Do This Before Applying for Federal Funding

Before applying for federal funding, you must dot all your i’s and cross all your t’s – one of the simplest but most crucial steps to take is registering your business on the SAM site.

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What is SAM.gov?

The Integrated Award Environment (IAE) is a national effort administered by the Federal Acquisition Service (FAS) to do one task: manage all things federal awards.

One of their most important assets is the System for Award Management website (SAM.gov). This official federal website allows its users to make a free account and register with the government to become eligible for awards.

Why Register with SAM.gov?

Entity registration at SAM.gov is a straightforward process that yields high-potential awards for you and your business: without registering, you will not be eligible to receive any federal award.

All entities must be registered at SAM.gov to be eligible for federal funding, including Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR), Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR), and Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) grants.

It’s important to note that registration takes a minimum of 30 days, so make sure you’re planning ahead.

SAM.gov uses the term ‘entity’ to refer to “prime contractors, organizations or individuals applying for assistance awards, those receiving loans, sole proprietors, corporations, partnerships, and any U.S. federal government agencies desiring to do business with the government.”

All entities must have an active SAM.gov registration when applying for a federal award, meaning they must renew registration every 12 months – luckily, there is no fee to renew.

How Do I Register with SAM.gov?

The first step to registering your entity with SAM.gov involves setting up a basic user account. Afterward, you’ll want to visit their registration page and get assigned a Unique Entity ID, a 12-digit alphanumeric code that is, you guessed it, unique to your particular business.

To obtain your Unique Entity ID, you’ll need:

• Legal Business Name
• Physical Address
• Start Year/Year of Incorporation
• State of Incorporation
• National Identifier (for businesses based outside the country)

With a Unique Entity ID, you can choose between opting into All Awards Registration or Financial Assistance Awards Only Registration. To qualify for the kind of federal contracts we endorse at Vertx Partners, we recommend choosing All Awards Registration.

With All Awards Registration, you will fill in the following sections:

• Unique Entity ID
• Core Data (your business start date, FY start date, etc.)
• Assertions (logistics about your business)
• Representations & Certifications
• Architect and Engineering Responses
• Defense FAR Supplement (DFARS) questionnaire (if applicable)
• Points of Contact (POCs)
• SBA supplemental page (If you are a small business)

A comprehensive overview of the sections encompassed in this registration can be found in this PDF.

Once you’ve reviewed your information, you can press submit – you should receive a confirmation email that your registration was submitted and is being processed. Congratulations!

What Do I Do After I’ve Registered with SAM.gov?

SAM.gov requires that a notarized letter be submitted to grant access to new Entity Administrators – basically to act as identity and administrative verification.

The letter is required within 60 days of registration approval – luckily, there are a number of letter templates available at this official resource which also details how to fill out and submit your notarized letter.

Once your notarized letter is submitted and validated, you’re done! This process typically takes between 7-10 days overall if you are quick to submit all required information.

The resources at your disposal also make this process as painless and simple as possible – the work is worth it, however, as successful completion means your entity is now eligible to apply for federal funding!

Vertx Partners is committed to ensuring that its clientele receives the best and most up-to-date information on how to apply for federal funding. Find this article useful? Visit our growing library of resources to help you better prepare for interactions on the federal level. Looking for a more personalized touch?

Reach out to Vertx today and talk to a representative with years of industry experience to find out what step is right for your business.