Government contracting can be an excellent way for a small business to boost its income. The first step is to register your business at SAM.gov, and the team at Federal Contractor Registry can help with this process as well as with several other steps you need to take.
SAM Registration: Why Hire Federal Contractor Registry?
The System for Award Management (SAM) is the database that includes information about all government contractors. No person or entity can do business with the federal government without completing SAM registration.
The government does not charge a fee to complete SAM registration, but they don’t necessarily make it easy to complete the registration process, either. SAM registration can take more than 10 hours to complete, and many people become quickly frustrated by the process and either give up on contracting or hire a third-party registration service such as Federal Contractor Registry.
While we do charge a fee for our services, we will complete your SAM registration quickly and 100% accurately. We also are happy to help with the following:
- We can help you procure the new Unique Entity ID
- We can help with the Notarized Letter requirement
- We can help you register with the Small Business Administration (SBA)
- We introduce Super 8a Contractors to other federal contractors in our network
The Unique Entity ID
When you (or a member of our team) complete your registration at SAM.gov, you also have to apply for a Unique Entity ID. In the past, Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) numbers were required for SAM registration, but as of this year, DUNS numbers are no longer needed.
Using a government-generated identification number rather than having to apply on a third-party website for your DUNS number helps to streamline the registration process and, in theory, should make it easier for new contractors, although attaining this number can be a bit confusing and we can do this for you if you hire us for SAM registration services.
As a side note, if you have an active SAM account, the government will have assigned you a Unique Entity ID automatically, so you don’t have to worry about this when it comes time to complete your SAM renewal.
The Notarized Letter Requirement
A few years ago, the Federal Service Desk (FSD), which is the agency that maintains the System for Award Management noticed suspicious activity in the database. This prompted them to require all government contractors to send the FSD a notarized letter listing their Entity Administrator, which is the person authorized to make changes to your account.
As part of our SAM registration services, we can provide you with a template of this letter and also answer any questions you might have about this requirement. The good news is that you only have to send in the letter with your initial registration and not with SAM renewals unless the Entity Administrator has changed.
SBA Registration
While we help large and mid-size companies sign up with SAM, many of our clients are small businesses and we always encourage these business owners to sign up with the SBA. We can help you sign up with SBA and also determine if you qualify for any special set-aside designations.
A portion of all government contracting jobs is “set aside” for small businesses. In some cases, it might be for a Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB) or an Economically-Disadvantaged Woman-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB) or perhaps a Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB).
There are several other set-asides that a business might qualify for, as well as 8a certification. The 8(a) Business Development Program was set up specifically to boost profitability for businesses owned (51% or more) by U.S. citizens that are socially or economically disadvantaged. We can help you sign up for this program as well as other set-asides for which you may qualify.
Other Important Tasks
While SAM registration is the first step, it is by no means the only step new government contractors need to take. For instance, you will need to create a capability statement, which is basically a resume that you will provide to government procurement agents when you bid on government contracting jobs.
Additionally, you should learn all you can about the different types of contracts and the different bidding processes you might encounter. You also could research whether or not it might make sense to apply for GSA contracts, known as GSA schedules.
GSA schedules are managed by the General Services Administration, and if you can get your business on a schedule, you become an approved vendor for whatever goods or services you provide. Government agencies can use your company’s goods or services without having to go through the government contract bidding process.
These are just a few tasks to add to your to-do list. It also can be smart to sign up with your state’s procurement system as state governments also offer many lucrative contact opportunities. If you are a small business, you also could look for opportunities as a subcontractor at the SBA’s Subnet website. Subcontracting is an easy way to get started with contracting because a Prime Contractor will handle all of the interaction between the government agencies.
Get Started Now!
Whether you decide to register on your own at SAM.gov or use our SAM registration service, we hope this blog has provided you with some helpful information. If you would like to use us for SAM registration, just click on the green New Registration tab on our homepage and fill out our quick contact form. A registration specialist will be in touch quickly to gather your information and get started on your registration.