SAM Registration

Bidding on government contracts can be lucrative, but before you can get started working for any government entity; you must complete your System for Award Management registration. Better known as SAM registration, you can complete this process either by using our service or heading to SAM.gov. Here are a few facts about the website and the registration process.

1. SAM Has Replaced ORCA & CCR
We still sometimes have people inquire about ORCA or CRR registration. ORCA stood the Online Representations and Certifications, while CCR stood for Central Contractor Registration. Several years ago, in order to streamline the entire process of government contracting, CCR and ORCA were enveloped by the System for Award Management (SAM) database. Now all contractors are located on SAM.gov, making it essentially a one-stop shop for government entities that need contractors or for contractors searching for sub-contractors. So while you might still hear about ORCA and CCR, these are obsolete and SAM is all you need to worry about, registration-wise.

2. SAM.gov Is Part Of The GSA
Once you register with SAM.gov, you quickly will learn that the government is a sea of acronyms, from FEMA to SAM to DUNS and on and on. SAM.gov is a website that is maintained by the General Services Administration, or GSA, which is an independent agency of the U.S. Government. It was founded in 1949, and while headquartered in Washington, D.C., there are 10 additional offices around the country serving various GSA regions.

In addition to handling SAM.gov, the GSA has many other responsibilities. For instance, the GSA procures low-cost vehicles for most federal agencies. The GSA also maintains the Historic Preservation Program, which seeks to preserve federally-owned sites, structures and objects with significant historical value. This includes hundreds of works of art that are displayed in federal buildings across the United States as well as pieces on loan to museums.

3. Both U.S.-Based & International Registrants Are Accepted
The GSA allows companies abroad as well as in the United States to register as U.S. Government contractors. For U.S. Registrants, you will need a DUNS number, as well as your Taxpayer Identification Number, your bank routing number and bank account number. International Registrants also need a DUNS number, and also must register for a NATO Commercial and Government Entity Code.

As of April 26, 2018, you also must submit an original, signed and notarized letter that identifies the authorized Entity Administrator for the entity associated with your DUNS number. An entity is a company, organization or businesses seeking to become a government contractor via SAM.gov. The Entity Administrator is whoever has been chosen to represent that entity; it might be a business owner, an assistant or another person who will be handling the details regarding SAM registration. The GSA provides additional information about this letter on its website. The letter is a new requirement that came about after the GSA discovered possible fraudulent activity in SAM, both those new to SAM and those renewing their SAM registration will need to provide this letter.

4. SAM.gov Provides Plenty Of “Help”
If you spend just a few minutes on the SAM.gov website, you will notice a handy Help tab. Click on that and you will see FAQs and user guides, as well as videos and other information designed to help you with SAM registration. While this all seems well and good, this fount of information can be more overwhelming than helpful. In fact, the Non-Federal User Guide is 201 pages in length and few of us have the time to peruse a document of that size in addition to our daily work schedule and any other time commitments. The complexity of SAM registration turns away many people, and that’s a shame, because there are thousands of government contracts available each year and they can be very lucrative.

5. You Don’t Have To Use SAM.gov To Register For SAM
While it is free to register as a government contractor, completing the SAM registration process is anything but simple. It can take more than 15 hours to complete the registration process if you do it yourself via SAM.gov. If you wish to avoid the hassle of SAM registration, you can hire a third-party registration service, such as Federal Contractor Registry. We complete hundreds of SAM registrations each year, and understand all of the complexities of SAM registration. While we do charge for our services, this cost can alleviate the many headaches associated with SAM registration, not to mention the many hours of time it takes to register. If you wish to bid on government contracts, contact us today and we will get started on your SAM registration.

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At Federal Contractor Registry, our job is to help businesses of all sizes complete their System for Award Management (SAM) registration and attain their SAM number. Some of our clients are simply renewing their SAM registration, but many are new to the world of government contracting and have many important questions. Here are a few facts that everyone should know if they wish to become a government contractor.

