Pick the agency and your deadline. The planner works back through SAM.gov, the SBA Company Registry and the agency portals and tells you when to start each registration.
Each step has a planning allowance: the time we suggest you leave for it, set on the cautious side of each agency's published guidance. The planner schedules every step to finish before the steps that need it, and finishes everything a few days before your deadline, because agencies advise submitting early. Allowances were set on 28 September 2026. Processing times change, so follow the linked agency guidance where it differs.
Registrations that belong to the company (SAM.gov, the SBA Company Registry, Grants.gov, eRA Commons, Research.gov, DSIP) are done once and renewed as required; SAM.gov must be renewed every year. You do not need to repeat them for each proposal.
General guidance only. Each agency and solicitation sets its own requirements and deadlines; check the current solicitation before you rely on a date.