SAM.gov Registration

Also called: SAM registration, System for Award Management, entity registration

SAM.gov, the System for Award Management, is the federal website where a business completes an entity registration, which it needs before it can apply directly for federal awards such as SBIR and STTR funding.

SAM.gov offers two paths: a full entity registration, or a Unique Entity ID only. An entity that gets only a UEI cannot apply directly for federal awards. To apply as a prime awardee, you need a full registration.

There is no cost to register. A registration stays active for 365 days from the date it was submitted for processing and must be renewed every 365 days. SAM.gov recommends starting the renewal 45 to 60 days before it expires.

Agencies check SAM status at submission. The Department of War's SBIR instructions say firms with no SAM registration, an inactive registration, or improper representations and certifications will be deemed ineligible, and NSF says an organization without an active registration cannot submit a proposal.

You sign in to SAM.gov with a Login.gov account. When the registration is processed, SAM.gov also requests a CAGE code for the entity from the Defense Logistics Agency.