1. Your SAM Number & CAGE Code
As you delve into the world of government contracting, you soon will notice that everything is an acronym and this alphabet soup can become quite confusing. For instance, you might hear someone say that you need a SAM number or a CAGE code. When you complete SAM registration, you will be assigned two codes, one of which is the CAGE code (Commercial and Government Entity). This code is five characters and unique to your business. It’s basically your ID code, and government agencies will identify your business using this code. It’s a bit like a social security number for your business.

2. You May Need Multiple CAGE Codes
If your business includes more than one facility, then you will need multiple CAGE codes. Each location must have its own unique code, and each location must be registered separately with SAM. The CAGE code not only identifies a business, but also its location, so if you have one office in Baltimore and another in Annapolis, both of these businesses will have unique CAGE codes.

3. Your SAM Number & MPIN
While people may talk about their SAM number, there truly isn’t an identifier known as a SAM number. Upon completion of your SAM registration, you will receive your CAGE code as well as what is known as a Marketing Partner ID Number (MPIN). This will be nine characters and this is basically your password to access a variety of government applications and websites, such as FedBizOpps.gov. This website is an excellent resource for companies searching for federal contacting opportunities.

4. Gather Up Some Crucial Information
Before you can attain that SAM number, or rather your CAGE code and MPIN, you need to gather up some information. First, you need to jot down your tax ID number, which will be on any of your business tax forms and will be on record with your bank. You also need to head to the Dun & Bradstreet website and procure a DUNS number, which is yet another number that identifies your business. Registration with Dun & Bradstreet is free and can be completed fairly quickly. You also with need Electronic Funds Transfer information, which includes your bank’s ABA routing number and your account number. Be sure to jot down the phone or fax number of the bank, as well, as you will need to provide that as well.

5. Make Changes When Needed
If your business address changes or your phone number or email address, you need to update this information immediately with SAM as well as updating this contact information with Dun & Bradstreet. If the name of the contact person has changed, be sure to update this information as well. If your contact information is incorrect, you can miss out on many opportunities.

6. Renew Your SAM Registration Early
Every year, you have to complete SAM renewal, and many people wait until the last minute to complete this registration, but this can be a huge mistake. When government agencies or other contractors see that your SAM registration is about to expire, they may skip over your businesses. If your SAM registration expires, you no longer will be able to bid on contracts or work with the government or as a subcontractor. We recommend that you renew several months in advance so that your SAM registration stays current at all times.

7. We Can Make SAM Registration Easy
While the government does not charge companies a fee for attaining their “SAM number” or for SAM registration, they also don’t make it particularly easy to complete this registration process. In fact, it can take more than 15 hours to complete the entire application, and it’s quite complicated. That’s where we come in. At Federal Contractor Registry, we will complete the SAM registration process for you, freeing you from the frustration and the many hours it takes to complete this process. The government offers hundreds of contracting opportunities every year, and once you’ve completed SAM registration, you will be ready to bid as a contractor or subcontractor. Don’t wait another day, call us now and let’s get you started on the road to government contracting.

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At Federal Contractor Registry, we serve a myriad of clients, from large Fortune 500 clients to small businesses with just a few employees. If you are a small business, we can help simplify the federal contractor registration process, and we also wanted to share some information about the Small Business Administration, a government entity designed specifically to help small businesses succeed.

The Small Business Administration, or SBA, was created by President Eisenhower in the early 1950s, and during the Clinton Administration, the person who heads the SBA was elevated to the rank of a cabinet position. The goals or mission of the SBA is, according to its website, “to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy of our nation.”

The SBA website if filled with helpful information for small businesses at any stage, from long-established firms to those just forming their businesses. For those that have completed their federal contractor registration, the SBA has an entire section of its website dedicated to government contracting for small businesses.

In past articles, we’ve outlined that in order to become eligible for government contracting; you must attain a DUNS number and complete your federal contractor registration, or SAM registration. There are many government contracts that are designated or reserved specifically for small businesses, but you have to fit the qualifications of a small business as defined by the SBA. In general, a manufacturing firm with fewer than 500 employees or a non-manufacturing business with average annual receipts of less than $7.5 million will qualify, although there are some exceptions to these rules and some businesses will qualify with more than 500 employees or a higher level of revenue.

