While you might be searching the internet for a SAM registration guide, completing your SAM registration is only one step that you need to take in order to become a government contractor. At Federal Contractor Registry, we can help with SAM registration, but before you get started with that process, there are a few other steps you need to take.
- Determine If You Fill A Need
Government contracting jobs can be lucrative, and the government needs a wide array of goods and services, but before you dive into federal contracting, it can be smart to see if your specific goods or services are needed by the government.
The System for Award Management (SAM) is the government database for all things relating to government contracting. In order to work with any federal agency, you must complete SAM registration, but before you complete this process, you can search for contracting opportunities at SAM.gov.
Get started by clicking on the Contract Opportunities tab and then we recommend clicking on Advanced Search. Once you click that, you can search using several different filters. You also could simply search using a keyword that describes your business. For instance, if you provide security services, you could search using the word “security.”
However, it’s typically easiest to search using your North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes. These describe the exact goods or services your company can provide to government agencies. If you aren’t sure of them, you can look this up at Census.gov or we can provide you with them should you choose to use Federal Contractor Registry as your SAM registration provider.
To search SAM.gov using your NAICS codes, just click on the Product or Service Information tab and enter your code or codes. NAICS codes are broken down into segments based upon your business sector and industry.
For instance, let’s say your company produces wood office furniture. Your NAICS code would be 337211. The 337 refers to the sector of Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing while the 21 narrows it down to office furniture and the last number specifies wood furniture manufacturing as opposed to other materials.
At any rate, if you entered this code into the search, you would discover several pages of results from many government agencies, including the General Services Administration, Department of Defense and others. You can study these results to determine whether or not these contracts fit what you can provide.
- Study Various Government Agencies
Once you’ve found that several agencies do need the goods or services you can provide, spend some time learning about these agencies to determine which ones might be the best match for you.
In some cases, you might want to select an agency with offices near your business location, especially if the services or goods you provide can only be provided locally. If this is the case, when you do your search at SAM.gov, your can narrow down the search results by using your NAICS codes as well as listing a geographic location under the Place of Performance tab.
If you don’t find any good matches, don’t forget to check out the contacting jobs listed by your state government’s procurement agency. State governments also acquire many goods and services from the private sector and these contracts can be just as lucrative as federal contracts and sometimes they are easier to attain.
- Create A Capability Statement
A capability statement is a resume for your company and every government procurement agent will expect you to have this document. Most government contractors will even put it up on their website, perhaps even building a page specifically for government contracting and adding this document to this section of their website.
This statement includes several typical segments including a basic description of your company as well as contact information and a section that includes your NAICS codes, your Product Service Codes, your CAGE Code (this is assigned after your complete SAM registration) and any industry-specific certifications your company possesses.
Additionally, you will want a section of Core Competencies, which outlines the type of goods or services your company provides. Past Performances is another section to add, and in this area, you will list past clients. Another section is typically called Differentiators, and this section quickly describes what sets your company apart from your competitors.
You can find many good examples of Capability Statements online. It’s best to get started on this document before you start bidding on contacting jobs. Once you have SAM registration approval, you are immediately eligible to bid on contracts so you will need this statement complete. All you will need to add is your CAGE code and you will be ready to go.
- Sign Up With The Small Business Administration
If your business qualifies as a small business, it’s smart to sign up with the Small Business Administration (SBA). Even if you decide against government contracting, this government agency offers programs and support for all types of small businesses.
The government sets aside a portion of all government contracting jobs specifically for small businesses, but you need to sign up and register as a small business to bid on these “set-aside” contracts.
That’s just one reason to sign up with SBA. SBA also can help you secure loans and grants and can provide general business support, such as helping you create a business plan or finding mentors to help grow your business.
- Gather Your Necessary Information
No SAM registration guide would be complete without listing the type of information you will need to complete the registration process. Whether you decide to hire a third-party SAM registration service or complete the process on your own, you will need to gather the following information together.
For instance, you will need to ensure that you have your bank account number and routing number, as this will be added to your SAM account. This is the account that government agencies will use to pay you for the goods or services you provide.
You also need your tax identification number for your business, which typically can be found on any of your tax forms. The government also wants your business phone number and a physical mailing address for your business, not a PO Box.
In the past, you also needed to provide your DUNS number, which stood for Data Universal Numbering System. This is no longer used and was replaced with the Unique Identity ID which consists of 12 alphanumeric characters.
For those who already have an active SAM registration, this ID was assigned automatically, but if you are new to the System for Award Management, you will need to register for this identifier. You can do this at SAM.gov or we can handle the process for you if decide to use our service for SAM registration.
Additionally, you will need to provide your NAICS codes and your Product Service Codes. If you use our service for SAM registration, we also are happy to help identify the best codes for your business if you have not done so already.
SAM Registration: Should You Hire An Expert?
The government does not charge a fee to register with the System for Award Management, but some company representatives opt to use a third-party registration service simply because it’s easier and faster.
We do charge a fee, but for those unfamiliar with SAM, registering on your own can take 10 or more hours and can be quite frustrating. In fact, many people give up on the idea of government contracting because the SAM registration process is too confusing.
Using a third party ensures that you avoid the headaches associated with registration and ensures that your application is 100% accurate. If you make mistakes, this can delay your approval significantly
Even when using a SAM registration guide provided by the government, you may find that the explanations are hard to understand. If you want to avoid the hassle and get approved for government contracting, we can help! To get started, just click on the green New Registration tab on our homepage and fill out our quick contact form. A registration specialist quickly will be in touch to gather information and start working on your SAM registration.