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Government Contracting Acronyms & Terminology

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While government contracting can be lucrative, there’s no getting around the fact that newbie contractors have a lot to learn. The mountain of government contracting acronyms and terminology can be tricky to understand, but at Federal Contractor Registry, we can help you get started with contracting and demystify some of the common terms you might see, including the following.

System for Award Management (SAM):
For the rest of the blog, we will head down the list in alphabetical order, but the System for Award Management (SAM) is important enough that it deserves a spot at the top. SAM is a huge database that includes information about all government contractors. If you want to work with any federal government agency (and many state agencies), you need to complete SAM registration. We can complete SAM registration for you quickly and accurately, but we will talk more about that in a bit. First, let’s look at some other common government terms.

Beta.SAM.gov
On this website, you can search for contracting opportunities. In the past, you went to FedBizOpps or FBO.gov, but that has been replaced by Beta.SAM.gov. If you go to the homepage, scroll down to Contract Opportunities and click on “Search Contract Opportunities.” This will take you to a search engine listing current and past government contracts. There are many ways to search – by date, by federal organization, location, NAICS codes, PSCs, Set Asides and more.

We go into more detail about NAICS codes, PSCs and Set Asides later in this article, and using these tend to be the easiest way to search for contracting jobs. Keep in mind you can use multiple search parameters such as location and NAICS codes, and this can be your best option.

Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Codes:
You may be wondering, “how do I get a CAGE code,” and that’s not surprising. Without a CAGE code, you cannot do business with the federal government. This is a unique identifier given to each company or person after they have completed SAM registration. Not only with agents from federal agencies ask for your CAGE code, but state government personnel often also will ask for your CAGE code if you bid on state-level or county-level government contracting jobs. Sometimes, you might hear SAM registrations or SAM renewal called CAGE code registration or CAGE code renewal.

Central Contractor Registration (CCR):
Before there was SAM, there was CCR. This was a database with government contractors, but it no longer exists. We are writing about it, however, because we still see references to CCR or CCR.gov from time to time, and we know all of this terminology can be confusing. However, if you see CCR, just dismiss it as everything is in SAM now.

Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS)
To register with SAM, you have to provide a DUNS number. If your company does not already have a DUNS, you can apply for one at the Dun & Bradstreet website at no charge. It will take a few days for Dun & Bradstreet to send you this number, but it is an easy process to apply.

Government agencies sometimes search for contractors using DUNS numbers, and it’s required for SAM registration, but it will be changing sometime in the future. The government was supposed to switch over to a new system in 2020, but the pandemic sort of put that on the backburner. The new number will be known as a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and won’t be issued by Dun & Bradstreet. However, this is not something to worry about as the government has decided to phase this in between now and April 2022.

Entity Administrator
When you first complete your SAM registration, you have to send a notarized letter to the Federal Service Desk (the agency in charge of SAM) to inform them who is your Entity Administrator. This is simply the person in your company that is authorized to make changes to your SAM account.

The Federal Service Desk, or FSD, updated its website in December 2020 and finding the notarized letter information used to be a fairly easy process, but it definitely is a bit trickier now. To learn more about the notarized letter requirement, head to FSD.gov and type “notarized letter” into the Search Knowledge Base section.

Once you click there, the first result states, “How can I become the new administrator for our entity registration?” Click on that link, and you will find tips about the notarized letter and links to templates. Fortunately, once you’ve sent in this letter, you never have to do it again unless the Entity Administrator is changed.

GSA Schedules
The GSA (General Services Administration) is the agency that procures many goods and services for other federal agencies. For instance, they provide a fleet of automobiles and trucks for various government agencies. They also manage and maintain many government-owned buildings. GSA Schedules are special long-term contracts that allow government contractors to sell goods and services again and again to government agencies.

Here’s a quick example. Let’s say you manufacture computer monitors. All government agencies will need monitors from time to time. Instead of creating a new contract every time they need computer monitors and looking at proposals from many contractors, they can simply use a vendor with a GSA Schedule Contract. This simplifies the process for both the agency and the vendor.

Attaining a GSA Schedule Contract is not an easy or a quick process, but if you are approved, it can be much easier and faster to sell to the government. Not all businesses will qualify for GSA Schedules and you do have to meet certain criteria in order to participate in this program. To learn more about this program, go to https://www.gsa.gov/buying-selling/purchasing-programs/gsa-schedules.