For instance, if you qualify as an Electronic Computer Manufacturing firm, your company can employ as many as 1,250 persons and still qualify as a small business while a business identified as a Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesaler qualifies only if the firm employs 100 or fewer persons. To find out if your business qualifies as a small business, you can go to SBA.gov and click on the Federal Contracting section of the website. This provides you with access to the Contracting Guide, which includes all of the basic requirements for government contracting as well as many links to other helpful websites.

The government’s goal is to award at least 23% of all contracting dollars to small businesses. While there are government contracts available for all types of small businesses, you may also qualify for one of SBA’s special designations. For instance, if you qualify as a disadvantaged business, it can be easier to earn a government contract, as the government makes it a point to award a portion of its annual contracting dollars specifically to small disadvantaged businesses.

There also is contracting money set aside specifically for those who qualify as a women-owned small business as well as service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses .The government also sets aside contracting money specifically for small businesses that qualify for the HUBZone program. This program is meant for businesses operating in what are known as Historically Underutilized Business Zones. For instance, if your business is located on an Indian reservation or perhaps in a rural area, it may qualify, but there are plenty of locations in suburban and urban areas that qualify. The SBA website has a link to a map where you can simply enter your business address to see if your area qualifies as a HUBZone.

Once you’ve completed your federal contractor registration, we strongly suggest that you take a look at the SBA’s website. You can find information about whether or not you qualify for special programs, helpful tips regarding how to find and also acquire federal contracts and much more.

If you aren’t quite sure how to complete your federal contractor registration, we can help. We are a third-party registration process and we have completed SAM registration for thousands of satisfied clients. Completing the application process can take 15 or more hours, as it is quite lengthy and complicated. Many people become frustrated with the process and end up missing out on lucrative government contracts. Rather than deal with hassle of federal contractor registration yourself, give us a call today and we will get started on the process for you.

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Every year, there are hundreds of federal contractor opportunities available for businesses throughout the United States. If you are interested in applying for these fed contracts and grabbing a piece of the government pie, so to speak, there are a few initial steps you will need to take, including the following.

1. Get Your DUNS Number
Of all of the steps you’ll take in order to bid on fed contracts, this will be the easiest. Every contractor will need to obtain a DUNS (Data Universal Numbering System) number. To do so, you simply head to www.dnb.duns-number.html and hit the Get Started tab under the “Request a D-U-N-S Number” section. You also can use this link to update your company information, such as an address, phone number or email change.

This number establishes a credit file for your business. When potential companies are selecting contractors, they will input the DUNS number for each business to take a look at each company’s financial stability. If your company has multiple physical locations, you will need to secure a unique DUNS number for each of these locations. Fortunately, applying for a DUNS number only takes a few minutes and within a few business days, you will have this number, and applying for a number is free, which is an added bonus.

2. Complete SAM Registration
There are thousands of fed contracts, but they are only available to those who have completed SAM registration, which stands for System for Award Management. This is a huge database that includes all of the vendors that are approved to bid on fed contracts. While you can complete SAM registration for free, this process can take up to 15 hours to complete and the registration process is quite complicated. Additionally, if you make a mistake on the application, which you won’t know until after it has been submitted, you will have to begin the process all over again.

We highly recommend that you hire a third party registration service, such as ourselves, to handle this process. Many people begin SAM registration on their own only to become quickly overwhelmed and frustrated. We have handled thousands of SAM registrations for all types of companies, and can quickly finish up your application and get you ready to bid on fed contracts.

3. Update Your Website
An attractive, vibrant website is always a good idea, and if your website looks like it’s stuck in the early 2000s, it might be time for an upgrade. Of course, design is just one part of a great website; it also needs to include plenty of information so that agencies can truly see what your business is all about. A single page website with a phone number just doesn’t cut it anymore. Potential clients want to know more, and if your website doesn’t showcase your abilities, they may simply move on to another company that provides more information.

