Category: SAM Registration

Federal Contractor Jobs: Are They Right For You?

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Business owners often are encouraged to consider bidding on federal contractor jobs. While these can be beneficial and lucrative for many companies, they aren’t a perfect fit for every company. To determine if your company might be a good match with government contracting, we’ve created this handy guide.

1. Is There A Government Demand For Your Goods & Services?
When people think about federal contractor jobs, those lucrative defense contracts or large construction contracts might spring to mind or even natural disaster clean up jobs, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

There are hundreds of federal government agencies and offices (as well as state government agencies) that need goods and services and they look to the private sector to fulfill those needs. Agencies need everything from elevator repair to janitorial services to office supplies and much more.

Federal agencies often search for potential government contractors using NAICS codes. This stands for North American Industry Classification codes. They also may search using Product Service Codes, which are known simply as PSCs. The codes describe the types of goods and services a company might provide, and there are codes for virtually every business imaginable.

For instance, if you manufacture infants’ clothing, the corresponding NAICS code is 31524. If you produce brooms and mops, that code is 339994. If your company manufactures tortillas, that code is 31183. If your company provides human resources consulting services, that code is 541612. Literally, there is a code for just about everything.

Now, while there is a code for every type of business, that doesn’t mean that there is always a demand for those goods or services. We recommend that you head to Beta.SAM.gov and take a quick look at whether or not your codes seem to be in play.

Even if you don’t find anything, that doesn’t mean there’s never a need for your goods and services, but some types of companies will always be in need while others are less likely to strike a match. Getting back to that tortilla manufacturer, we ran that code in Beta.SAM.gov and found one match from the Department of Defense.

So, it’s worth taking a look before you pass on government contracting. While just one single opportunity might not be enough to entice you, it simply illustrates that there is a lot out there up for grabs.

Not only do you need to check and see if there are opportunities for your specific industry, but you also need to read over the job opportunities and ensure that your company could handle the requirements of the job. In some cases, you will be a perfect match, but in other cases, you might not have the production capabilities outlined in the contract.

2. Are You Prepared For SAM Registration?
If you want to bid on federal contractor jobs, your first step is to complete your SAM registration. This stands for the System for Award Management and it’s a huge database that lists all government contractors. Once you complete SAM registration and are approved as a contractor, you will receive a Commercial and Government Entities (CAGE) Code. This code is essential as all government agencies, federal and at state (or even county and local levels) will ask for this code.

SAM registration is the first hurdle in the race for government contract jobs and, unfortunately, it can be a pretty significant hurdle for many people to leap over, so to speak. The government does not charge a SAM registration fee, but many people often become so frustrated with the process that they give up and forget about government contracting.

At Federal Contractor Registry, we can leap over this step for you. We are a third-party SAM registration service, and we complete hundreds of SAM registrations every year for companies large and small. We do, of course, charge a fee for our services, but we can help you through the complicated SAM registration process, and once you have completed that, you are eligible to bid on contracts.

Here’s what we need to complete your SAM registration:
• Your DUNS number (If you don’t have one or aren’t sure about your number, go to www.DNB.com)
• Your Employer Identification Number (located on your business tax forms)
• Your company’s physical address (not a PO Box)
• Basic contact information (phone number, email address, etc.)
• Your business checking account number & bank routing number (this is the account government agencies will use to pay you)

If you know your NAICS codes and PSCs, give us those as well. If you don’t, then we can chat about your goods and services and we will determine those codes for you. While we are taking care of your SAM registration, you will need to send the government a notarized letter listing your Entity Administrator, which is simply the person authorized to make changes to your SAM account.

To learn more about this letter and grab a template, go to FSD.gov. At the top of the page, go to Top Help Topics, under that, you will see a section for SAM and a section entitled “Notarized Letter – Notarized Letter Requirement (Domestic).” This will lead you to a section with links to a template for this letter. Follow the instructions exactly and send in the letter as soon as possible.

3. Can You Devote Some Time To Government Contracting?
While SAM registration is crucial, it’s just one step. If you find that there seem to be many opportunities, you might want to devote an employee to handling government contracting tasks. This person can do everything from creating a Capability Statement (a kind of resume for government contractors) to researching the types of government contracts and how to bid or create proposals.

This can be complicated, but there are resources out there to help. If you qualify as a small business, the Small Business Administration can be a great place to start. To see if you qualify as a small business, you can go to https://www.sba.gov/size-standards. You will need to know your NAICS codes for this process, and we can help you find those during the SAM registration process if you wish.

If you do qualify as a small business, and many do, this creates even more opportunities. The government sets aside a portion of federal contracting dollars just for small businesses. Typically, jobs worth $150,000 or less all go to small businesses and sometimes larger contracts.

While the process for small businesses and government contracting might be a tad simpler than for large prime contractors, there is still a lot to learn about the process. It is not unusual for it to take 18 months to two years to earn your first government contract. Typically, once you earn that first contracting, it becomes easier to earn future contracts, but you need to know, going in, that you don’t just complete SAM registration, fill out a couple of applications and immediately get a contract.

It takes time to learn how to bid and it also takes time for many government agencies to even make decisions about who will earn these federal contractor jobs. The upside is that the government always pays its bills. It simply takes longer for them to pay. Also, even when economic conditions are unstable, the government still needs contractors even if you have fewer opportunities in the private sector.

Are Federal Contractor Jobs Worth The Effort?
If you find that your company provides goods and services that seem to be in demand by multiple government agencies and you have the time and resources to learn about government contracting, then we highly recommend that you complete SAM registration.

Federal contractor jobs can be highly lucrative and definitely can help you build up your business. Don’t forget to sign up with your state procurement office, as well, as state governments also need government contractors. In some cases, it can be easier to earn state contractor jobs and these can be just as lucrative.

Whether you want to bid on state or federal contractor jobs, your SAM registration must be completed and approved. If you want us to handle this arduous process, you can click on the green New Registration tab on our homepage or give us a call at (800) 985-7658. We can quickly and accurately complete your SAM registration (or SAM renewal) so that you are approved and ready to bid on contracts as soon as possible.