Historically Underutilized Zones (HUBZones):
Small businesses located in HUBZones sometimes have an easier time acquiring government contracts. HUBZones were created to promote small businesses in areas prone to economic hardship. These zones are located in rural areas, urban areas and even on Tribal reservations. In some cases, a HUBZone also might be in an area hit by a major disaster, such as a hurricane or tornado. These are temporary HUBZones created to improve the economy in an area affected by a disaster.

Government contracting jobs can be easier to win if your business is small and located in a HUBZone and at least 3% of all federal contracting dollars are set aside for HUBZone-certified businesses. To learn more about the HUBZone program, go to https://www.sba.gov/federal-contracting/contracting-assistance-programs/hubzone-program.

Marketing Partner ID Number (MPIN):
This is the code or password that you create for your business’ SAM listing. While someone might ask for your CAGE code, no one should ever ask for your MPIN number. Do not let anyone have access to your MPIN other than your Entity Administrator.

North American Industry Classification System (NAICS):
This is a handbook that contains codes for virtually every type of good and service you could imagine. Whether your company builds fencing, repairs heating systems or provides financial services, there are NAICS codes to fit these goods and services. There are codes for farming, restaurants, toy manufacturing, furniture retailers, clothing manufacturers, advertising, information technology and thousands of other industries.

When you register with SAM, you will need to provide NAICS codes. You can find the most recent NAICS manual at https://www.census.gov/eos/www/naics/ or we can help you determine these codes if you hire us to complete your SAM registration.

Online Representations & Certification Application (ORCA)
This was the online database of government contractors before SAM was created. ORCA no longer exists, but you do still sometimes see references to ORCA and ORCA government contracts. All you need to know is that ORCA has been replaced by SAM and is now obsolete.

Prime Contractor
These are large businesses that often need or are required to use the services of smaller businesses, or subcontractors. For instance, a company such as Boeing is a prime contractor, but they might use subcontractors to acquire goods and services they need to complete a government contract. In many cases, prime contractors are required to use small business subcontractors in order to win a contract.

Procurement/Purchasing Agent:
This is the person at each government agency who makes decisions about government contracting. While private companies also sometimes have procurement agents or purchasing agents, there are many more rules surrounding government contracting. For instance, in a government setting, a supervisor or cannot simply select a vendor as might happen in a private company. There are set processes and many rules regarding how the government acquires goods and services, and the procurement agent (and their staff) is in charge of the process.

Product Service Codes (PSCs):
These codes are similar to NAICS codes, as they describe the goods and services that your business offers. These will be listed on your SAM registration as well as on your Capability Statement. Procurement agents and even prime contractors can search in SAM.beta.gov for companies using PSCs. We can help you determine these codes during the SAM registration process, or you can find a guide with PSCs at https://www.fpds.gov/downloads/top_requests/PSC_Manual_FY2016_Oct1_2015.pdf.

Small Business Administration (SBA):
This one is slightly out of alphabetical order because it makes more sense to place it ahead of the following term – Set Asides. The SBA has a ton of resources for small business owners, and many businesses that might not seem small actually qualify for SBA programs. SBA government contracting can be a great option for small businesses.

To see if your business qualifies, go to https://www.sba.gov/size-standards/ and you can see if your business is eligible for government contracting programs sponsored by the SBA. The SBA also can help small business owners with loans, grants and even finding investment capital.

Set Asides
The federal government sets aside a portion of its yearly government contracting budget just for small businesses. You might qualify as a general small business, but you also might qualify for special “set aside” categories. These include woman-owned small businesses, veteran-owned small businesses and businesses located in HUBZones.

Any government contract worth $150,000 or less automatically is set aside only for owners of small businesses. There are plenty of more lucrative contracts you can bid on, but with anything over this amount, you likely will be competing with larger businesses, although sometimes larger contracts are set aside for qualifying small businesses.

Typically, procurement agents are supposed to look to small businesses first to fulfill government contracts, even if the value is more than $150,000. This is why it is so important to sign up with SBA and see what set asides fit your business.

8(a) Contracts
This is another type of SBA set aside designed for what the government has determined are socially and/or economically disadvantaged businesses. If you belong to just about any group that has faced discrimination due to race, creed, religion, gender (or gender identity), disability, sexual orientation, etc., and you own 50% or more of a small business, you may qualify for this program.

Get Started With Government Contracting Now – We Can Help!
At Federal Contractor Registry, we complete SAM registration and SAM renewals for all types of companies, from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies and everything in between. While the government does not charge a fee to register with SAM, heading to SAM.gov and filling out the lengthy application is a frustrating and complicated process and many people simply hire a third-party registration service to complete their SAM registrations.