4. Research The Bidding Process
Once you’ve completed SAM registration and redesigned your website (if necessary), you will need to learn all you can about the actual bidding process. Head to websites such as SBA.gov and GSA.gov to learn more about the bidding process. The SBA (the Small Business Administration) has a website stocked with helpful information and resources for small businesses that wish to bid on government contracts. You can even attend workshops and classes to learn more about the bidding process, some are even available online, making it easy to fit in to just about anyone’s schedule.

5. Consider Subcontracting Jobs
When people dive into the world of fed contracts, they often head straight for the biggest, most lucrative contacts, but it’s often smarter to consider subcontracting. Government agencies rarely select contractors with no government experience, and subcontracting can be a great way to build up your resume, so to speak. It’s also an ideal option for a small business, as you might be able to better fill some sort of niche or provide a service that a larger company might not offer. Of course, you do have to complete SAM registration in order to subcontract, and this huge database provides one way for contractors to search for subcontractors, so even if you don’t immediately begin bidding on fed contracts, registering with SAM can be beneficial.

At Federal Contractor Registry, our part of the process is to make it easier for businesses to complete their SAM registrations and SAM renewals. If you want to bid on fed contracts, we take relieve you of the burden of SAM registration. Once you’ve obtained your DUNS number, head to our homepage and simply click on the New Registration tab to get started.

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There’s an old saying that states, “time is money,” and we certainly agree with that assertion. If you want to register for government contracts, you probably have read a bit about the SAM registration process and how long this process can take. The good news is that you don’t have to spend a dozen (or more) hours filling out this application, because the team at Federal Contractor Registry is here to help.

First of all, let’s explain a bit about SAM registration. SAM stands for System for Award Management, and this is a centralized database where any government agency officer can go to look for potential contractors. Each contractor has a personalized listing that describes their business and capabilities, as well as a unique identifying number, known as a CAGE code.

SAM registration is required by anyone who wishes to bid on contractor jobs for the federal government. This includes available jobs from FEMA, the Department of Defense, the Department of Education, the Department of Housing & Urban Development and the hundreds of other government entities that often need the skills of various outside contractors. This includes federal contractor jobs as well as state and local jobs. After you register for government contracts, you can begin to bid on jobs.

SAM Registration: The Facts
The government does not charge contractors to register for SAM, which is great. However, the SAM registration process can be so time-consuming and complicated that many people are discouraged from bidding on lucrative government contracting jobs. It can take someone anywhere from 10 to 15 hours (or more) to complete the entire registration process, and while there are tips and help available to help contractors better understand how to register for government contracts, this information can be quite confusing.

Rather than waste time and become frustrated with the intricacies of SAM registration, you can use a third-party registration process such as Federal Contractor Registry. Of course, we do charge a fee for our services, but once we complete the process, you will be ready to start bidding. We can handle all of the heavy lifting, so to speak, because there’s no reason why you need to deal with the headache of SAM registration.

What We Need
Before you come to us, we will need a few pieces of information. We will need to know your taxpayer identification number, which should be listed on any tax forms you fill out and your bank also will have that on file.

Additionally, you will need to acquire a DUNS number. Thankfully, this is an easy process. Simply to go to dashboard.dnb.com/register. From there, you create an account and answer a few quick questions. Within one or two business days, you will receive your DUNS number. This is an identifying number that will be assigned to your business, but unlike the SAM registration process, this is quick and straightforward.

After SAM Registration
Once you register for government contracts, you can begin looking for jobs. There are many websites to use for this process, including USAJobs.gov and FedBizOpps.gov. Additionally, if you are a small business, the U.S. Small Business Administration, provides a wealth of information of how to find and procure government contractors. You can find more information at SBA.gov.

If you want to register for government contracts, and you have your DUNS number and taxpayer ID, we can help. Simply go to our homepage and select the tab for New Registration or contact a registration specialist at (800) 985-7658.

