don’t earn a contract during the first year and wonder whether or not, it’s worth the time.
We strongly encourage you to complete your CAGE code renewal even if you’ve not yet earned a government contract. It can take time to earn your first contract, usually at least 18 months. Some people get lucky right out of the gate, but that’s rare, so don’t get discouraged if you have not earned a contract during your first year. Also, government agencies tend to make contracting decisions fairly slowly, so it’s never going to be as quick as working with a company in the private sector.
During that first year, you may be simply learning about government contracting. Hopefully, you are learning a bit about proposals and bids, completing your Capability Statement and signing up for various workshops and webinars.
Don’t forget to dive into contracting at the state and local level, as there are many opportunities from your state government and county governments and possibly even with your city government. To register with a state, just search for the state name and add the work, “procurement.” Find the result with the “.gov” extension and this should lead you to the right place.
When Should You Renew?
CAGE code renewal definitely is not something to leave until the last minute. We highly recommend that you complete your renewal about three months before it is set to expire. It takes a couple of weeks to get approval, so it’s crucial that you complete the process early, and we can handle that task for you.
But why renew three months early? When government agencies are looking for contractors they will make note of the date when your SAM registration will expire. As we said before, it can take time for a government agency to make a decision and choose a contractor. If they notice that your registration is due to expire in a couple of months, they probably will be reluctant to select your company.
This is because government agencies are only able to contract with companies that have active SAM registrations. If your SAM registration were to expire in the middle of a contract, the government agency no longer would be able to continue with the contract and that obviously could be a huge issue.
If you need help with your CAGE code registration or CAGE code renewal, contact us at any time. We can complete the process quickly, and get your registered or renewed before you know it so that you can keep working toward your goal of earning those lucrative government contracts.