Category: System for Award Management

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.