SAM.Gov Renewal: 7 Reasons To Renew Today

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We hear from many clients, especially those just getting started with government contracting that their first year did not yield any results. While this can be discouraging, and you may be thinking about not completing your SAM.gov renewal, we want to share a few reasons why it can be smart to renew.

1. It’s Not Uncommon To Have A Slow Start
In general, it takes most businesses about 18 months (or longer) to earn their first government contract. It takes time to learn the ropes of contracting and to find your niche. If you didn’t earn a contract during your first year, you are not alone.

Not only can it take time to find a government contract that matches your goods and services, but it can also take time for a procurement agent to select a vendor. Unlike the private sector where decisions are often made quickly, the government tends to take its time in many situations. Be patient, and eventually, you will earn that first contract. Once you have earned the first contract, the next contracts typically are easier to attain.

2. There Are Billions Of Dollars Available
The federal government spends billions of dollars every year on government contracts. They need a vast array of goods and services, so why shouldn’t you try and get your piece of the contracting pie? Perhaps this first year wasn’t a great success, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t contracts to earn.

Even when economic times are tough, the government will still need contractors to supply goods and services. Working as a government contractor can provide an excellent recession-proof stream of income. Private companies can go bankrupt, but you can usually rest assured that the government will pay their bills.

It is important to note that it can take time to receive a payment for services rendered, but you will get that paycheck even if it takes 60 days or more. Even if there is a government shutdown, many agencies already have budgets in place and still may be able to pay you. Most shutdowns only last a matter of days, so this really shouldn’t be a deterrent from government contracting.

3. Government Contracting Jobs Help You Diversify
If you are looking for ways to expand your business, the government is an excellent option. While it takes time to win that first contract, once you have secured a contract, it’s easier to obtain future contracts. Procurement agents will see that you already have a track record with government contracting and that gives you an edge.

The government will always need goods and services and diversifying into government contractor jobs can provide you with a steady income stream, particularly if you win a long-term contract. While you shouldn’t neglect private sector clients, we also recommend that you don’t lose faith in the idea of government contracting. It will always be there, even if trying times, so keep up with your SAM.gov renewals and keep trying to win those contracts.

4. There Are Tools To Help You Succeed
Have you signed up with the Small Business Administration? If you qualify as a small business, it can be easier to win some government contracting jobs. The government sets aside a portion of its yearly budget just for small businesses, and these set aside contracts can be easier to win than larger contracts.

Typically, if a contract is worth $100,000 or less, it is awarded to a smaller business. Few small businesses would not welcome a $100,000 contract or even $25,000 or less. In some cases, for smaller contracts, a government procurement agent can make decisions very quickly.

Additionally, sign up with your local Procurement Technical Assistance Center, or PTAC. These centers offer contracting guides as well as workshops and special training events for new government contractors. It’s free to sign up and while in-person events aren’t happening presently due to Covid-19, they are sure to continue again once it is safe.

5. You Can Contract With Your State
With an active SAM registration, you aren’t just eligible for federal government contracting jobs, you also can bid on government contract jobs at the state level. You can sign up with your state procurement agency as well as any other state if you wish. For instance, if your company easily can provide services in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York, you can sign up with all three state government agencies.

In some cases, it can be easier to win a state contract than a federal contract, as there often is a bit less competition. Just like the federal government, states also set aside some contracts for small businesses, so if you are small, state government contracting can be a great way to build your business.

State governments also host a variety of workshops and events for government contractors. These are usually low-cost events, and not only will you gather some knowledge, but you will also be able to network with representatives from many state government agencies. Again, these in-person events are not being held because of Covid-19, but once people can meet in person, we highly recommend that you take advantage of what your state government has to offer.

6. GSA Schedules Can Be A Lucrative Option
The General Services Administration is the agency that provides support for all other agencies. The GSA is the agency that is tasked with maintaining federal buildings, provide vehicles to federal agencies and handling many procurement tasks.

GSA Schedules are basically contracts for specific goods or services. For instance, all government agencies need copier paper. A GSA schedule could be created for this supply, and specific paper companies will be chosen to provide paper to any government agency that needs it. Once you are approved for a GSA contract, an agency can contact you and purchase paper.

Of course, you won’t be the only company that will have been approved for this GSA schedule, but it does reduce the playing field a bit and the sales process is faster and easier than bidding on a government contract. You can sell to any government agency and, in some cases, even sell to state or local government agencies.

For more information about GSA schedules, you can go to https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/events-and-training/gsa-training-programs/training-for-vendors/how-to-get-on-schedule. This page, in general, will lead you to many resources for government contractors, so we highly recommend that you take a look.

7. We Can Help!
We know how difficult it can be to complete SAM registration. Renewal can be nearly as frustrating, so it’s little wonder that people dread the process. While you could handle your renewal on your own, it’s easier to simply hire a third-party registration service to hand your SAM.gov renewal. We can complete the process quickly and you will continue to be eligible to bid on government contracts. If you haven’t signed up with SAM, we can help with your initial SAM registration, as well.

If you are dreading the SAM.gov renewal process, give us a call at (800) 985-7658 or click on the blue Renew Registration tab on our homepage. If you do wish to renew, we highly recommend that you contact us several weeks in advance or even months before your renewal date. If you are bidding on contracts but have an expiration date coming up in just a few weeks, procurement agents will be less likely to select your company. So, contact us and get the renewal process started today!

SAM Registration Requirements: 5 Tasks You Must Complete

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In theory, if you want to bid on government contracting jobs, all you need to do is sign up with the System for Award Management (SAM). While we can help you with SAM registration, there are a few other tasks you need to handle to make it easier to find, bid on and win government contracts.

How Federal Contractor Registry Can Help
The government does not charge a fee for SAM registration, but the registration process is time-consuming (10+ hours) and complicated. Many potential contractors become frustrated with the process and give up on the idea of government contracting and that’s a shame because there are many lucrative contracts out there for just about any type of business.

