Is SAM.gov registration free?

SAM.gov does not charge a fee for entity registration. Use the official SAM.gov website. Businesses can also seek free government-contracting assistance through APEX Accelerators.

How long does SAM.gov registration take?

SAM.gov currently advises allowing up to 10 business days for registration to become active. Entity-validation or information issues may affect the timeline.

The Unique Entity ID is the federal identifier assigned to entities through SAM's entity process. It replaced the previous federal use of DUNS numbers for entity identification.

Do I need a UEI before registering in SAM?

The UEI is issued through SAM's entity process. Organizations completing full entity registration receive/use their UEI as part of that process.

Does getting a UEI mean my SAM registration is active?

No. A UEI identifies the entity. Full SAM registration involves additional information and processing before the registration becomes Active.

Can my company have multiple NAICS codes?

Yes. A company can have multiple relevant NAICS codes when it performs multiple types of business activity. The codes should accurately reflect the products and services the company provides.

Does an active SAM registration make me eligible for every federal contract?

No. Individual solicitations can contain specific eligibility, size, certification, technical, security, past-performance, contract-vehicle, and other requirements.

Can I bid on a federal contract before SAM is active?

Federal rules generally require offerors to be registered in SAM when submitting an offer or quotation and at award, subject to specified exceptions. Always review the specific solicitation and applicable requirements.

What should I do after SAM registration?

Move from administrative readiness to market readiness: validate NAICS and size status, understand relevant certifications, strengthen your capability positioning, identify target agencies, research how they buy, build an opportunity pipeline, and establish a disciplined pursuit process.

Government Contracting Launchpad

How to Register on SAM.gov for Federal Contracting

If your company plans to pursue U.S. federal contracts, SAM.gov is one of the first systems you need to understand.

The System for Award Management, or SAM, is the federal government's central system for entity registration and related contracting information.

On this page

SAM.gov registration at a glance
Before you start
How to register on SAM.gov
What an Active registration means
How often to renew
Common registration mistakes
After your registration is active
Registration checklist
Frequently asked questions
Official resources

For most federal contracting opportunities, offerors are required to be registered in SAM when submitting an offer or quotation and at the time of award, subject to exceptions in the Federal Acquisition Regulation.

But registration should not be confused with market readiness.

An active SAM registration makes it possible to participate in many federal contracting activities. It does not tell you which agencies to target, which opportunities to pursue, how to position your company, or how to win.

This guide explains the registration process and what technology companies should do after becoming active.

Before you start your SAM.gov registration

SAM registration involves more than creating a username.

Prepare your business information first so you are not making important decisions while moving through the application.

Depending on your entity and registration purpose, information required during the process can include:

Legal business name
Physical address
Entity structure
Taxpayer information
Banking and electronic funds transfer information where applicable
Business start information
NAICS codes
Points of contact
Ownership and business information
Representations and certifications

The exact information required can vary based on the entity and registration purpose.

The most important rule is simple: use accurate legal information and keep it consistent.

Differences between your legal business records, tax information, address, and SAM submission can create validation problems.

How to register on SAM.gov

Create or access your Login.gov account

SAM.gov uses Login.gov for authentication.

Go to the official SAM.gov website and sign in or create the account needed to access the entity-registration process.

Use an email account that your company will continue to control.

Avoid building an important federal registration around an employee's temporary or personal email address if it can be avoided.

SAM.gov

Start an entity registration

From SAM.gov, begin the entity-registration process appropriate for your organization.

If your objective is to compete for federal contracts, make sure you are completing the registration needed for federal contracting rather than obtaining only an identifier when full registration is required.

SAM.gov supports different entity-registration purposes, so follow the official prompts applicable to your organization.

Complete entity validation

SAM needs to establish that your organization is a real, unique legal entity.

Enter your legal entity information carefully.

Pay particular attention to:

Legal business name
Physical address
Entity structure
Other identifying information requested by SAM

Do not create a second entity simply because validation encounters a problem.

Resolve discrepancies through the official validation process.

Obtain your Unique Entity ID

The Unique Entity ID, commonly called the UEI, is the identifier used by the federal government for entities.

The UEI replaced the previous federal reliance on DUNS numbers for entity identification.

Entities completing SAM registration receive their UEI through SAM's entity process.

Some organizations may need only a UEI rather than a full SAM registration, depending on why they interact with the federal government.

For companies intending to compete for federal contracts, obtaining a UEI alone should not be confused with completing the registration required for contracting.

How to Get a Unique Entity ID →

Complete your core entity information

Continue through the SAM registration workflow and provide the required entity information.

This can include business, financial, tax, ownership, and other information needed for federal contracting and payment administration.

Review every field before submission.

Small inconsistencies introduced here can become larger problems when an opportunity deadline approaches.

Choose your NAICS codes carefully

North American Industry Classification System codes describe the types of business activities your company performs.

Technology companies often have several legitimate NAICS codes because they may provide software, consulting, cybersecurity, cloud, systems integration, data, engineering, or other services.