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System for Award Management (SAM) registration is the first step on the road to government contacting and there are plenty of jobs available. Once you complete the SAM register process, your next step is to find those government contracts. Here are a few tips to help make contracting a bit easier.

1. Small Business Owners Should Get Certified
There are several small business certifications that can make it easier to procure a contracting job. For instance, there are special certifications for small businesses owned by women. There are special certifications for small businesses owned by people who are socially disadvantaged or economically disadvantaged. Businesses owned by service-disabled veterans also may be eligible for special certifications.

Sometimes agencies will search specifically for these types of certified small businesses, so if you qualify for a certification, take advantage of it. Of course, keep in mind that, no matter what type or size of business you own, the SAM register process must be completed before you apply for jobs.

2. Research Government Agencies
While you probably have heard of government agencies such as FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security, there are actually dozens of federal agencies that are less well known. Some of these agencies outsource to federally-approved contractors, so it just makes sense to learn as much as you can about different federal agencies that might need your services. Sites such as FedBizOpps.gov list many different types of contracting jobs, and we also recommend that you contact your local Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) as they can provide you with all sorts of helpful advice for getting started with government contracting.

You also might consider attending the Government Procurement Conference, which is held yearly in Washington, D.C. This year’s event will be held on April 19 and includes several helpful seminars including Federal Contracting 101 and Subcontracting with Prime Contractors. There also will be many government exhibitors on site. In the past, exhibitors included the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Department of Education, Department of Housing & Urban Development, Department of Homeland Security, the Defense Logistics Agency and many more. The U.S. Small Business Administration also has some short videos on its website that can be helpful for those new to government contracting. To access these videos, go to www.sba.gov and click on the Learning Center tab.

3. Learn How To Write Proposals
When you apply for a contracting job, you will need to create a job proposal. This proposal, much like a resume, needs to set you apart from the pack and convince a government agency why you are the best fit for a specific project. There are quite a few resources available online that can provide you with tips to help with this process, including the Small Business Administration (SBA), which offers a myriad of support materials for all types of small businesses wishing to get started with government contracting.

Of course, it all begins with SAM. While you can complete the SAM register process on your own, this is a very confusing and time-consuming process. In fact, it can take 10 to 15 hours to complete the entire registration process! The team at Federal Contractor Registry is here to help. We have completed thousands of these registrations and understand all of the government acronyms and the types of information needed for this process.

Save your time (and your sanity) and hire us to complete your SAM registration. To get started, simply give us a call or fill out our contact form and a representative quickly will be in touch to gather some important information and begin the SAM register process.

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If you want to bid on government contractor jobs, one of your first steps will be to complete your System for Award Management (SAM) registration. There are thousands of jobs available, but without SAM, you won’t be able to take advantage of these opportunities. Read through our helpful list of fast SAM facts, and then give us a call and let us help you with the lengthy registration process.

1. SAM Registration Is Your Only Path To Government Contracting

If you don’t complete System for Award Management registration, you will not be eligible to bid on any government contracts. Likewise, if your SAM registration expires, you also will be ineligible to bid on contracts. Fortunately, once you complete this process, you will be ready to go, and free to bid on an assortment of contracts from agencies such as FEMA, Department of Defense and more.

2. Recruiters Often Use SAM

You might be surprised to learn that sometimes you don’t have to seek the government jobs; they find their way to you. While you have to complete System for Award Management registration so that you can bid on government contracts, it’s also a tool that many federal agencies (and even state and local agencies) use to find contractors. In fact, sometimes government contractors will use SAM to find subcontractors, as well. SAM is an excellent recruitment tool, as well as a way for you to discover opportunities.

3. Many Agencies Are Hiring Now

Depending on the type of business you own or the services you provide, there are always government agencies that need your help. For instance, with the recent California wildfires as well as the many severe hurricanes in 2017, clean-up crews and construction companies are in high demand from agencies such as FEMA. Other agencies that often need contractors include the Department of Energy, the Navy Electronic Commerce, the Defense Logistics Agency and more. Once you’ve completed System for Award Management registration, you can head to websites such as FedBizOpps.gov to search for contracting opportunities worth $25,000 or more.