Rather than try and navigate your way through the SAM registration process, you can simply hire Federal Contractor Registry to complete the application for you. We are a third-party registration service, and while we do charge a fee, we can complete your application quickly and accurately, so that you are approved and able to bid on contracts as soon as possible.

While we can handle all aspects of SAM registration, there are a few tasks that you will need to complete on your own, including the following:

1. Provide Us With The Required Information
In order to complete your SAM registration, you will need to provide us with the legal business name of your company as well as the physical address of the business, a PO Box will not suffice. Of course, we also will need a contact phone number and email address so that government procurement agents can contact you.

You also need to give us your DUNS number. This stands for Data Universal Numbering System. If you do not have a number or do not know your number, go to www.dnb.com. If you have a number already, you can look it up, and if you don’t, you can sign up and receive one at no cost. We also will need your Employer Identification Number, or EIN, which is listed on your federal tax forms.

We also will need to know a little bit about your business. For instance, we need to know how many employees you have and your gross annual receipts. We also need to know about the goods and services you provide so that we can determine your Product Service Codes (PSCs) and North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes.

Additionally, we will need your business bank account number and the routing number for your bank. This information is crucial because this is the account that federal agencies will deposit money into if you win and complete government contract jobs.

2. Send In Your Notarized Letter
The SAM notarized letter requirement is a fairly new development in the world of government contracting. In order to register with SAM, you need to send in a notarized letter that lists your Entity Administrator. This is simply the person that is allowed to make any changes in your SAM account. It might be the business owner or perhaps a trusted employee that will be handling your government contracting.

To obtain a template for this letter, go to FSD.gov. At the top of the page, you will see a tab that says, “Top Help Topics.” Under this tab, there is a section for SAM and the first topic is called “Tips for Notarized Letter.” If you select this option, you will be led to a question about the letter and under the answer, there is a link to the templates. We recommend that you copy the template exactly and follow the instructions carefully so that your letter will be approved and filed quickly.

In the past, you had to have this letter approved by the FSD (Federal Service Desk) before your SAM registration was approved. This is no longer the case, but you do have to send this letter in and have it approved in order to keep your SAM registration active.

3. Sign Up With The SBA, If Applicable
If you qualify as a small business, this can make it easier to win government contracts. In most cases, contracts valued at about $150,000 or less are set aside for small businesses. It might surprise you to learn how big a business actually can be and still qualify as a small business. In some cases, companies with hundreds of employees still qualify.

To check and see if you qualify, head to https://www.sba.gov/size-standards and use the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) size standards tool. You will need to know your NAICS codes, and you can either look them up at https://www.census.gov/eos/www/naics/ or we can determine these codes for you as we handle your SAM registration.

If you do qualify, you may qualify as more than just a general small business. There are many special categories, known as set asides, for which you may also be eligible. For instance, if the business is majority-owned by a woman or a veteran, these are two types of set asides.

You may also qualify for the 8(a) certification benefits. The 8(a) program was designed for small businesses that are majority-owned by a person who is part of a group that has been economically or socially disadvantaged. This might be because of race or ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, physical handicap or other reasons.

Furthermore, if your business is located in a HUBZone, you may qualify for HUBZone set asides. This is an area that has been historically underutilized. It might be located in an inner-city or perhaps a rural area or on Native American lands. Sometimes areas damaged by natural disasters qualify as HUBZones as the government tries to bolster the economy in these areas. To check and see if your business is located in a HUBZone, go to https://maps.certify.sba.gov/hubzone/map#center=39.828200,-98.579500&zoom=5.

4. Create A Capability Statement
We tell people all the time that it’s important to craft a top-quality capability statement. This is a one-page (usually) document that basically acts just like a resume. Instead of representing a single person, the capability statement represents your business.

The capability statement will include contact information as well as general statistics about your company, including your NAICS codes, your DUNS, your PSCs and more. You also will have a section entitled Core Capabilities, which lists what goods and services you can provide to government agencies.

There will be a section entitled Past Performances, and this is a list of your previous clients. Another section, entitled Differentiators, is a section where you explain what sets your company apart from other companies. There are many examples of capability statements available on the internet, and while we work on your SAM registration, you can work on building this special type of government resume.

5. Educate Yourself About Bidding & Contracts
While SAM registration is complicated, it’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to government contracting. We highly recommend that you spend some time learning about the different types of bids and the different types of contracts.

You could start by simply taking a look at what types of contracts currently are available for your goods or services. Do a quick check at Beta.SAM.gov. This is a database that lists all government contracts. You can search by agency or by date, but it’s often easiest to search using your NAICS codes or PSCs, which, again, we can figure out for you if you use our service for SAM registration.

In addition to looking at federal contracting jobs, every state has its own procurement system, and we highly recommend that you sign up with your state’s procurement database. You will need to complete SAM registration for state government work as state governments do ask for your CAGE Code when you register. The types of contracts and bids at the state level are similar to the federal government’s, so any knowledge you gain about contracting can help you win state or federal contracts.

Once you see the types of bids or contracts that meet your company’s goods and services, start researching how to bid. Some companies offer training courses, but state governments often can provide you with helpful materials and webinars to further your education. The SBA also has some helpful information for small businesses wishing to dive into government contracting.

Get Started With Government Contracting
If you would like to get started, simply head to our homepage and click on the green New Registration tab and fill out our quick contact form. A SAM registration specialist will be in contact with you as soon as possible to gather your information and get started on your SAM registration.

Government Contractor Jobs For Small Businesses

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If you are a small business owner, you are always looking for ways to expand your company. Government contract jobs can be an excellent option to consider, but many people simply don’t know how to get started with contracting and we can help.

Get Started With SAM Registration
The first step that any potential government contractor must take is to complete their System for Award Management (SAM) registration. SAM is a huge database that lists all government contractors.

After you register with SAM and are approved, you will receive what is known as a Corporate and Government Entities (CAGE) Code. Until you have your CAGE Code, you cannot do business with the federal government or any state government agency, as these agencies also require you to have a CAGE Code.