While we do charge a fee, we can ensure that your SAM registration is completely quickly and correctly, saving you time and the aggravation of trying to figure out each section of the application. In many ways, we are similar to accountants. While you could fill out your tax forms, these are often complicated and frustrating, so hiring an expert makes sense.

If you want to get started with government contracting, we can complete your SAM registration and as soon as the government approves your application, you will be eligible to bid on contracts. Give us a call today or click on the green New Registration tab on our homepage, and one of our registration specialists will be in touch to get started on your SAM registration as soon as possible.

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Procurement Agents: 5 Facts For Government Contractors

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Government contractor jobs can be very lucrative, but the process of acquiring these government contracts is much different than working within the private sector. Each government agency has procurement agents to help facilitate the selection of contractors, and it’s smart to understand a bit about these important individuals.

When it comes to government contractor jobs, the word “procurement” will become very important to you. Procurement refers to the process by which all government agencies acquire goods and services from the private sector. Every agency of the federal government and most state government agencies will have procurement agents on staff specifically to help with finding government contractors. Here are a few helpful facts about these government agents.

1. Procurement Agents Are Crucial Decision Makers
While the owner of a private company can simply select a vendor, the heads of government agencies cannot just decide that they want a good or service, call up a company and purchase what they need. They must first submit a request or purchase order to the procurement agents serving their agency.

In some cases, such as for very small purchases under about $3,000, a procurement agent can simply do some research and find the best options and purchase what is needed. Once you get above that $3,000 mark, the process becomes a bit more complicated, but procurement agents are still the individuals tasked with taking that purchase order, reviewing it and determining how best to fulfill that request. In general, contracts between $3,000 and $150,000 almost always are awarded to small businesses, although small businesses owner also can bid on larger contracts if they wish.

2. A Government Office Was Created Just For Procurement Policy
There are so many government agencies and special offices it could make your head spin. There are 15 main Cabinet departments, such as the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security, and within each of these main departments are dozens of other agencies and offices. All of the agencies and departments are part of the Executive Branch of government. There are also a few other agencies operated by Executive Branch, including the Small Business Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Office of Management & Budget.

Within that latter agency or office is where you’ll find the Office of Federal Procurement Policy. This office was created in 1974 to set standards and practices for government procurement that, according to its website, “result in the best value for the taxpayer.” All government agencies must follow the standards set forth by the Office of Federal Procurement Policy, or OFPP.

3. Procurement Agents Follow Strict Guidelines
Even if you are golfing buddies with the head of a government agency, this isn’t really going to help you win government contracting jobs. The agency heads might recommend someone, but it’s completely up to the procurement agents which companies are selected to fulfill contracts and they must follow the rules precisely.

Rather than worry about talking to regular agency employees, it’s better to establish solid relationships with an agency’s procurement officers. It’s also smart to present your company as an attractive and affordable option with a solid Capability Statement. If you are a good match for the government contract and can showcase your experience and skills well, you are more likely to be considered.

All potential government contractors need to create a quality Capability Statement, which basically is a resume for government contracting. It looks quite a bit different from a typical worker’s resume and contains unique sections such as Core Competencies, Differentiators, Past Performance, Company Data and Contact Information.

There are many examples online of solid Capability Statements, and we highly recommend that you take a look, and follow their lead. A great statement, just like a great resume, truly can set you apart from other companies.

4. Private Companies Also Use Procurement Agents
While we typically think about procurement agents in regards to government contractor jobs, many larger companies also hire procurement agents to handle their purchasing of goods and services. When you learn how to establish strong relationships with government procurement agents, it can help you establish a good rapport with private sector procurement specialists.

As a side note, working as a procurement agent, either with a private company or for a government agency can be a lucrative career. With the current pandemic, many people are searching for new job opportunities, and if you are highly organized and efficient as possess strong communication skills and analytical skills, this might be a good option to consider.

5. Procurement Officers Only Consider Approved Vendors
There are thousands of government contractor jobs available, and many set aside specifically for small businesses. However, you are not eligible to bid on any of these government contractor jobs until you have been approved and have an active account in the System for Award Management (SAM).

SAM is a government database that lists the status of all government contractors and is run by the Federal Service Desk, which in turn is managed by the General Services Administration. You must complete the SAM registration process in order to gain the government’s approval to bid on contracts. This can be a sticking point for many businesses because the registration process, while free, is extremely complicated.

