SAM Registration

How & When To Renew SAM Registration

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If you want to do business with the federal government (and many state governments), you need an active listing in the System for Award Management (SAM) database. If you’ve already completed this process, it is important to know when and how to renew SAM registration and we can help.

When Should You Renew SAM Registration?
Your SAM registration is active for one year from the day the government approves your initial SAM registration. So you might think all you have to do is renew a few days or a week before the expiration date. However, you should start thinking about how to renew SAM registration several months in advance.

Government agencies can only do business with entities that have an active SAM registration. If a procurement agent (the proper term for a government employee tasked with selecting contractors) sees that your SAM registration is within two or fewer months of the expiration date, they might be wary about doing business with you.

This is because if you are in the middle of a contract and your registration expires, the government is no longer authorized to conduct business with you or your company. This means they won’t be able to receive the goods or services they need and you won’t get paid either.

We highly recommend that you renew SAM registration at least two months ahead of time to ensure that your renewal is approved with plenty of time to spare before that expiration date. This is especially important during the current pandemic, as this has forced the Federal Service Desk to modify its operations. If you head to the Federal Service Desk website (FSD.gov), they also state that the registration and renewal approval process as slowed down due to an influx of new registrations.

The Federal Service Desk is the government agency in charge of managing the SAM database as well as several other government systems, including beta.SAM.gov. This site is a helpful resource for all government contractors as it is basically a search engine allowing contractors to search for available jobs by agency, by date, by NAICS codes and more.

How To Renew SAM Registration
There are two ways to renew your SAM registration. You can go into your current listing and update it yourself or you can hire a third-party registration service to complete the renewal process for you. Renewal is free if you do it yourself, but it can be complicated and time-consuming, so many people just hire a company such as Federal Contractor Registry to handle this task.

At Federal Contractor Registry, we can quickly and accurately complete your SAM renewal so that you can be approved as quickly as possible. If your renewal is not completed correctly, this can lead to delays, which can be costly if you have jobs you wish to bid on in the immediate future. Sometimes it’s simply easier to have someone else handle this task for you.

A Word About Notarized Letters
If you are new to the world of government contracting and have not yet completed SAM registration, one of the steps you need to take was completing and sending in your SAM notarized letter to the Federal Service Desk identifying your Entity Administrator, which is simply the person in charge of making any needed changes to your SAM account.

For those who simply need to renew SAM registration, you probably already have sent in a notarized letter with your initial SAM registration. If you already sent the letter, there is no need to send a new one every time you renew your registration. If for some reason, you have not submitted this letter or you are working on your first SAM registration, instructions for this letter can be found as FSD.gov under the Top Help Topics tab.

Other Changes To SAM
Earlier in this article, we referred to beta.SAM.gov, which is a database that lists government contracting jobs. This is a new database and it has replaced FedBizOpps.gov or FBO.gov, so if you were thinking about checking that website, it no longer exists. The new site looks quite a bit different, but it is relatively easy to navigate and find contacts.

We usually recommend that people look for government contractor jobs using their NAICS codes, as this provides results that are a close match to the goods and services that you provide. You also can search by agency, location, set aside, PSCs or even by type of notice.

In addition to the switch from FBO.gov, there will be changes to the DUNS number system coming down the pipe fairly soon. DUNS was managed by Dun & Bradstreet, and when you registered with Dun & Bradstreet, you received what is known as a DUNS number often just called a DUNS.

This is a required number for SAM registration, but the government has awarded a contract to another company and the DUNS numbers will be phased out and replaced with a code called a Unique Entity Identifier or UEI. This change was supposed to be complete by December 2020, but the switch (and 2020 to be frank) has not gone as smoothly as planned. Therefore, this date has been extended to a mystery date in the future. At any rate, if you have heard about this switch and were wondering what to do, the short answer is that you don’t need to do anything at present.

If you do need to renew SAM registration, and would prefer to leave this process to SAM experts, we are always here to help and we make SAM renewal as easy and fast as possible. To get started, just click on the blue Renew Registration tab on our homepage. If you can’t remember when your SAM registration expires, just click on the Status Check tab and we will be happy to check it out for you at no charge.

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How To Create A Killer Capability Statement

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While there are many tasks that you need to take in order to work with the federal government, one of your first jobs will be to create a capability statement. For government contractors, this important document serves as a sort of resume and provides a quick snapshot of how your company can benefit a government agency. Here are some tips that will help you create a stellar capability statement.

1. Start With A Quick Introduction
Typically, at the top of your capability statement, you will want to create a short intro paragraph talking about your business. This is very similar to the objective section of a resume except that rather than describing your objectives or goals, you just want to give a brief description of your company and what goods or services it provides.

2. Create A Section For Basic Company Info
Aside from a short intro paragraph, a capability statement for government contractors usually includes five main sections – Contact Information, Corporate Data, Core Competencies, Differentiators and Past Performance. The first of these sections, the Contact Information area, is the easiest to complete.

