USFCR Academy Live: The History of the System for Award Management

The System for Award Management, commonly referred to as "SAM," was implemented in July 2012. SAM is an online system that helps both government and non-government entities manage their federal awards. 

Catch the newest episode of USFCR Academy Live every Wednesday at 2 PM ET on Facebook. 

An award is any financial transaction made between the federal government and an entity. These entities can be businesses, nonprofits, municipalities, state/local governments, or any other legal body that is eligible for federal funding. 

Entities that register in SAM will be assigned a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code. This code is tied to the entity's banking information, providing the government with a streamlined method for payment on federal contracts. 

To ensure that the SAM registration information stays relevant, SAM registrations must be updated every year to maintain an active status. If an entity does not update its SAM registration, it will expire and will no longer be eligible for federal awards. 

Did You Know? 

The SAM registration is a culmination of multiple decommissioned federal sites. The General Services Administration (GSA) combined the Central Contractor Registration (CCR), Online Representations & Certifications (ORCA), and the Excluded Parties List System (EPLS) to create the SAM database. 

SAM.gov is going through another change at this time as it moves into its next phase, which will combine ten current federal sites into one. 

Information for SAM

To register in SAM, the entity must gather the following information: 

1. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI Number) number
2. Legal business name 
3. Have a physical address 
4.  Obtain a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) and taxpayer name 
5. Have a U.S. bank account and routing number to set up Electronic Funds Transfer (ETF)

Back to Basics 

A CAGE code is a unique identifier assigned by the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) to government suppliers. This code is permanent. Even if your SAM registration expires, you will have the same CAGE code. If you have multiple business locations, each one will need a SAM registration and CAGE code. 

To speak with a Contracting Specialist, Call: (866) 216-5343