While every industry has its own unique jargon, if you’ve spent most of your life in the private sector but now wish to delve into government contracting, you will learning a whole new language, which we like to call “acronym-speak.” For instance, you might hear someone say, “I got my SAM, MPIN and CAGE, now I am applying at DHS, DOD and DOL.” For newbies, this can be quite confusing, so here’s a quick look at some of the acronyms you probably need to know.
SAM
This acronym stands for System for Award Management. It is a system, or rather a database, that includes all of the contractors available for government contract jobs. Various government agencies will search through this system in order to “award” these contractors with jobs. If you are not registered with SAM, you cannot bid on government contracts.
SAM & MPIN
When you register with SAM, MPIN follows. The MPIN (Marketing Partner ID Number) is a special code that you will use in order to access different government agencies and websites in order to search for contracting jobs. Everyone who registers with SAM will receive an MPIN.
SAM & CAGE
Along with SAM & MPIN, you also need to understand CAGE codes. CAGE stands for Commercial and Government Entity Code. This is the code that identifies you or your business. The MPIN is like a password for your access to government websites, while your CAGE code is like an ID number, a bit like your social security number or driver’s license number.
DUNS
Before you deal with SAM, MPIN and CAGE, you must first attain your DUNS number, or Data Universal Numbering System number. This is a unique number given to a business by Dun & Bradstreet, and government entities as well as other businesses can learn more about your company’s financial stability by searching for this number. In order to complete SAM registration, you must have a DUNS number, and registration for this number is free and takes just a few minutes.
EIN & FEIN & TIN
In addition to securing your DUNS number, you also need to know your Employer Identification Number, which is sometimes called the Federal Employer Identification Number. This also can be interchangeable with TIN or Taxpayer Identification Number. Each business has a unique number, but if you are applying as an individual, you can use your SSN (Social Security Number). Many people don’t wish to use their SSN, and you can contact the IRS and ask for a free EIN. This does take about two weeks to receive from the IRS, so keep this in mind and apply for it well ahead of the time when you want to complete SAM registration.
SBA
If you are a small business, you definitely will want to take advantage of the information and services provided by the Small Business Administration, or SBA. This entity has a website filled with helpful tips for small businesses, including information about government contracting and grants.
NAICS
Before there was NAICS, there was the SIC, which was created by the ECPC, and then changed under the guise of the OMB. While this probably means nothing to you now, it actually is something that will come into play during SAM registration. NAICS stands for North American Industry Classification System. Originally this system was known as the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system. It was developed by representatives from the United States (via the U.S. Economic Classification Policy Committee/ECPC), Mexico and Canada.
Eventually, this system was updated from SIC to NAICS, and these updates were handled by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) as well as representatives from Mexico and Canada. NAICS classifies all types of businesses, and also gathers pertinent information and statistics about these businesses, throughout North America. You can download the NAICS manual, which contains nearly 1,000 pages, classifying just about any type of business you can imagine. For instance, if you run a business that provides automotive glass replacement, your NAICS code will be 811122. This information will be one of the many bits of information needed to complete SAM registration.
Government Agencies
Because government agencies typically seem to have long names, using acronyms can make it easier and just about everyone involved in government contracting will use these acronyms. For instance, rather than saying Department of Defense or Department of Justice, most people will simply refer to these agencies as DOD or DOJ. With agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency, it’s just faster to say FEMA than to repeat the long name. Just about every government agency will need to hire contractors from time to time, so it can be a good idea to learn about some of these agencies and the types of contracting jobs they might need.
While you’ve no doubt heard of FEMA, DOJ and DOD, there are so many agencies with which you’ve had no experience. For instance, have you heard of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) or perhaps the Office of Planetary Protection, which is now the Office of Safety and Mission Assurance (OSMA)? There are hundreds of agencies, and you never know which obscure government agency might want to hire you.
While it might seem counter-productive to have so many systems and acronyms, learning a few of the most important acronyms can make government contracting a bit easier. When it comes to SAM, MPIN and CAGE codes, we can help you complete the SAM registration process and attain your MPIN and CAGE code. SAM registration can be very complicated and extremely time consuming, but we can take this weighty task off of your to-do list.