At Federal Contractor Registry, we can handle your SAM registration and get you on the road to earning lucrative government contracting jobs. We do charge for our services, but it can be much easier to simply hire a SAM registration expert than to try and complete the application on your own, which is filled with government-speak and confusing instructions.

Many people get started with their SAM registration only to become quickly frustrated by the process, but you don’t have to let the complexities of the registration process prevent you from expanding your company via government contracting.

We can complete the process quickly and accurately so that you can start bidding on government contracting jobs and working with procurement agents. After the application is approved, the government will issue you a Commercial and Government Entity Code or CAGE Code. Once you have a CAGE Code, you are eligible for bidding, and you can even sign up with state procurement systems to provide goods or services to state government agencies, as well.

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FEMA Registration: Become a FEMA Contractor

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Register to Become a FEMA Contractor

Every time a large-scale disaster occurs, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) contracts with civilian companies to help support recovery efforts. These disasters include pandemics, fires, hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, or any other large-scale disaster. If you want to work for FEMA, there are hundreds of profitable contracting jobs available every year. To become a FEMA contractor, the first step is to register for the System for Award Management (SAM).

Register Online Now

What Types Of Services Does FEMA Need?
If your business provides any type of restoration services, mold abatement, repairs, roofing, etc., it probably seems obvious that you might be a good fit to work with FEMA, but FEMA needs many other types of contracting services.

Other obvious matches might include janitorial services, janitorial supplies, portable toilets, emergency cots, travel trailer rentals, and other companies that might provide items needed during a disaster relief effort.

But, there are also goods and services needed that aren’t so obvious. For instance, we did a quick search at Beta.SAM.gov, and we found contracts to supply copy paper, computer power adapters, audiovisual maintenance services, armed guards, and even bread and bakery goods.

Who Can Work For FEMA?
Any company that has a current registration with the System for Award Management can bid on FEMA contracts. The System for Award Management (SAM) is a government database that includes every government contractor.

To apply, you will need to fill out the online SAM application, which we can complete for you. This application takes many hours to complete, sometimes more than 10 or even 15 hours. It contains a myriad of sections, often shrouded in confusing government-speak, which many people find frustrating.

While the federal government does not charge companies or individuals a fee to register with SAM, many companies find that’s it’s not worth the time or hassle to complete the application and simply hire a third-party service, such as ourselves. Basically, it’s just like hiring an accountant to do your taxes. You could do your taxes yourself for free, but the tax code is complicated so it just makes sense to let a tax professional complete the work.

Once we complete your SAM registration, it will take a week or two for the government to look over your application and approve it. Once you are approved, you will be issued what is known as a CAGE code. This code is the unique identifier that agencies will use to find you in the SAM database.

Register for FEMA

But What About ORCA and CCR?
If you are just getting started with contracting and trying to work for FEMA or other agencies, you might have heard people talk about ORCA and CCR. ORCA stands for Online Representations and Certifications, and this was an earlier government database that predated SAM.

CCR, which stands for Central Contractor Registration is another outdated database that has been replaced by SAM. In the past, there were multiple databases concerned with government contracting, but the government has worked hard to centralize everything into SAM to make it a sort of one-stop-shop for government contracting. So while you might still hear or see CCR and ORCA, these no longer exist and you don’t need to worry about them.

How Do I Find FEMA Contracts?
One of the easiest ways to find FEMA contracts would be to head to Beta.SAM.gov and search for contracts. There used to be a website called FedBizOpps.gov that listed all government contracting opportunities, but that website recently was incorporated into SAM.

To get started, you will see a link fairly high up on the Beta.SAM.gov homepage that says “Search Contract Opportunities.” Click on that link and you can search for various contracting jobs. You can search by date or scroll down the page and search using other parameters.

If you simply want to work for FEMA, you can click on the “Advanced” button and enter the Department (Homeland Security). A “Sub-Tier” box will pop up then and you can type in Federal Emergency Management Agency. The system then will produce all of the contract opportunities from FEMA, and there are several pages to scroll through.

An easier way to find something that is suitable for your specific company would be to add your North American Industry Classification System codes into the search parameters. These codes, known as NAICS codes, designate the specific goods and services that you sell.

As an example, if you are a supplier of toner cartridges for copiers, your NAICS code would be 325910. You can search using this specific code to see if FEMA has any need for your services. If FEMA does not, just do a general search using your NAICS codes. Chances are there are several other agencies that do need what you sell, and these contracts can be just as profitable as FEMA contracts.