For this section, you will want to include your website address, the name of the person that government procurement agents should contact, as well as the phone and fax numbers for that person. You also will want to include your business’s physical address as well as the contact’s email address.

3. Compile Your Company Data
The Company Data section for government contracting is very unique. You will include your DUNS, your CAGE code, your SBA certifications, your NAICS codes, your NIGP codes, your PSCs and any additional certifications you might possess. You also will want to include your corporation type, as well as the year in which you were incorporated.

Now, you might be wondering what all of that means, so let’s take it step by step. A DUNS is a number given to your business when you register at Dun & Bradstreet. You may already have that number and you can check at the Dun & Bradstreet website. If you don’t possess a number, you can have one assigned to you at no charge. DUNS is actually being phased out and replaced with something else, but this process has been delayed, so for the time being just place your DUNS on your capability statement.

The CAGE Code is a special unique code that identifies your business. It is given to you by the government and must appear on your capability statement. We’ve included further information about the CAGE Code under the final section in this blog.

SBA certifications are applicable only for those companies that qualify as small businesses. SBA stands for the Small Business Administration, and if your business qualifies as a small business, you definitely want to sign up with the SBA and explore any set-asides that might apply to your business. A portion of all federal contractor jobs is “set aside” for small businesses.

Additionally, if your small business is 51% (or more) woman-owned, veteran-owned or perhaps owned by a member of a traditionally disenfranchised group, you may qualify for multiple set-asides. If your business is located in what is known as a HUB Zone, you also might qualify for set-asides for that. SBA government contracting can be very lucrative, so don’t forget to inquire as to whether or not you qualify for SBA set-asides.

NAICS codes are North American Industry Classification System codes. These designated the precise goods and services your company can provide to the government. PSCs are Product Service Codes and these are similar to NAICS codes. NIGP Codes (National Institute of Government Purchasing) are yet another way to classify your goods or services. Government procurement agents might use any of these codes to search for potential contractors, so it’s smart to put all of these on your capability statement.

If you possess any other types of certifications or licenses, be sure to list these, as well, as they can help a procurement agent identify the best possible match for a contracting job. For instance, if you are ISO-registered, add that to your statement. This speaks to the quality of the company in general and can set you apart from other contractors.

4. Describe Your Core Competencies
The Core Competencies section showcases the types of services you provide. NAICS codes and PSCs are just numbers, but under Core Competencies, you can explain in more detail the services you can provide. Typically this is a bulleted list of your services or goods.

5. Add Some Previous Clients
The Past Performance section is a list of your previous or current clients or jobs. You can either create a bulleted list for this or you could use the logos of previous clients if they are fairly well known. This section functions as a references section but you don’t need to put in contact information for the references. You simply list clients or jobs you have completed.

6. Explain What Sets You Apart
The Differentiators section is probably the trickiest to write. In this section, you speak about what sets you apart from your competitors. Perhaps you have many decades of experience, the ability to work in many locations, more areas of expertise than your competitors, a high rate of referrals, etc. It’s basically a shortlist of why your company would be the best choice for a government contracting job.

7. Create A Great Design
As with a resume, the quality of the content is more important than the quality of the design, but a clean, easy-to-read design is your best bet. There are countless examples of capability statement designs on the internet, so take a look at a few and emulate a good design.

Typically, it’s best to stick with just one highly readable font or two at the most. Adding color is fine, but limit the colors to just one or two. Companies usually place their logo at the top of the capability statement and keep the contact information up at the top, as well. Generally, a one-page statement is best, but many companies will create a two-page document, just don’t ramble on to a third page.

But, SAM Registration Comes First
While you need that capability statement, you cannot start bidding on government contracts until you have completed your System for Award Management registration and received your Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code. The Cage Code is your unique identifier within the System for Award Management (SAM). This is a database that includes all government contractors.

SAM registration is free, but it can be a difficult and time-consuming task, and the SAM government website can be tricky to use. The application is lengthy and includes quite a bit of “government-speak” which is confusing, to say the least. In many cases, people simply prefer to pay someone else to handle their SAM registration, and this is where we come in. We are a third-party SAM registration and SAM renewal service.

We can complete your registration quickly and correctly and ensure that you are approved as a contractor as soon as possible. We can even help you identify those NAICS codes and PSC codes, and help you identify any set-asides for which you may qualify.

While we are working on your SAM registration, you can work on setting up and designing your capability statement, as well as learning all you can about the bidding process. To get started with our SAM registration services, just head to our homepage and click on the New Registration tab or call us at (800) 985-7658.

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4 Instances When You Need To Update SAM Registration

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If you want to do business with the federal government, you must complete SAM registration, and while we can help you with this arduous process, it’s important to understand that there will be occasions when it’s essential to update SAM registration to ensure that government agencies can work with your company. Here’s a quick look at when you need to make changes.