The government does not charge a fee to register with SAM, but the registration process is complicated and confusing. It can take more than 10 hours to wade through the government-speak and complete the process. This is why many companies hire us, a third-party registration service, to complete their SAM registration.

We do charge a fee, just as an accountant charges a fee to do your taxes, but we handle hundreds of SAM registrations each year and can quickly and accurately complete your registration so that you are ready to start bidding on contracting jobs.

Of course, while SAM registration is complicated, it’s not the only complicated part of becoming a government contractor. Learning the ropes can be tough, but the following information can give you a leg up over other businesses.

The SBA & Government Contracting
The Small Business Administration was created to help small businesses grow and succeed. The SBA can help you with start-up loans, helpful business advice and government contractor jobs.

The government pays contractors billions of dollars every year, and a portion of all contracting dollars are set aside specifically for small businesses. These contracts are known as “set asides” and there are several different types.

Woman-Owned Small Business Set Asides – As the name suggests, these are government contractor jobs set aside for businesses owned 51% or more by a woman or women.

Veteran-Owned Small Business Set Asides – There are two set aside categories here. One for general veteran-owned businesses and one for service-disabled veteran-owned businesses. In both cases at least 51% of the ownership must belong to a veteran or service-disabled veteran.

8 (a) Business Development Set Asides – The 8 (a) Business Development Program was set up to support many different types of “disadvantaged” small businesses. In order to be considered for this program, you must own a small business and fit the following criteria:
• The business must be at least 51% owned and controlled by U.S. citizens who are economically and socially disadvantaged.
• The business must be owned by someone whose personal net worth is $750,000 or less
• The business must be owned by someone whose average adjusted gross income for three years is $350,000.
• The business must be owned by someone with $6 million or less in assets
• The owner must manage day-to-day operations and also make long-term decisions
• The company principals must demonstrate good character
• The company must show potential for success and be able to perform successfully on contracts

While some of these qualifications are straightforward, let’s take a look at some of the more ambiguous requirements. For instance, if you want to bid on 8(a) contracts, you must be majority-owned by a citizen that is economically or socially disadvantaged. But what does this mean?

According to the federal government, economically or socially disadvantaged refers to individuals “who have been subjected to racial or ethnic prejudice or cultural bias within American society because of their identities as members of groups and without regard to their individual qualities. The social disadvantage must stem from circumstances beyond their control.”

This includes people from many races and ethnic origins, but also can refer to gender, sexual orientation or a physical disability. Basically, if you can prove that you are part of group or groups that has faced prejudice or bias based upon something about which you had no control, you should qualify.

HUBZone Set Asides – Sometimes your business location qualifies you for a set aside. If your company headquarters are located in an Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone), you may qualify for this set aside.

There are HUBZones in all 50 states as well as U.S. territories. For instance, if a business is located on a Native American reservation, these are considered HUBZones. Many inner-city neighborhoods qualify for HUBZone benefits as well as some rural areas.

In some cases, an area might be temporarily designated as a HUBZone. For instance, if a natural disaster such as a tornado or hurricane or fire destroys a town or business district, this might be tagged as a HUBZone because the government will be trying to improve the economy in this area. To see if your business is located in a HUBZone and meets HUBZone requirements, go to https://maps.certify.sba.gov/hubzone/map#center=39.828200,-98.579500&zoom=5.

Even if you don’t fit the criteria for these set asides, you can still register with the SBA as a general small business so it’s smart for any small business owner to sign up with the SBA. Anytime a government agency has a contract that is worth $150,000 or less, these almost always are awarded to small businesses. While a big company might not think much about a $150,000 contracting job, this could be a huge win for a small business.

Finding Government Contractor Jobs
Once you’ve registered with SAM and the SBA, there are several ways to find contracts. You can go to Beta.SAM.gov and search all contracting opportunities or you can go to the SBA’s Dynamic Small Business Search at https://web.sba.gov/pro-net/search/dsp_dsbs.cfm.

With the SBA’s search, you can search for government contract jobs by state or zip code, and also by set asides. If you don’t qualify for any set asides, you can search for jobs using your North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Codes. These codes describe the specific goods and services you provide, and we can help determine your codes as we complete your SAM registration. In the SBA search, you can search using a single criterion or use several criteria to really narrow down the search to options that suit your business.

Don’t forget to sign up with your state government’s procurement system, as well. State governments also set aside some government contract jobs for small businesses, and these can be just as lucrative as federal contracting jobs. To find your state’s procurement website, do an internet search with your state name and the word “procurement.” Look for a website with the .gov extension and you will have found your state’s procurement agency.

Learn All You Can About Government Contracting
There are many different types of government contracts and there are also different bidding processes. Learning about these is crucial if you want to be successful at contracting. The SBA offers many helpful guides and articles about contracting, and you can start there, but you also can sign up with your local Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC). There are a few private companies that offer courses about government contracting, which might helpful.

Get Started Now
Government contractor jobs can be a lucrative option for many companies, and if you want to get started bidding on government contract jobs, we can complete your SAM registration quickly and accurately. Once you are approved, you will be eligible to bid on contracts. You can contact us by phone at (800) 985-7658 or by clicking on the green New Registration tab on our homepage.

Understanding 8a Certification Benefits

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If you are interested in government contracting and qualify as a small business, you may be eligible for 8a certification through the Small Business Administration (SBA). This is a business development program exclusively for small, disadvantaged businesses, and there are many 8a certification benefits.

Start Your 8a Registration

Is Your Business A “Small” Business?
If you want to enjoy 8a certification benefits, the first step is to ensure that you are considered, by the U.S. government, to be a small business. Many businesses with hundreds of employees qualify as well as those small Mom & Pop shops with just a handful of employees.

To check and see if you are a small business, head to https://www.sba.gov/size-standards/. This is the SBA’s Size Standards Tool. It will ask you several questions, and you must be able to fill in your NAICS codes. This stands for North American Industry Classification System. These codes describe the goods or services that your business provides to clients. To find your codes, go to Census.gov and you’ll find a downloadable guide that lists all the NAICS codes.

