If you’ve clicked on this article, you probably have been wondering how to get a CAGE Code. These codes are necessary for anyone wishing to do business with the federal government, and we can help you complete the paperwork needed to get your code, but first, let’s talk a little bit about the process in general.
CAGE stands for Commercial and Government Entity, and this is a unique identifier that is given to every business or individual that has complete System for Award Management registration. Once you have this code, you will be able to bid on government contracts.
The System for Award Management (SAM) is a database that includes all of the government contractors. This used to be several different databases (CCR, ORCA, FBO and more), but a few years ago multiple databases were consolidated to form one universal database.
This consolidation process has not been without its hiccups, but having a centralized database was definitely a smart move by the General Services Administration, which is the independent government agency that oversees SAM.
The First Step – DUNS
As you may have noticed, government entities seem quite partial to the use of acronyms and aside from CAGE and SAM; there are several others that you will need to know. The first of which is DUNS, which stands for Data Universal Numbering System. When searching how to get a CAGE Code, you may note that acquiring your DUNS number is the first step.
SAM registration can take many, many hours to complete, and we can do that for you, but you will need to register for your DUNS number before handing over SAM registration to us. Fortunately it takes to just a few minutes to apply for your DUNS number. Just go to the Dun & Bradstreet website and sign up.
It’s possible that your business already has a DUNS number, and you can check on that as well as the Dun & Bradstreet website. If you don’t, then the system will ask you some questions about your business and in a few days provide you with this number. There is no charge to receive your DUNS number.
The Second Step – The Notarized Letter
This is a fairly new requirement for SAM registration. Due to some fraudulent activity in the SAM database, the government decided to require businesses to complete and send in a notarized letter listing the Entity Administrator for the SAM account. This is the person at your company that has the authority to make any changes to your SAM account.
There is a template for the letter at the Federal Service Desk website at FSD.gov, which is yet another component of the General Services Administration. Once you get the Federal Service Desk homepage, if you look at the very top of the page, you will see a tab called “Top Help Topics.” Click on this tab, and a page opens up with categorized help topics. The first box includes “Tips for Notarized Letter,” if you click on that and then click on the blue “Template” button, it will lead you to the template for this notarized letter.
Just download the letter and follow the instructions exactly. You will need your DUNS number as well as your legal business name and physical address (not a PO Box). Be sure that the legal name is 100% correct; it should match what is on your DUNS account.
You can send in your letter as soon as you have it completed and notarized. You don’t have to wait to complete your SAM registration. In the past, you actually couldn’t be approved in SAM until after your letter was approved, but that ended up being a logistical nightmare for the government, as many contractors’ SAM registrations expired before their letter was approved.
SAM registration must be renewed every year. When your registration expires, the government no longer is able to do business with you, and many contractors were left in a lurch, mid-job, without a paycheck in sight and government entities were left with half-finished jobs. So the powers that be at GSA decided to allow registrations and renewals to continue without requiring letter approval first. Still, you do need to complete that letter and send it in right away so that it can be approved and filed away.
The Third Step – SAM Registration
If this all seems a bit overwhelming, get ready for the truly time-consuming part of how to get a CAGE code. Once you’ve got your DUNS and sent your letter, you can head online and start filling out the SAM application. While it is free to sign up, the process can be frustrating and confusing, and can take as many as 10 hours to complete.
At Federal Contractor Registry, we can handle this part of the process for you. While it’s true, we do charge for our services, we can save you the time and frustration associated with SAM registration. We quickly can complete the application, and accurately fill out each section. Many of our clients get about halfway through the process, throw up their hands in frustration and contact us for help.
Still more people just give up entirely on government contracting, and that’s a shame. The government offers billions of dollars in contracts every year, and these contracts can be quite lucrative. If you qualify as a small business, some of these contracts are set aside specifically for small and emerging businesses, as well as woman-owned and veteran-owned businesses. You can miss out on some amazing profits if you give up on SAM.
So, if you are worrying about how to get a CAGE Code; let us help. Think of Federal Contractor Registry just as you would an accountant. The tax code is very confusing, and while you could do it yourself for free, it’s usually just easier to hire an accountant and let this expert handle the chore. With us, we can handle the chore of SAM registration and help to get that CAGE Code and get you on the way to government contracting.