System for Award Management (SAM) is a free website owned and operated by the federal government that consolidates the capabilities of the Central Contractor Registration (CCR)/FedReg, Online Representations and Certifications Applications (ORCA), and the Excluded Party List System (EPLS). Future SAM phases will incorporate the features of other programs used in the processes of government procurement and awards.

To be granted contracts by the state, all current and potential government vendors are required to register in SAM and to provide necessary information relevant to procurement and financial transactions. In order to maintain active status, vendors must update or renew their registration every year. 

SAM is also a business marketing tool. It enables government agencies and contractors to search for your business based on ability, scale, place, experience, ownership, and more. SAM allows users to search for SBA-certified companies under the 8(a) Development and Hubzone Programs. SAM also integrates the web-based ORCA program where the provider offers the appropriate company information (e.g., accounting procedures; travel policies) and verifies that the organization fulfills the federal requirements (e.g., complies with equality legislation).

SAM validates the information of the vendor and shares the secure and encrypted data electronically with the finance offices of the Federal Agencies to facilitate paperless payments via electronic funds transfer (EFT). SAM also shares the data with government procurement systems and electronic business systems. The vendor only needs to upload business information to a single database, which will then automatically fill the SBA database. Note that if interested in receiving certifications for Small Disadvantaged Company, HUBZone, or 8(a), you will need to apply to SBA separately to complete this process.

How to Register with SAM

To register with SAM, go to the SAM website with the following information:

• DUNS number
• Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) or Employment Identification Number (EIN)

If you register a new entity in SAM to do business with the U.S. government, SAM needs a notarized letter indicating that you are the licensed entity manager before it can enable your entity registration in SAM.gov.

How long does it take to register with SAM?

After completing the registration and submitting the letter, it will take up to two weeks to register with SAM. After that, it will take 1 business day to reflect the changes in Grants.gov. 

Note that the company must have an EIN first. If your business does not have an EIN, it will take 5 weeks to apply for and receive an EIN from the IRS.

This blog was written by Linda Rawson, who is the founder of DynaGrace Enterprises (dynagrace.com) and the inventor of WeatherEgg (weatheregg.com). She, along with her daughter, Jennifer Remund make up the mother-daughter duo of 2BizChicks (2Bizchicks.com).  For further information, please connect with Linda on LinkedIn, or contact her at (800) 676-0058 ext 101.

Please reach out to us at GovCon-Biz should you have any questions.