If you don’t know your NAICS codes, don’t worry. During the SAM registration process, we can determine your NAICS codes and your Product Service Codes (PSCs), which are similar to NAICS codes.

Once you’ve found a contracting opportunity from FEMA or another agency, you will want to read all of the documentation carefully to determine if you can meet the needs of that agency and that you understand what information you need to provide in order to bid on that contract.

If you are feeling a bit overwhelmed, it’s not surprising. Government contracting can be complicated and there’s definitely a learning curve. We recommend that small businesses sign up with their local Procurement Technical Assistance Center and take advantage of the many resources they offer for contracting.

If you’ve been wondering how to work for FEMA, we hope we’ve answered a few of your questions. If you need help with SAM registration, give us a call at (800) 985-7658 or click on the New Registration tab on our homepage. We will gather up your information and complete your SAM registration as quickly as possible so you can get started bidding on government contracts.

Register for FEMA

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Government Contracting: 5 Tips For Success

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Every year, the hundreds of agencies within the federal government, offer a myriad of government contracting opportunities. These jobs can be financially rewarding, but it does take some research and extra work to learn how to appeal to government agencies and win bids. Check out a few of our helpful tips that might make the process easier.

1. Learn How To Market Yourself

While you already might know how to market yourself for the private sector, the government is another ball of wax altogether. For instance, perhaps you’re an IT consultant and you typically advertise using terms such as “boost your ROI,” or “reduce downtime by 40% or more.”

While reducing downtime definitely can be beneficial for government agencies, boosting the ROI is not really a concern. After all, these agencies are not for-profit businesses, they simply want an IT company that can streamline their IT systems and keep it as secure as possible.

You have to think like a government agency when you design marketing materials. What does this agency truly need from you? Whatever the need, make sure your marketing brochures, information sheets and other materials clearly showcase how you can help meet their needs.

Learning how to create a competitive bid is crucial, but it’s important to keep in mind that many agencies actively search through the System for Award Management (SAM) database for possible contractors. If an agency rep finds you through SAM, it’s crucial that your marketing materials and your website be top quality. It’s not just about the bid, it’s also about how your market yourself.

2. Evaluate Your Website

Does your website provide a user-friendly experience? You need to ensure that your website is well-designed and easy to navigate. Do the web pages load quickly? Does your site work well on mobile devices as well as on desktops? A great website can set you apart from your competitors, both with your government and non-government clients.

Government representatives need to quickly identify your services and qualifications. It would be smart to design a page devoted to government contracting, so that an agency rep quickly can find information about your core competencies, your CAGE code, DUNS number, set-aside codes and so-forth.

3. Create A Top-Notch Capability Statement

Most government agencies will want you to provide a Capability Statement, which is a bit like a resume, although the information that you need to include looks a bit different than a resume.

Still, government agencies sift through hundreds or thousands of these throughout the year, so yours does need to stand out. You need an eye-catching, easy-to-read design, but more importantly, you need to provide the type of content that the agency representatives are seeking.

This statement will include a list of your core competencies, which is basically a quick list of the types of services you can provide. You also need to list past experiences, which should include a list of clients you’ve served along with their contact information. Additionally, you will want to include a short list of differentiators, and this is a list that showcases how your company stands out from the pack.

The last section of this document includes your company data, including basic information about your physical location and perhaps your founding date, as well as your DUNS number, your CAGE code, your Socio-Economic Certifications, your NAICS codes and any additional certifications that might be of interest to a potential employer.

4. Attend A Workshop Or Class

Learning how to write bids can be tough, but there are some helpful resources available, particularly if you qualify as a small business. As part of the SAM registration process, we can help you find out if you do qualify as a small business, and then you’ll be able to use all of the resources available through the government-run Small Business Administration.

If you don’t qualify as a small business, there are still plenty of classes, online tutorials and even third-party services that can help you write your bid or proposal. Not only do you need to learn how to write a bid, you also need to learn about the different types of bids.

A government agency might issue a Request for Proposal (RFP), a Request for Tender (RFT) or perhaps a Request for Quotation. There are also Invitations for Bids (IFB). Each of these is slightly different, and it’s important to understand these differences so that you can find the best opportunities for your company.

For instance, an RFP or RFT typically is issued for contracts with a value greater than $25,000 and for contracts where the supplier will be chosen based on several factors, and not just for offering the lowest price point. An RFQ is typically awarded very quickly, and the value of these contracts is less than $25,000. An IFB typically has a value greater than $100,000. These bids are competitive, and the lowest bin will win the award.