1. Update SAM Registration Before It Expires
SAM registration expires every year, which means that SAM renewal is crucial. We typically recommend that you complete the SAM renewal process several months before your expiration dates, and there are a few reasons to consider early renewal.

The Federal Service Desk (FSD) is the agency or government office tasked with SAM registration approval and renewals. It can take the Federal Service Desk several weeks to approve your SAM renewal, which is why you need to update SAM registration several weeks or months ahead of the expiration date. This is especially true during the current pandemic, as the FSD has had a high volume of new registrations during these last few months, and this high volume can slow down the approval process.

Additionally, if a government agency studies your SAM registration and sees that you are close to your expiration date, they may skip over your company and select another company Most federal agencies can only do business with government contractors that have active SAM registrations, and if your registration expires in the middle of a contract, the agency cannot work with you until your registration is active again. This puts them in the lurch, so to speak, so they may be wary about selecting contractors that are a couple of months or just weeks from expiration. Whether you want to work as a FEMA contractor, a DOD contractor or just about any agency, an active SAM registration is crucial.

We can help with SAM renewals as well as with initial SAM registrations. SAM renewals, while not as complex as that first registration, can be quite time consuming and difficult, and we can quickly and accurately complete your renewal and ensure that your registration doesn’t expire.

2. Address & Phone Number Changes
Covid-19 has changed everything, and it has forced many employers to switch to a remote-work format. In some cases, companies still maintain their current offices and phone numbers, but if your company addresses or phone numbers have changed, you will need to update SAM registration to include these numbers.

Of course, pandemic or no pandemic, any time the physical address, mailing address or phone numbers of your business changes, it is important to update your SAM registration and ensure that everything is current. Additionally, physical address changes might impact some of your small business designations. For instance, if you have moved in or out of a HUB Zone, this could impact your contracting opportunities.

3. Personnel Changes
If your company has changed officers, this will need to be updated, but you also need to make updates if you add or reduce staff. In many cases, the addition of two or three employees or the reduction of just a few employees isn’t critical in regards to SAM. However, if you add or reduce many employees, this could affect your standing as a small business.

Designated small businesses, as per the Small Business Administration (SBA) have some advantages in government contracting because agencies are required to set aside a portion of their business exclusively for small businesses. Your business qualifies if it meets certain size standards, and adding many new employees could impact your status as a small business. SBA government contracting can be lucrative, but you must continue to qualify as a small business in order to bid on small business contracting opportunities.

4. Changes In Goods & Services
Within your SAM registration, there is a section where you list your North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes. These are codes that describe precisely what types of goods or services are provided by your company. Government agency representatives often will search for contractors using these codes, so it is important that your codes are as up-to-date as possible.

If you add services or expand the types of goods you can provide, be sure to update SAM registration and add any new application NAICS codes to your SAM listing. Likewise, if you no longer provide some type of good or service, be sure to update your listing and remove what you no longer can provide to the government.

SAM Registrations & Renewals: Let Us Help!
In general, minor changes are fairly easy to handle yourself. First-time registration and renewals are trickier, which is why it often makes sense to pay a third party, such as Federal Contractor Registry, to handle these services.

The government does not charge you to register, renew or update SAM registration, but registration and renewals can take many hours and, especially with your initial registration, this can 10 or more hours to complete and can be quite confusing and frustrating.

Many people simply hire us to complete the process, as we are highly experienced and can quickly and accurately complete your SAM registration or SAM renewal. It’s a bit like hiring an accountant to handle your taxes. You could fill out tax forms for free, but the tax code is confusing and if mistakes are made on your tax forms, there can be serious consequences, which is why it makes sense to hire a tax expert.

The same is true when it comes to SAM registration. If mistakes are made on your initial registration or on your renewal, this can cause your SAM approval to be delayed, which means you could miss out on some lucrative government contracting opportunities.

If you need your initial SAM registration or a SAM renewal, you can click on the registration or renewal tabs on our homepage. If you aren’t sure whether or not your SAM registration has expired, you also can do a quick free status check via our website. If you have any questions about SAM registration or how to update SAM registration, feel free to contact us at any time.

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FEMA Hotel Registration: How To Get Started With FedRooms

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When it comes to government contracting, there are opportunities for just about everyone, and this includes the hospitality industry, which has been so hard hit by the Covid-19 pandemic. Through the FedRooms program, hotels, motels and other types of lodging establishments can contact and sell rooms to government employees from just about any agency. Here’s how it works.

FedRooms: A Quick Overview

FedRooms is a program managed by the General Services Administration, which is the government agency that oversees all types of government procurement, including government contracting. If you register for FedRooms, your lodging establishment will be able to provide rooms to the government, such as serving as a FEMA hotel or just offering competitive rates for government employees.