However, we also can help you discover which NAICS codes are the best fit for your business as well as your Product Service Codes, which are similar and used by government agencies to search for contractors that match their needs. But we’ll explain our services further down in this blog.

Do You Qualify For 8a Certification?
Once you determine that your company qualifies as a small business, you will need to see if you meet the other 8a qualifications. On its website, the SBA list the following items in its eligibility checklist.

• The business must be at least 51% owned and controlled by U.S. citizens who are economically and socially disadvantaged
• The business must be owned by someone with a personal net worth of $750,000 or less
• The business must be owned by someone whose average adjusted gross income for three years is $350,000 or less
• The business must be owned by someone with $6 million or less in assets
• The owner must manage day-to-day operations and make long-term decisions for the company
• The company principals must demonstrate good character
• The company must show potential for success and be able to perform successfully on contracts

While the first five are fairly straightforward, the last two are somewhat ambiguous. When the government says that a company’s principals need to demonstrate good character, they aren’t following you around to ensure that you don’t litter or jaywalk, this refers to your business dealings. Do the principals have liens against them? Have they been convicted of fraud?

The government wants to ensure that your company and its officers are in good standing and do not engage in unsavory business practices or illegal practices. This is a concern that government agencies have with companies of all sizes, and not just small businesses. After all, government contracts are paid using taxpayer dollars, so if your company principals aren’t trustworthy then taxpayer money might be wasted or misspent.

The last point, about showing potential, basically means that you need to be able to show that you have some past performances that speak to your abilities. Past performances, in government terms, are simply former clients who might be able to attest that your services or goods were high quality and that you are a dependable vendor.

What Are The 8a Certification Benefits?
By now you are probably wondering if signing up is worth the effort, but we urge anyone that qualifies to attain 8a certification. Benefits include having a Business Opportunity Specialist assigned to your company to help with government contracting and you can receive management and technical assistance. This could include training, executive development, marketing assistance and more.

While those are helpful, from our perspective, the best 8a certification benefit is that you enjoy is that you can compete for set-aside and sole-source contracts. This gives you an important edge in the world of government contracting jobs.

Every government agency is supposed to “set aside” a portion of its yearly contracting budget just for small businesses. There are several types of set asides, as they are known. For instance, if your business is owned 51% or more by a woman, you might qualify for the Woman-Owned Small Business set aside and there are several others, as well.

When you are bidding on set-aside contracts, these might be competitive bids where you are bidding against other small businesses or you might be able to acquire a sole-source contract. This is a contract that is awarded without a competitive bidding process. This might be because the items needed are available from just one source or it might be because the agency doesn’t have time to deal with a competitive bidding situation, such as in the case of a natural disaster or other emergencies.

How Can I Sign Up For 8a Certification Benefits?
There are two steps to this process, and the team at Federal Contractor Registry can help with the first step. The initial step is to complete your System for Award Management registration (SAM registration) and get approved by the government as a government contractor.

Once you are approved, you can to Certify.SBA.gov. After you have signed up with SBA, you will need to go into your SAM account and update your business profile to showcase that you are 8a certified. If you aren’t sure how to do this, just give us a call and we can help.

The only catch is that SAM registration can be extremely difficult to complete. It can 10-15 hours to finish the application, and many people become frustrated with the whole process and give up on government contracting. Rather than forgo those lucrative government contractor jobs, you can hire a third-party registration service to complete the process for you, such as Federal Contract Registry.

At Federal Contractor Registry, we handle hundreds of SAM registrations and SAM renewals for businesses of all sizes. While we do charge for our services, we can handle the whole process very quickly, so that you can be approved and bidding on contracts as soon as possible.

If you are unsure how to complete SAM registration or you’ve started the process and become frustrated or confused, give us a call or click on the New Registration tab on our homepage. In addition to completing your SAM registration, we can help you determine if you qualify as a small business and for any 8a certification benefits.

SAM Registration Guide: Become A Government Contractor

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The federal government includes hundreds of departments, agencies and offices and most of these entities need goods and services from the private sector. In order to work with the federal government, you will need to complete your System for Award Management registration, a complicated process, which is why we’ve created this SAM registration guide.

What is the System for Award Management?
The System for Award Management, usually just called SAM, is the huge database that contains all government contractors as well as those wanting to apply for federal grants. To do business with any government agency, including FEMA, the Department of Defense, etc. you must have completed SAM registration.

How Much Does SAM Registration Cost?
The government does not charge a fee for SAM registration. At Federal Contractor Registry, we are a third-party SAM registration service. You might wonder why someone would pay a third party to register them into the SAM database. While SAM registration is free, the truth is it’s extremely complicated and frustrating. Many of our clients are business owners that started to complete their SAM application, got frustrated or fed up and simply called us instead.

It can take 10-15 hours to complete the SAM application. The application is filled with puzzling government-speak, and if you’ve never dealt with government agencies, you can become quickly confused by the questions and acronyms.

This is why it can make sense to hire a SAM expert just as you would hire someone to complete your taxes. The government does charge you a fee to file your taxes, but they also don’t make the tax code easy to understand, which is why many people hire an accountant.

Additionally, it’s easy to make mistakes on a SAM application, and this can delay the approval process. Using our service or another third-party registration service ensures that your application is completed correctly on the first attempt, and you will be eligible to bid on government contracts sooner.

What We Need From You
Before we can complete your SAM registration, we will need some information about you or your company, including the following:
• The legal name of your business
• The physical address of the business
• A contact phone number
• The names of your company officers
• Your DUNS number (Not sure? Go to www.DNB.com)
• Your checking account number
• Your bank routing number
• A description of your goods or services
• The number of full-time & part-time employees
• Your company’s Tax Identification Number or Employer Identification Number

Once we have this information, we can get started on your SAM registration. When it comes to the bank check account number and routing number, these are required for SAM registration, because this is the account where a government agency will deposit any money owed to you.

