Have you ever received an email stating that you must pay hundreds of dollars to renew your SAM registration as a federal contractor? These offers should be avoided by contractors because SAM registration and updates are always free, and some of these offers are obvious hoaxes. If you are currently a federal contractor, you have dealt with SAM.gov registration. As you can guess, it’s crucial to maintain this registration updated each year.
The System for Award Management (SAM) registration, however, may be very troublesome because some contractors are unsure of how to maintain their registrations and choose to let them expire rather than paying to have them renewed. Some con artists enjoy making use of this uncertainty by sending spam emails, many of which are made to appear to be official communication and claiming that they will handle your SAM registration in exchange for a fee. This article explains how to effectively update your SAM registration so that you can avoid fraud and letting your registration expire.
Describe SAM.gov.
An ever-evolving central repository for contractor data, government procurement systems, and other federal programs or registrations is the System for Award Management or SAM.gov. All organizations interested in conducting business with the federal government must maintain a valid registration in SAM and annually renew it, making this system crucial for contractors.
On May 24, 2021, SAM.gov underwent a design and functionality overhaul. Federal contractors will probably still feel comfortable registering at SAM.gov even though certain things have changed.
Why Is Your SAM Registration Needed to Be Updated?
Because each SAM registration has a one-year expiration date and needs to be renewed before that date, updating your SAM registration can be a careful procedure. The record will become inactive if it is not renewed by the anniversary date.
This means that, whether your goal is to get a federal contract vehicle like a GSA Schedule or you just want to take advantage of open market opportunities, you should keep your SAM.gov registration valid and up to date.
When completing your registration, it might be simple to forget crucial sections, especially in light of the numerous recent improvements to SAM.gov. You shouldn’t be shocked if more questions pop up with each new release that needs to be answered. The information you must enter may have changed, but the procedure for upgrading your SAM registration for registering SAM has not undergone any significant changes.
Conditions for SAM Registration
Make that your company is currently registered with Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) and has a corresponding DUNS number before registering with SAM. Currently, SAM uses this Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) to identify your company. Before updating your SAM registration, make sure the information in your D&B registration is valid because SAM.gov pulls information from your D&B registration, such as your address.
Step 1: Entering the Registration Data for Your Entity Log in to your SAM.gov account using the login.gov email address and password connected to your business registration.
· If you are not already there, click the “Workspace” tab to access the “Entity Management” box. Select the icon below that has a number above “Active.”
· Note that if you are already registered, the number won’t be 0. You will be sent to a page where your current entity registrations are listed. If there are no registrations, you are probably not connected to your entity and must apply for a role, which your Entity Administrator can accept.
· The entity you need to change must then be chosen from the list. To update the correct registration, click the ellipsis in the top right corner and select “Update.”
Step 2: Update Your Entity’s Register for SAM.
You must now review each section to confirm that the data is valid and up-to-date because it will still be stored in the system notwithstanding any revisions or later registrations. You cannot skip any sections of the record; you must read them all. Once you have confirmed the data on each page is accurate, click “Save and Continue” at the bottom of the page.
Step 3: Reviewing and submission for the Register for SAM.
You can submit your SAM registration when you’ve checked it, made any necessary updates, and made sure all the information is accurate. It’s crucial to take your time and make sure all the information in your registered SAM record is accurate when you update it. When your registration is submitted, SAM.gov will email you, and again when it is accepted.
If there are no significant changes after submission, it can take a few days for your SAM registration to be accepted. You might be contacted if there have been significant changes to confirm the new details. The CAGE code evaluation procedure, for instance, will delay your updated SAM.gov registration for up to a few weeks if your company address has changed.
Maintaining Your GSA Schedule for the Register for SAM.
Most organizations can handle what could have seemed like a big undertaking if they are familiar with the procedure. You will be more prepared and more certain that the data displayed to ordering agencies is current and accurate now that you are more at ease with renewing your SAM registration.
Contact Fedvital and we’d be pleased to help you figure it out if you have any questions about SAM.gov registration and its effects on federal contracting prospects, such as what you’ll need to include in your register SAM to apply for a GSA Schedule.