When government or military employees travel, they usually book their stays at hotels, motels and other lodging options that are part of FedRooms. Federal government employees also can use FedRooms to book leisure travel. The hoteliers that are part of this program offer lower rates for these government employees, either at or below the government per diem for travel expenses.

A per diem is a government employee’s allowance for lodging, meals and other expenses. The per diem rates vary based upon location. For instance, lodging in New York City is notably more expensive than lodging in a smaller city or town, so the per diem in New York City will be higher than it might be in Toledo or Omaha.

Signing up with FedRooms and offering these reduced rates to government employees can be a great way to increase occupancy, and just about any type of lodging establishment can apply for the FedRooms program. The caveat – FedRooms only accepts new hoteliers once per year during its annual Request For Approval (RFP) process, and the window to sign up typically lasts from about June until August 1.

FEMA Hotel Registration

In order to qualify for the FedRooms program, your lodging establishment must meet certain requirements. One of the biggest requirements is that your hotel or lodging must be FEMA certified. FEMA certification ensures that your lodging establishment is in compliance with the Hotel and Motel Fire Safety Act of 1990.

To register a hotel with FEMA, you will need to go to https://apps.usfa.fema.gov/hotel/. The first step is to head toward the bottom of the page and click on the “Add a new listing” tab. The system will first check your physical address to ensure that you have not already completed FEMA hotel registration. Once it determines that you are a new property, it will allow you to fill out the application.

The application will ask for some contact information and other basic information about your property, but the main focus of this application is to ensure that your property or properties are fire safe.

ADA Compliance

All lodging establishments accepted into the FedRooms program must not only complete FEMA hotel registration, but they also must be in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act or ADA.

In order to be in compliance with the ADA, your facility will need to have a certain amount of accessible parking, accessible entrances and exits, accessible restrooms, accessible guestrooms and more. To view the ADA checklist for lodging establishments, head to https://www.ada.gov/hsurvey.htm.

Your level of compliance depends upon many factors. A large hotel with hundreds of rooms will face different compliance standards than a small motel or a bed and breakfast inn. For instance, a lodging establishment with 25 or fewer parking lot spaces will not be required to have as many accessible parking spots as a hotel or motel with 400 parking spots.

Likewise, an establishment with 25 or fewer rooms won’t need to be able to provide as many accessible guestrooms as a facility with hundreds of rooms. The ADA regulations are meant to be fair so that customers have accessibility without making it too costly or difficult for businesses to comply.

Other Requirements

Additionally, the FedRooms program has several more requirements that you must fulfill to sign up with this program, as per the FedRooms website, including:
• Offering a competitive rate at or below per diem
• Cancellation policy of 4 p.m. day of arrival or later (for domestic properties) and no more than 24 hours (for international properties)
• You must have earned at least 2 crowns
• No deposit or early departure fees
• Monthly production reporting and payment
• Book FedRooms rate when requested
• Compliance with all terms and conditions
• Complimentary guest room internet

To learn more about FedRooms in general, you can visit the website at FedRooms.com. FedRooms also runs a LinkedIn Group where you can ask questions and gain information about the yearly RFP.

SAM Registration: Your First Step Into Government Contracting

As with all other government contractors, if you want to work with FedRooms or complete your FEMA hotel registration or work with any government agency, you must complete your System for Award Management (SAM) application.

All government contractors need to complete SAM registration. Once approved, you will receive what is known as a Corporate and Government Entities (CAGE) Code. This code is the unique identifier for your business, and SAM registration is the first step that all government contractors must take to do business with any government agency.

At Federal Contractor Registry, we complete hundreds of SAM registrations each year for hoteliers as well as many other types of companies. SAM registration can be extremely time-consuming, taking 10 or more hours to complete; so many people simply hire services such as ours to complete this lengthy and confusing registration document.

Once we complete your SAM registration and submit it to the government, it usually takes just a few weeks to get approval and receive your CAGE code. While we work on your SAM registration, you can work on FEMA hotel registration and learning all you can about the FedRooms RFP process. While all of this can be complicated, once you make it into the system, your efforts can be well worth the time spent to expand your guest list to those government employees.

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Procurement Agents: 5 Facts For Government Contractors

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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How To Find & Win Federal Contractor Jobs

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There are plenty of federal contractor jobs out there, but many people, especially those from smaller companies, don’t really understand how to find and win these lucrative contracts. Here’s a quick rundown of what you need to do to get started with federal contracting.

Step One: Complete Your SAM Registration
Before any company or entity can do business with the federal government (or even many state and local governments), you need to get what is known as a Commercial and Government Entity Code, or CAGE code. In order to get the CAGE code, you must register with the System for Award Management (SAM) database.

This database includes every contractor eligible for federal contractor jobs and includes important information about each contractor. While it is free to register with SAM, it is a very complicated process, which is why many people will hire a third-party registration service, such as our company, Federal Contractor Registry.