How Do I Find Government Contracts?
No SAM registration guide would be complete without some information about what happens after your application is approved. Once you are eligible to bid on contracts, you can find government contracting jobs at Beta.SAM.gov and, if you qualify as a small business, at https://web.sba.gov/pro-net/search/dsp_dsbs.cfm.

The latter website is run by the Small Business Administration (SBA). If you qualify as a small business, there are federal contractor jobs set aside exclusively for small businesses. Once you are approved with SAM, you should register your small business at SBA.gov and determine if you qualify for any of the special “set asides” defined by the SBA.

Set asides are categories of small businesses, such as a woman-owned small business, a service-disable veteran-owned small business or perhaps a business located in a HUBZone. A HUBZone is a historically underutilized area, such as an economically disadvantaged neighborhood in a city. The idea is that the government can improve the economy in these zones by supporting small business owners.

Don’t Forget About State Government Contracting Jobs
Once you are approved with SAM, you will receive what is known as a CAGE code, this is your unique identifier in the SAM database. While you need this CAGE code to do business with the federal government, you also need this to do business with state government agencies, as well.

Contracting with your state government or county governments can be very lucrative, and sometimes it’s easier to get started with state government contracting than with the contracting at the federal level. To find your government procurement website, simply do an internet search with your state name and the word “procurement.” Look for the result with the .gov extension at the end and click on that link to sign up and learn more about opportunities in your state.

Do Subcontractors Need To Register With SAM?
Yes, subcontractors must have an active SAM registration to work with a prime contractor or any government agency. Subcontracting can be a great way to get started with government contracting. Prime contractors (companies with large government contractors) often are required to with subcontractors (small businesses) in order to win those huge government contracts.

Working with a prime contractor can be a great way to get your feet wet in the contracting game, as the prime contractor will handle much of the back and forth with government procurement agents, but you will still learn a bunch about government contracting and how it all works.

5 Steps Every New Government Contractor Should Take
1. Create A Capability Statement – This is basically a resume for government contractors, although it does look different than the resumes people hand into hiring managers. This document should have several sections including a section detailing general information about your company as well as your Core Competencies, Differentiators and Past Performance.

2. Join Your Local PTAC – The Association of Procurement Technical Assistance Centers can be a great resource for those new to government contracting. Go to APTAC-US.org to find your local Procurement Technical Assistance Center or PTAC.

3. Find Your Niche – Do a search for government contracting jobs at Beta.SAM.gov using your Product Service Codes or North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes to see what types of contracting jobs are available that match your goods and services. If you don’t know your codes, we can help with this during the SAM registration process. This can help you identify which government agencies might be the best fit for you in terms of contracting.

4. Learn About The Bidding Process – There are many different types of bids, and it’s smart to learn all you can about each one before you start bidding on contracts. Sometimes your local PTAC or SBA will offer webinars and sometimes state procurement agencies offer webinars to help. Also, check out this workbook from SBA.gov at https://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/2018-02/proposals_workbook.pdf.

5. Study The Types Of Government Contracts – There are several different types of government contracts and the more you know about the different types, the more successful you will be in finding contracts that fit your business. You also can check out our article “A Look at 5 Types of Government Contracts” to learn some general information about this topic.

This general SAM registration guide can help you learn the basics of government contracting. It does take time to learn and understand government procurement, but, in the end, it can provide you with an excellent source of revenue. The government will always need goods and services, and just about any business can find lucrative contracts.

If, after reading this SAM registration guide, you are ready to get started with government contracting, give us a call at (800) 985-7658 or click on the green New Registration tab on our homepage, and we will get to work on your SAM registration so you can start bidding on government contracts.

Types of FEMA Disaster Jobs

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The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) constantly needs goods and services from government contractors. While you might associate FEMA disaster jobs with tasks such as cleanup services, there are many other profitable opportunities available and it’s not just about cleanup.

Your First Step: SAM Registration
Before you can bid on any FEMA disaster jobs or any government contracting jobs, you will need to complete SAM (System for Award Management) registration. SAM is a database with all government contracts, and once you complete the registration process and are approved, you will be given a Corporate and Government Entities (CAGE) Code.

Once you have an active SAM registration and a CAGE Code, you are free to bid on government contracts, including FEMA contractor jobs. Keep in mind, FEMA needs goods and services throughout the year, and not just when a disaster occurs. For instance, with the recent pandemic, they’ve need supplies and services throughout the year. But they also need basic items, such as office supplies, throughout the year.

SAM registration can be an arduous process and take can take 10 hours or more to complete. As a third-party SAM registration service, we receive calls all of the time from people frustrated with the process, ready to give up on government contracting. However, rather than forget about government contracting jobs, just hire us to complete the process.

We handle hundreds of SAM registrations and renewals each year, and we can complete your registration and have you approved and ready to bid on contracting jobs as quickly as possible. While you can register for SAM yourself at no charge, using our services is a bit like using an accountant to handle your taxes. You could file taxes yourself, but the tax code is complicated, and if you make mistakes, there are penalties so sometimes it’s easier to allow a pro to handle these types of tasks.

How To Find FEMA Disaster Jobs
One way to find FEMA jobs, as well as other federal contracting jobs, is to head to Beta.SAM.gov, which is run by the Federal Service Desk, the same organization that manages SAM.

At this website, you can search for jobs by agency. About halfway down the page, you will see a section for Federal Organizations. For FEMA, you would need to type out the full name – Federal Emergency Management Agency or type in the number 7022, which is the number designated for FEMA.

On a recent search for FEMA contractor jobs, we noticed that there were more than 20 pages of job listings. So, rather than scroll through 20-plus pages looking for jobs that suit your goods or services, it can be better to also add in your North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Codes or your Product Service Codes (PSCs). If you don’t already know your codes, we can find them for your during the SAM registration process.

If you don’t see anything listed, we recommend that you clear FEMA from your search and just do a general search for all agencies using your PSCs or NAICS codes. There may be other agencies that need your goods or services.