5. Keep Your SAM Registration Current

At Federal Contractor Registry, we can help you get started with government contracting by completing your SAM registrations for you. We also can help with SAM renewals, and it’s important to get your SAM renewals completed well before your expiration date.

SAM registration expires every year, and you must update and renew your listing. It can take several weeks for this renewal to be approved, so it’s essential that you renew months before your actual expiration date. If an agency sees that your registration is going to expire in two or three months, they might be wary of using your company.

This is because if your registration expires in the middle of a job, they can no longer use your services because you aren’t legally able to do business with the government unless you have a current SAM registration. We highly recommend that you renew about three months before you expiration date, and we also encourage you to keep your information up-to-date. If a phone number changes or your address changes, immediately update this information in SAM.

While the government does not charge for SAM registration, it can be an extremely frustrating experience, and can take 10 or more hours to complete the application. If you wish to save some time and ensure that your registration is completed correctly, we can help. We are a third-party SAM registration service and we’ve helped thousands of companies, large and small, get started with government contracting. To get the process rolling, simply head to our homepage and click on the green New Registration button and one of our registration specialists will begin working on your registration as quickly as possible.

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SAM Registration: 5 Facts You Need To Know

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If you are ready to take your business to the next level and begin contracting for the government, then you should know that this process is quite different than bidding on contracts in the private sector. Your first step in government contracting is to complete your System for Award Management registration, more commonly known as SAM registration. Here are a few facts about SAM and the SAM registration process.

1. Who Needs SAM Registration?
Basically, any person that wishes to do business with the federal government needs to complete SAM registration. This includes those providing services, such as construction or repair services, as well as vendors. A vendor would be someone who provides goods or products for the government. Additionally, any business or individual applying for a federal grant or federal financial assistance via Grants.gov needs to be registered with SAM. Typically, though, our clients are those providing services or acting as a vendor for the federal government.

2. What About CCR & ORCA?
There’s quite a bit of alphabet soup in the world of bureaucracies, and many of our clients also believe that they need CCR registration or perhaps ORCA certification. CCR stands for Central Contractor Registration and ORCA stands for Online Representations and Certifications. These two “systems” are no longer used, but you still might hear them thrown around by people who have contracted with the government. Today, you simply need to be concerned with attaining SAM registration and don’t have to worry about CCR or ORCA.

3. SAM Includes Multiple Procurement Systems
When SAM was developed, it combined many different procurement systems and these systems were added to SAM in phases. In the past, each of these systems required its own registration process, but SAM registration streamlines everything into one system. The systems that merged into SAM include the CCR and ORCA, as well as the Excluded Parties List System (EPLS), Federal Business Opportunities (FBO), Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA), Electronic Subcontracting Reporting System (eSRS), Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA), Wage Determinations Online (WDOL), Federal Procurement Data System – Next Generation (FPDS-NG) and the Past Performance and Information Retrieval System (PPIRS).

4. Before You Register, You Need These Two Things
After you have completed your SAM registration, you will receive what is known as a CAGE code. This stands for Commercial and Government Entity code, and each government supplier, vendor or contractor has a unique CAGE code. However, before you even begin the SAM registration process, you need to already possess two things – an active DUNS (Data Universal Numbering System) number and a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN). Your business probably already has a taxpayer ID number, and applying for DUNS is quite simple and free as you can apply directly via the Dun & Bradstreet website. Typically, it takes just one or two business days to receive this number.

5. Federal Contractor Registry Can Help!
Did you know that it can take as many as 15 hours to complete the SAM registration process? The application is extremely complex and time consuming, but the good news is that we can complete the application for you, allowing you to focus on your business rather than trudging through the complexities of SAM registration. We are a third-party registration service that assists small to large businesses and Fortune 500 companies with SAM registration.

Most small businesses simply don’t have the time or the resources to complete this process in a timely manner, and the SAM registration process tends to dissuade small businesses from grabbing their share of the government contracting pie. If you are interested in government contracting, let us help you over the SAM hurdle. After we have completed and submitted your application, you should be fully qualified to bid for and accept federal, state and local government work within two weeks.

To get started with SAM registration, simply head to our homepage and click on the tabs that state, “Register Online” or “New Registration.” Fill out our quick form, and one of our knowledgeable registration specialists will contact you as quickly as possible.

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