At Federal Contractor Registry, we handle hundreds of SAM registrations and renewals each year and we can complete your registration quickly and accurately. It can take up to 15 hours (or more) to complete SAM registration and the process can be frustrating, and if you make a mistake, this can delay your approval significantly, which is why we recommend hiring an expert.

For us to get started, we just need some basic information from you. This includes your DUNS number (if you don’t have one, you can apply for free at Dun & Bradstreet), your bank account and routing numbers (the government requires that this be part of SAM registration) and your tax identification number.

Of course, we also will gather some information about the goods and services you provide so that we can determine the best NAICS codes and PSCs to describe your business. NAICS stands for the North American Industry Classification System and includes codes for just about any type of business imaginable from Astroturf producers to zipper manufacturers. PSCs, which stands for Product Service Codes, is another classification system, although not quite as detailed as the NAICS.

Step Two: Send In A Notarized Letter
The federal government requires that all new government contractors send in a notarized letter identifying the entity administrator for each SAM account. This is the person authorized to make changes in your SAM account.

We recommend that you simply go to this webpage https://fsd.gov/fsd-gov/answer.do?sysparm_number=KB0013183, and download either Template 1 or Template 2 under the section marked Step 1. Follow the directions exactly and then sign the letter in the presence of a notary and mail it to the Federal Service Desk. All the instructions for this process can be found on this webpage.

You can work on this letter as soon as we start filling out your SAM registration. If fact, we recommend that you send it in as quickly as possible. To bid on federal contractor jobs, you need both SAM approval and a notarized letter on file, although the government may approve your SAM registration before they process the letter.

Step Three: Sign Up With SBA
The Small Business Administration provides a wealth of services for small businesses. While the SBA loan program has taken a huge hit during the COVID-19 crisis, don’t let this dissuade you from signing up if you qualify as a small business. To find out if you qualify, go to https://www.sba.gov/size-standards/. You will need your NAICS codes, which we can help you determine as part of SAM registration.

The federal government sets aside a portion of its government contracting budget specifically for small businesses. These are known as set-asides, and there are several different types of set-asides, depending on who owns your business and where it is located.

For instance, there are set-asides for veteran-owned businesses and woman-owned businesses. These types of set-asides require that at least 51% of the business must be veteran-owned or woman-owned. There are set-asides for just about anyone who belongs to a historically marginalized group, and this includes people who have faced discrimination due to ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or other factors.

Additionally, if your business is located in a HUB-Zone, this also qualifies as a set-aside. A HUB-Zone is a Historically Underutilized Zone, and there are many throughout the United States and its territories. To find out if your business is located in a HUB-Zone, go to https://maps.certify.sba.gov/hubzone/map#center=39.828200,-98.579500&zoom=5.

We highly recommend that any small business sign up at SBA.gov as it can be easier for small businesses to win government contractor jobs. Many prime contractors (large businesses that win huge contracts) are required to use small businesses as sub-contractors, as well, and this can be a great way to get started as a federal contractor.

Step Four: Create A Capability Statement
A capability statement is basically a resume for the government. It is a one-page document that includes important information about your company. This includes your CAGE code, NAICS codes, your DUNS number and your contact information.

You also include a section entitled Core Competencies, which details the most important goods and services you provide. The statement also features a section of Past Performances, which includes previous jobs you’ve completed. You will also want to list some past clients. To find out more, just do a quick internet search for “capability statement” and you will find many examples.

Step Five: Find Out What’s Available
At Beta.SAM.gov, you can search for available federal government contractor jobs. We recommend that you search using your NAICS codes, as these filter for the specific types of jobs or services you can provide.

You also should sign up with your local Procurement Technical Assistance Center, or PTAC. It’s free to sign up, and your PTAC reps can answer many questions about government contracting and they offer workshops and training events to help you get started, and many are online, so you don’t need to worry about social distancing. To find the PTAC in your area, go to aptac-us.org.

We also highly recommend signing up with your state procurement system. As soon as you have your CAGE code, you can sign up and there are many opportunities at the state level. State governments also host workshops and events where you can mix and mingle with various state government agency representatives and find contracting opportunities. While COVID-19 temporarily has halted these events, some state governments still might offer online workshops or other online resources to help government contractors.

While there are thousands of profitable federal contractor jobs available, it can take time to earn your first contract. These days, if you do offer an essential job or service related to COVID-19 relief, you might earn a contract very quickly. For everyone else, you should expect it to take several months to earn your first contract. It can even take a year to earn that first contract.

Step Six: Learn How To Bid
The process of bidding for federal government contractor jobs is very unique, and it’s crucial that you learn all you can about the different types of bids and proposals. Your PTAC and the SBA can be helpful resources, but we also recommend that you check out webpages such as https://www.cdc.gov/contracts/about-cdc-contracts/types.html and https://www.acquisition.gov/content/part-16-types-contracts. We also highlighted different types of contracts in a previous blog at https://federalcontractorregistry.com/a-look-at-5-types-of-government-contracts/.