Types Of FEMA Jobs
After a disaster has struck, FEMA can help out in a number of ways. They can help provide emergency shelters, food and water for victims. They also can help support medical personnel, such as during our current pandemic. So, if your businesses can provide items such as protective gear, hazardous waste cleanup, medical test kits or something else needed to help fight Covid-19, you might be able to win a government contract.

During a quick, recent search we discovered a few of the following opportunities available via FEMA:
• Power Generators
• Generator Maintenance & Repair
• Janitorial Services
• File Cabinets & Safes
• Satellite Phones
• Copier Services
• Protective Equipment

These are just a few of the FEMA contracting jobs that have been offered recently. Keep in mind, that the dates to apply or bid on some of these jobs has passed, but it gives a general idea of the wide scope of opportunities available throughout the year. Food services and medical supplies are other items commonly needed by FEMA.

During a disaster, state and county governments also will need government contractors to help. It’s a good idea to sign up with your state’s procurement agency, as well as with SAM, so that you can take advantage of any natural disaster cleanup jobs at all levels of government. FEMA isn’t always called in to help with every emergency situation, so you should expand your contracting goals beyond this single agency.

In general, FEMA disaster jobs can be quite lucrative, and if you want to get started working with FEMA or any agency, contact us at any time and we will handle your SAM registration. You can contact us by phone at (800) 985-7658 or click on the green New Registration tab on our homepage and fill out our quick contact form.

Facts About Federal Award Management: Registration & Renewal

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When you are just getting started with government contracting, it can be easy to become confused about the process and the requirements. You might hear terms such as CCR, ORCA, CAGE Code, federal award management registration, SAM registration and more. But what does it all mean? Here are a few facts to help you get started.

1. SAM Registration Is Required
SAM stands for System for Award Management, and this is the huge database that contains information about every government contractor. In the past, there were different databases, such as CCR (Central Contractor Registration) and ORCA (Online Representations and Certifications Application). You will still hear the acronyms CCR and ORCA used occasionally, but these are obsolete, all you need to worry about is SAM registration.

At Federal Contractor Registry, we provide SAM registration and SAM renewal services. SAM registration can be a difficult and frustrating process, and while the government does not charge a fee to register with SAM, it can make sense to just hire someone else (such as our service) to complete the process. SAM registration can take 10 or more hours to complete and it’s full of complicated government jargon.

Once we’ve completed your SAM registration, it will take a few weeks (usually) for your registration to be approved by the Federal Service Desk, which is the agency that manages SAM. Once approved you will be given a unique identifier known as a Corporate and Government Entities Code, or CAGE Code.

2. SAM Renewal Also Is Required
Your SAM registration will expire one year from the date that your initial application was approved. We can provide you with SAM renewal services, but whether you hire us or do it yourself, it’s crucial that you start the process several months before your SAM registration is set to expire.

Every government agency has employees known as procurement agents, and these individuals are the ones that you will deal with when trying to acquire a government contract. If you bid on a contract, but the procurement agent sees that your SAM registration is set to expire in a few months, they might be wary about selecting your company for the contract.

This is because government agencies can only work with companies or individuals with active SAM registration. If your registration expires in the middle of a job, technically, they cannot work with you anymore. While the renewal approval process usually is fairly fast, it’s best not to wait until the last minute. In some cases, it can take weeks for the government to approve your SAM renewal, so it’s always smart to renew two or three months ahead of that expiration date.

3. Sign Up With The SBA & Determine Your Set Asides
The Small Business Administration, or SBA, was created to support small businesses throughout the United States and its territories. They can provide you with business loans and helpful advice, but that’s not the only reason to sign up with SBA.

Every government agency sets aside a portion of its contracting budget for small businesses. For instance, just about any contract valued at $150,000 or less automatically is set aside for small businesses, but larger contracts also can be set aside for small businesses. Additionally, prime contractors, or large businesses that win large government contracts, often are required to use small businesses as subcontractors.

Subcontracting can be a great way to get started with government contractor jobs, as the prime contractor will kind of act as a guide throughout the whole process. You’ll learn a great deal about contracting but still have someone else doing the heavy lifting, so to speak.

At any rate, when you sign up with SBA, you also can determine if you qualify for any special “Set Asides.” For instance, if your business is located in a HUBZone, or historically underutilized zone, you might qualify for the HUBZone set aside. There are also set asides for women-owned small businesses, veteran-owned businesses and more.

If you qualify for a set aside, it can be much easier to earn government contracts. For instance, according to SBA, the federal government hopes “to award at least five percent of all federal contracting dollars to women-owned small businesses each year.” Thus, if 51% or more of your small company is women-owned, you qualify for this set aside.

4. There Are Several Ways To Find Contracts
If you own a small business, you can find many contracting opportunities at https://web.sba.gov/pro-net/search/dsp_dsbs.cfm. This database is run by the SBA and includes only contracts designated for small businesses.

You also can head to Beta.SAM.gov, which lists all government contracting jobs, for all types of businesses. There are several ways to search for contracts, such as searching by keyword or by government agency. We find that the easiest way to find contracts is to search using your North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes or your Product Service Codes (PSCs). We can determine which codes apply to your business when we handle your SAM registration.

When you search using your NAICS codes or PSCs, you generate results specific to the types of goods or services you can provide to a government agency. There are NAICS codes for any business imaginable, and if you don’t see any contracts for your specific type of business, keep checking back as new jobs are loaded up often.

Additionally, once you complete SAM registration and get your CAGE Code, you also can sign up with state and county governments to provide goods and services. In the past, state governments also host many events for government contractors where you can learn more about contracting and meet with procurement agents. Obviously, with the current pandemic, in-person events aren’t an option, but there still may be helpful webinars taking place, so be sure to sign up with your state’s procurement system.

We hope this provides you with some basic information about federal award management registration and government contracting in general. If you would like to get started with the process and your SAM registration, contact us at any time, and one of our government contracting specialists will be in touch as soon as possible.