4. SAM Registration Takes Time

While the government does not charge for System for Award Management registration, we receive calls every day from people completely frustrated by the registration process. Many people actually get about 20% of the way through registration, become frustrated, and thus aren’t able to take advantage of many profitable job offers. It takes many hours, as many 15 hours in fact, to complete SAM registration, and you simply may find that you don’t really have extra time to devote to the registration process. Government contracting is profitable, and we can help. Rather than spending several of your valuable working days struggling with complicated government procedures, let the team at Federal Contractor Registry complete this task for you.

5. Gather Some Info & Give Us A Call

To get started, we need a few pieces of information. This includes providing us with your federal taxpayer identification number (which should appear on any of your previous tax forms) and your DUNS number. If you do not yet have a DUNS number, simply head to the Dunn & Bradstreet website and apply for one. It’s free, and a very quick process, taking just a few minutes to complete. It can take 24 to 48 hours, to receive this number, once you have applied. Once you have this information, either give us a call or fill out our quick contact form today and a representative will get in touch with you as soon as possible.

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Our government is like a big pot of alphabet soup, and if you are getting ready to bid on government contracts, you probably hear acronyms such as SAM, MPIN, CAGE, FBO and DUNS tossed around. It can be confusing to understand what these all mean and how they affect you as a government contractor, but we can help you break it all down in a few helpful steps.

1. It all begins with SAM
SAM stands for System for Award Management. This is essentially a huge database that includes all of the vendors that work with the federal government, as well as people who are seeking grants and those providing grants. If you are interested in government contracting, you need to complete SAM registration and then you can be listed in this database as a vendor. Before SAM, there were multiple databases where vendors registered, but SAM makes it easy for Federal agencies to find vendors in one centralized location.

2. For SAM, You Need DUNS (and EIN)
Ah, the complexity. We could just explain the facts about an MPIN number, but it makes more sense in context. All contractors must complete SAM registration, which is what Federal Contractor Registry can accomplish for you. However, before you register for SAM, you need to acquire a DUNS (Dun & Bradstreet Number). This is a unique 9-digit number that identifies your business’s physical location. If your business includes multiple physical locations, you will need a DUNS for each location. Applying for a DUNS is free and registration takes just a few minutes. Once you have this number, you can come to us for SAM registration. We also will need your business’s Employer Identification Number, which is known as an EIN, and it should be located on any tax return you have filed and it your bank also will have it on hand, as the EIN is required to open a business bank account.

3. After SAM, You Receive Your MPIN Number
MPIN stands for Marketing Partner ID Number. After you complete SAM registration, you receive this number, and this is the password you will use to log in to various government databases, such as FBO.gov. This website is part of the General Services Administration, and you can find many contractor jobs on this website from agencies such as the Department of Justice, the Department of the Navy, the Department of Transportation and so on.

4. MPIN & CAGE: Are they Similar?
Once you’ve completed SAM registration, you receive both a MPIN number and a CAGE code. While the MPIN is what you use to log in to various government websites, the CAGE code is the code that identifies your business. An official in any government agency can look up your business or you as an individual using this code.

It is important to note that your SAM registration needs to be renewed every year. We can help you with your initial SAM registration, which is a lengthy process, as well as helping with SAM renewals. After a renewal, your CAGE code and your MPIN number will not change. However, if your SAM registration has not been renewed, you will not be able to access government websites nor will you be able to bid on government contracts.

While the MPIN number, CAGE code, SAM registration and so on might seem complicated, we make it easy as possible for you to become a government contractor. The process of filling out SAM registration is complicated and very time-consuming, and many of our clients tell us that until they found our service, they had just about given up on the idea of government contracting. However, there are so many opportunities available, and once you deal with SAM registration, you can get started with the bidding process. Let us help you jump over the SAM hurdle and get started with government contracting.

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