It might seem like government contracting is too complicated and time-consuming, but once you start earning contracts, this can be an excellent way to build your business. While economic downturns might affect your private sector clients, the government will still be buying goods and services to fulfill the needs of its citizens. This can be a highly stable type of income, so it’s definitely worth the time you put into learning the ropes.

If you want to bid on federal government contractor jobs, there’s no time like the present. To get started, contact us at any time, and we will get your SAM registration completed as quickly as possible. Once you’re approved and get your CAGE code, you will be eligible to bid on contracts. You can give us a call at (800) 985-7658 or click on the green New Registration tab on our homepage.

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SAM.Gov Registration: Sign Up Now & Sell To The Government

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In these uncertain times, many companies are looking for ways to boost their businesses. Government contracting can be a lucrative option and one that is often recession-proof or durable during economic crises. In order to work with the government, your first step is to complete SAM.gov registration, and we can help.

SAM.Gov Registration
Registering with the System for Award Management (SAM) can be a complicated process. The government doesn’t charge companies a fee to sign up, but the registration application is lengthy and complicated. It easily can take 10+ hours to complete the process, and you may find yourself frustrated along the way.

However, don’t let this dissuade you from completing your SAM.gov registration. As a third party SAM registration service, we can handle this task for you, quickly and efficiently. We process hundreds of SAM registrations every year, as well as SAM renewals and fully understand all the intricacies of the process.

Of course, we do charge a fee, but it’s much like hiring an accountant to handle your taxes. You could complete your personal or company tax documents yourself, but it’s often highly complicated and frustrating, so millions of Americans pay an accountant to handle the process. We are basically the same, as we relieve you of the frustrating task of completing your SAM registration, freeing you up to keep working on your typical daily tasks and ensuring that you are ready to contract with the government as quickly as possible.

Contracting During The Current Pandemic
The government, especially agencies such as FEMA, have immediate needs from government contractors. If you provide any type of support relating to medical care, such as making surgical masks, manufacturing disinfectants or hand sanitizers, providing hospital equipment or anything that can help FEMA support the COVID-19 relief efforts, now is the time to get registered with SAM and start bidding on contracts.

However, the government, including FEMA, needs many other goods and services. Some of these are related to COVID-19, while others are simply general needs. You can take a quick look at the types of contracts available by searching Beta.SAM.gov. You can search by agency, keyword and several other ways, although we recommend that companies search using their NAICS codes.

These codes identify the precise goods or services provided by your company, and it’s usually the easiest way to find potential contracts using the Beta.SAM.gov website. You also can search using your PSCs, or Product Service Codes. If you aren’t sure which NAICS or PSC codes to use, we can figure that out for you as we complete your SAM.gov registration.

Contracting: Can It Weather A Recession?
Diversifying into government contracting is a great idea for many types of businesses. While your other clients may be affected adversely by economic downswings and recessions, the government still has to purchase goods and services. Unlike the private sector, they aren’t profit-driven, but rather are there to serve the needs of the citizens.

This means that even during a recession, the impact felt by various government agencies may not trickle down to contractors. In some cases, budgets may be cut and this certainly can affect contractors, but generally there will be plenty of contracting opportunities, even during times of economic instability.

What About Government Shutdowns?
Government shutdowns can affect government contractors, but not always. It depends upon the type of contract and several other factors. For instance, if you provide an essential service, there may still be funding in place to continue paying your contract.

In some cases, a government shutdown can be a problem for contractors, but it’s important to note that in the last 40 years, there have only been 10 government shutdowns. Four lasted only a day, while two others only lasted 3 days and once lasted just five days.

One shutdown in 1995-1996 lasted 21 days, while the 2013 shutdown lasted 16 days. The most recent shutdown in 2018-2019 was the most detrimental to government employees and contractors, alike, lasting 35 days. Still, not all federal agencies were affected by this shutdown. For instance, the Department of Defense, Department of Labor and the Department of Education were not impacted among others.

Government shutdowns tend to be brief, so this should never really serve as an argument against government contracting. They certainly have the potential to be a problem, but they are fairly rare and usually of short duration.

Get Started Today!
If you haven’t yet completed SAM.gov registration, give us a call or click on the New Registration tab on our homepage. We will get right to work on your registration and have you ready to start bidding on government contracts. As soon as your registration is approved, the government will send you a CAGE code, which is the unique identifier for your business in the SAM database.

Once we complete your SAM.gov registration, we also highly recommend that you sign up with your state’s procurement. You will need to go through the SAM registration process and receive a CAGE code for state procurement, as well, as their registration systems will ask for your CAGE code, NAICS codes and usually your PSCs.