5 Fast Facts About Government Contracting Jobs

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Government contracting can be an ideal way to grow your business. Every government agency (and there are hundreds) needs goods and services, and they look to the private sector to fulfill these needs. While it takes some time to learn how to bid on and acquire government contracting jobs, it’s usually worth the effort as this can provide you with a recession-proof stream of revenue. Here are some quick facts about contracting and how to get started.

1. Small Businesses Have An Edge
The government spends billions each year on government contracts, and some of these contracts are set aside specifically for small businesses. A company can qualify in general as a small business or it might fit into additional categories, known as Set Asides.

There are Set Asides for woman-owned small businesses, veteran-owned small businesses and several other categories. In general, if your business is located in an underutilized area or you belong to a group that historically has been the target of discrimination, your small business probably qualifies for some type of Set Aside.

When you think about small businesses, you might think of a company with just a handful of employees, but many larger businesses still qualify as a small business. To see if your business qualifies, either as a general small business or for a specific Set Aside, head to the Small Business Administration website at SBA.gov.

2. The Federal Government Isn’t Your Only Option
Every state government and many county and city governments also offer government contracting jobs. Once you’ve completed your System for Award Management (SAM) registration, you will be eligible to bid on all levels of government contractor jobs.

SAM is a centralized database that includes all government contractors. Once you complete the lengthy SAM registration process and are approved by the Federal Service Desk, which oversees SAM, you with be issued what is known as a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code. Once you have your CAGE code you can sign up with your state government and work as a contractor for them, as well.

3. There Is Something For Every Type Of Business
No matter what type of business you might own, there are probably at least a few government contracting jobs available. For instance, perhaps you own a farm that produces chickens or eggs. A quick search at beta.SAM.gov (the website where you can find federal contracting opportunities), we recently found several contracting jobs put forth by the Department of Justice to help feed workers and prisons in the federal Bureau of Prisons.

As another example, if you own a company that manufactures printer’s ink, multiple agencies have sought this and related goods, such as the Bureau of Printing and Engraving, the General Services Administration and the Department of Defense. Of course, the government also needs all types of repairs services, as well as medical supplies and supplies to help with disaster relief.

We recommend, before you dive into contracting, to use your North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes and head to beta.SAM.gov, enter your codes and see what is available. You can find your codes at https://www.census.gov/eos/www/naics/. These codes describe the specific goods and services that a company can provide.

4. There Are Several Types Of Government Contracts
Federal government contracts often are classified by the negotiated price or the way the payment will be made. For instance, some contracts are Fixed-Price Contracts. With this type of contract, a government agency asks for specific goods or services and sets the price they will pay.

Another type of contract is known as a Time & Materials Contract. For these, the government agency will calculate the cost of materials and calculate a per-hour labor rate that they are willing to pay. These types of contracts tend to be short-term contracts. For instance, FEMA might offer a Time & Materials Contract for supplies or cleanup services needed after a disaster.

The government also offers what are known as Incentive Contracts. These are contracts where the contractor will earn an incentive or award if they can complete a project before the agreed-upon end time. For instance, if you are helping to repair the bridge over an interstate highway, the government understands that these repairs can cause traffic delays and issues for motorists. So, they will provide a financial incentive to the contractor in the hopes that the project can be completed as quickly as possible.

These are just a few types of government contracts, to learn more check out our lengthier blog article about this subject here.

5. Agencies Use Several Methods To Find Government Contractors
When you go to Beta.SAM.gov and look at some of the contracts being offered, you will notice abbreviations such as RFI or RFP, etc. These are terms that are used to categorize the different procurement methods used by government agencies.

For instance, if a contracting opportunity is listed as an RFQ or Request for Quotation, this means that the procurement officer for that agency has specific needs and a set budget. It also indicates that the agency is ready to buy once a contractor is chosen and that only contractors that can meet the budget or price will be selected. Typically, this type of contracting job is $25,000 or less in value and often awarded quickly.

An RFT or Request for Tender is similar, but the procurement officer won’t just look at companies that can meet the budget, they will have a bit more flexibility and can look at qualitative aspects as well as pricing.

On the other hand, if an agency puts out an RFI or Request for Information, this means the procurement agents are not ready to buy but is seeking information about the types of goods and services it can acquire and how much those goods and services might cost. In some cases, an RFI does not materialize into a government contract.

Additionally, you will see terms such as RFP, which means Request for Proposal. With this type of request, the government is sort of somewhere in between an RFI and an RFQ. They can look at many factors before choosing a contractor, and they might not be quite sure the best way to meet their agency’s needs. These types of requests are typically for services, rather than goods.

These are just a few types of bids or requests that you’ll need to research. Learning all you can about the types of contracts and types of requests can make it much easier for you to earn federal contractor jobs. Of course, until you complete your SAM registration, you won’t be able to bid on any contracts so if you want to get started with government contracting, we recommend that you take that first step as soon as possible.

Get Started Now – Fast SAM Registration
At Federal Contractor Registry, we can tackle one of the biggest obstacles between you and government contracting jobs. We are a third-party SAM registration service, and we can complete your SAM registration quickly and accurately so that you can get the CAGE Code and start doing business with the government.

While the government does not charge you to sign up with SAM, we do charge a fee for our services. Why? SAM registration is extremely complicated and can take 10 or more hours to complete. We often get calls from people who started the process, quickly became confused and frustrated and nearly gave up on government contracting.

Rather than deal with the complexities of SAM registration, we can complete this process for you. Because we completed thousands of SAM registrations and SAM renewals, it takes us very little time to get through each application. It’s a bit like hiring an accountant to complete your taxes. You could complete your taxes yourself, but it’s far easier to let an expert handle this task.

If you’d like us to handle your SAM registration, you can give us a call at (800) 985-7658 or click on the New Registration tab on our homepage and fill out our quick contact form. We will be in touch with you as soon as possible so that we can gather up your information, complete your SAM registration and set you on the path toward earning government contracting jobs.