A SAM.gov registration is only valid for 365 days, and there's no grace period once it expires. If your registration isn't active when you submit an offer or when the government makes an award, federal rules treat your business as ineligible, no matter how strong the proposal is. Renewing 60 to 90 days early is the simplest way to avoid this.
The simplified acquisition thresholds increased effective October 1, 2025, the start of fiscal year 2026. The micro-purchase threshold rose from $10,000 to $15,000, and the simplified acquisition threshold rose from $250,000 to $350,000. The practical effect is that more federal purchases now fall into the faster, lighter simplified buying lane, a space where small businesses compete well and a clean, responsive quote matters more than a long proposal.