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6 Things You Need To Know About 8a Contracts

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Government contracting can be lucrative, but getting started with government contracting is also a bit like trying to solve a jigsaw puzzle where all of the pieces are the same color. We could write a 12,000-word article about the ins and outs of contracting, but let’s just focus on one topic for now – 8a contracts.

What Are 8a Contracts?

Every agency in the U.S. government sets aside a portion of its contracting jobs for small businesses. If your company qualifies as a small business, the Small Business Administration has created several designations for specific types of small businesses.

These are known as “set-asides,” and 8a contracts are a type of set aside for businesses known as small disadvantaged businesses (SDBs). You can qualify under the 8a program if you meet the following criteria:

Are You Small?
You must qualify as a small business according to government size standards (click here https://www.sba.gov/size-standards/ to see if you qualify)

Are You Majority U.S. Owned?
In order to qualify for 8a contracts, your company must be 51% owned and controlled by U.S. citizens. But, these citizens also have to be economically and socially disadvantaged.

The “socially” disadvantaged basically refers to people who historically have been either underrepresented and/or subjected to ethnic, cultural or racial bias, such as African-Americans and Native Americans, but also many other groups. For instance, your gender or a physical handicap might be a factor.

Is Your Income Low Enough?
The owner of an 8a company must be a person with a personal net worth of $250,000 or less and with $4 million or less in assets. The owner’s average adjusted gross income for the last three years also must be $250,000 or less.

If you seem to qualify based upon the aforementioned requirements, here are some fast facts about 8a contracts that might be helpful:

1. 8a Contracts Can Be Highly Profitable

If you qualify as one of those SDBs and win a few contracts, this truly can take your business to the next level. In 2018 alone, the federal government awarded $120 billion in contracts to small businesses, and more than $46 billion of this went to SDBs.

For many types of small business set-aside, the contract dollar amount is relatively small. You might find some jobs worth $20,000 or less, which definitely is profitable for a small business, but 8a contracts are a bit different and potentially more profitable. With 8a contracts, small businesses that provide products or services can earn up to $4 million. Contracts up to $6.5 million are an option for manufacturing firms.

Keep in mind that an 8a certification doesn’t mean you are guaranteed a bunch of million-dollar contracts. It simply means that there are possibilities available up to those amounts. It’s perfectly likely that you might find a $25,000 contract or a $50,000 contract that fits the goods and services you provide. While these are smaller, it still can give your business a huge boost.

Also, even if you don’t qualify as an 8a business, small businesses aren’t necessarily bidding on less profitable contracts. A regular small business could win a contract worth hundreds of thousands of dollars; it’s just a bit harder to win these bigger contracts when you don’t have 8a status.

Typically, all government contracts for $150,000 or less are set aside for small businesses and while a giant company like Lockheed Martin might find 150 grand to be small potatoes, a small business definitely would view that as a substantial sum.

2. There are 8a Contracts for Every Type of Business

According to the SBA, construction firms that qualified as SDBs were awarded $5.83 billion in contracts in the fiscal year 2018. But, it’s not just construction companies that earned contracts. Many companies that provide different types of computer-related services also were top earners, as well as security guard companies and even companies that provided weather forecasting services.

These are just some of the top earners; there are contracts out there for just about any type of business, from catering services to paper suppliers to different types of repair services. Many people mistakenly think that government contracting is all about construction and disaster cleanup-type services, but the government works with businesses from just about any industry.

3. 8a Contracts Aren’t Available Forever

The whole goal of providing 8a contracts is to help businesses grow and thrive. Once you are certified as an 8a business, you can maintain that status for up to nine years. In many cases, however, your 8a status will be taken away long before those nine years have passed, simply because you have reached the point where your business is too successful to qualify for 8a contracts.

4. 8a Contracts Can Be Easier To Attain

The government is really trying to boost small businesses, specifically those SDBs. So if you are 8a certified, you are eligible to bid on 8a contracts. Of all the businesses in the United States (more than 24 million approximately), fewer than 9,000 have been 8a certified. This definitely reduces the playing field, and with less competition, it’s just easier to get contracts.

Additionally, it is easier, in general, to bid for 8a contracts. Figuring out how to create proposals for government contracting can be very complicated in general, but if you are an 8a-certified company, the government makes a huge effort to eliminate some of the “red tape” that other businesses have to handle.

5. Sole Sourcing Is Another Benefit

In general, when a government agency needs to put out a contract for work, it’s a complicated process that can be very competitive. With 8a contracts, the government agency can kind of bypass and offer contracts to a single source without going through the whole bidding and competition process. This benefits the agency because there is less red tape, and it benefits the 8a businesses because it’s simply easier to earn contracts.

6. 8a Status Isn’t a Guarantee of Earnings

While the playing field is smaller and sole-sourcing also can make it easier to win contracts, you do still have to work hard to earn contracts. You still actively have to look for contracting opportunities. It’s highly unlikely that you would get certified and then have government agencies just calling you up and offering you jobs.

You can find contracting opportunities at Beta.SAM.gov, but we also recommended that you join your local Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC). These centers are located across the country and they provide a huge amount of valuable advice.

For instance, if you have questions about contracting, you can make an appointment to speak with your PTAC representative. They offer a wide array of free workshops and events where you can grab a ton of information about government contracting. To find your local PTAC, go to APTAC-US.org.

Getting Certified

In order to bid on 8a contracts, you must be certified by the Small Business Administration. In order to start the process, you will need to go to certify.SBA.gov. However, that is not the only step you’ll need to take.

If you want to bid on any type of government contract, 8a contracts, or anything else, you must complete your System for Award Management (SAM) registration and we can help. We are a third-party registration service that handles all the intricacies of the SAM registration process.

It can take 10 or more hours to complete the SAM registration process and it can be quite complicated and frustrating, and it’s often simply easier to hand this task over to experts such as ourselves. This ensures that your registration is completed quickly and correctly, so you can start bidding on 8a contracts and other types of government contracts. To get started, just click on the green New Registration box on our homepage.

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FEMA Registration: Become a FEMA Contractor

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Register to Become a FEMA Contractor

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

Register Online Now

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Register for FEMA

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Register for FEMA

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DOD Contracts: 5 Helpful Facts For Contractors

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Just about every government agency offers government contracts to businesses of all sizes. While there are plenty of contracts available, many small businesses avoid looking at DOD contracts because they believe them to be too difficult to win or just presented to huge companies such as Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin.

However, the Department of Defense can be a great option for businesses of all sizes, and the DOD, just like all other agencies, reserves a portion of its budget for small businesses. In fact, the federal government requires the DOD and other agencies to keep a certain percentage of their contracts set aside just for small businesses.

Additionally, many Prime Contractors (these are the big guys that win those huge contracts) also are required to use small businesses as subcontractors for a portion of their projects when they do business with the federal government, so there are subcontracting opportunities, as well.

The first step you have to take is to complete your registration with the System for Award Management (SAM). After you complete SAM registration, you will receive what is known as a Cage Code, and you then will be eligible to bid on government projects.

However, it’s important to note that SAM registration can be quite complicated to complete. In fact, it can take 10 to 15 hours of your time to wade through the many pages of government-speak. While it’s free for you to complete your SAM registration, many people opt to hire a third-party registration service to complete this process.

We can save you a ton of time and frustration, and quickly complete your SAM registration. Using our service guarantees that your SAM registration will be completed correctly, as well. If you do it yourself, you will have no idea if you’ve completed the registration correctly until you are either approved or you are notified that you need to correct a section (or sections) of the application.

It can take the government a few weeks to approve an application, and if mistakes are made, this stalls the process even further. At Federal Contractor Registry, we’ve completed hundreds of SAM registrations for companies of all sizes. We know precisely how to complete each section of the application, including the crucial section that will allow you to bid on DOD contracts.

Some of our clients mistakenly believe that security clearance is required for all DOD contracts, but this is definitely not always the case. Obviously, for some projects, security is an issue, but in many cases, security clearance won’t be a problem.

You can get a look at the types of contracts available by heading to Beta.SAM.gov, which is a new database that was created to replace FedBizOpps.gov. Throughout the last few years, the government has been migrating many contracting-related websites into SAM to keep everything in one place.

Keep in mind as you peruse the listings, you might want to check beyond just searching for “Department of Defense.” The database includes many different DOD-related agencies and offices that might need government contractors. In fact, there are more than 100 departments, agencies and offices that make up the DOD.

This includes big guns (pun not intended) such as the Department of the Army, Department of the Navy and the Department of the Air Force. Each of these departments also includes several other agencies/facilities, and all of these will put out bid requests for government contractors.

When you head to Beta.SAM.gov to search, you could search by agency, such as typing in “Department of Defense,” “Defense Logistics Agency,” “Army National Guard,” etc., but it really can be smarter to search using your NAICS codes.

These are the North American Industry Classification codes. Just about every type of business imaginable is listed under these codes. You will need to figure out which codes apply to your business during the SAM registration process, but we can help. Simply tell us a little bit about the goods you sell and/or services your company provides, and we will pick the NAICS codes that best represent what you do.

When we state that every type of business has a code and that the government extends contracting opportunities, we aren’t kidding. For instance, 451120 is the code for Hobby, Toy & Game Stores. Searching Beta.SAM.gov with that code, we found three DOD contracts alone that fit this NAICS code. That’s just one example of a type of business that the DOD might need for goods or services.

If you want to start bidding on DOD contracts, or contracts for any other government agency, we can complete your SAM registration as quickly as possible. Once it’s approved, you’ll be eligible to bid. To get started, give us a call or simply click on the New Registration tab on our homepage.

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