Do not simply select every technology-related code.

Your NAICS codes should accurately represent what your company actually provides.

They also matter because NAICS codes connect to SBA size standards and are commonly associated with federal opportunities.

How to Choose NAICS Codes →

Complete representations and certifications

Federal contractors make representations and certifications about their organization and eligibility.

Read each question carefully.

Do not guess about:

Business size
Ownership
Socioeconomic status
Legal representations
Certifications
Eligibility

If a question has legal, tax, ownership, or regulatory implications that you do not understand, obtain appropriate professional guidance.

Your representations and certifications should remain accurate and current.

Add the correct points of contact

SAM registration includes points of contact for different functions.

Use people and email addresses that will actually be monitored.

Federal opportunities and administrative issues can involve time-sensitive communication.

Do not create a situation where important messages disappear into an abandoned mailbox.

Review and submit

Before submission, conduct a final review.

Check:

Legal name
Address
UEI
NAICS codes
Business information
Points of contact
Representations and certifications
Financial information where applicable

Do not assume that clicking Submit makes the registration immediately active.

Monitor the registration until it becomes Active

After submission, monitor the entity record and respond to any validation or information requests.

SAM.gov currently advises that registration can take up to 10 business days to become active.

Issues with entity validation or submitted information may affect timing.

For that reason, companies should complete registration well before they need to submit a federal offer.

What does an Active SAM registration mean?

An Active registration means the entity has completed the applicable SAM registration process and the record is active in the system.

For federal contracting, active registration is an important administrative requirement.

It does not mean:

The government has approved your company as a preferred contractor
You are guaranteed to qualify for every solicitation
You are automatically considered a small business for every procurement
You have been awarded a contract vehicle
Agencies will automatically find and contact you
Your company is competitive for government business

Think of SAM as infrastructure.

It gets the company into the federal contracting system.

Winning requires considerably more.

How often do you need to renew SAM.gov?

SAM.gov states that entity registrations must be renewed every 365 days to remain active.

Do not wait until the expiration date.

Assign internal ownership for maintaining the registration and create reminders well before renewal is due.

Also update your registration when material company information changes rather than waiting for annual renewal when an earlier update is required.

Common SAM.gov registration mistakes

Waiting until you find an RFP
SAM registration is infrastructure, not proposal work. Complete it before a deadline makes it urgent.
Using inconsistent business information
Verify legal entity information before beginning the registration.
Confusing a UEI with full registration
Receiving a UEI does not necessarily mean your entity has completed the full SAM registration required for federal contracting.
Choosing NAICS codes without understanding them
Use codes that accurately represent the company's activities and understand how they relate to size standards and target opportunities.
Guessing on representations and certifications
Treat legal, ownership, size, and certification questions seriously.
Using contact information nobody monitors
Government communication can be time-sensitive.
Treating SAM registration as a sales strategy
Being registered does not create a government pipeline.

What should you do after your SAM registration becomes active?

Most registration guides stop once SAM becomes active.

Government business development starts there.

Validate your NAICS and size positioning

Understand which NAICS codes matter to your target market and whether your company qualifies as small under the applicable SBA size standards.

Identify relevant certification programs

Depending on ownership, location, business characteristics, and target market, programs such as 8(a), WOSB, EDWOSB, HUBZone, SDVOSB, or state/local programs may be relevant.

Do not collect certifications without a market reason.

Define your government value proposition

A government buyer should quickly understand:

What you do
What problem you solve
Who you solve it for
Why your approach matters
What evidence supports your claims

Build your capability statement

Create a concise capability statement aligned with the government customers and opportunities you intend to pursue.

Do not treat it as a generic corporate brochure.

Identify target agencies and accounts

Do not start by searching every available solicitation.

Identify government customers with:

Relevant missions
Relevant technology needs
Historical spending in your market
Contracts approaching recompete
Programs aligned with your capabilities

Research how those customers buy

Understand:

Incumbent contractors
Contract vehicles
Prime contractors
Historical awards
Set-aside patterns
Acquisition timelines
Procurement offices
Relevant forecasts

This is where registration begins turning into market intelligence.

Decide whether to prime, subcontract, or team

A new government contractor does not always need to pursue prime contracts immediately.

Depending on the market, subcontracting or teaming may provide:

Relevant past performance
Customer exposure
Contracting experience
Partner relationships
Lower-risk market entry

Choose the route based on strategy rather than ego.

Build an opportunity qualification process

Do not bid simply because your company meets the technical requirements.

Evaluate:

Customer relationship
Eligibility
Technical fit
Past performance
Competition
Incumbent
Differentiation
Timeline
Resources
Strategic value

Then make a deliberate pursue, pursue with conditions, or pass decision.

Already evaluating an opportunity?

Get a Bidlook First Look

Start capture before the RFP

The strongest pursuits often begin before the solicitation is released.

Research the buyer
Understand the incumbent
Identify stakeholders
Study historical procurements
Develop teaming relationships
Shape the solution
Build evidence
Understand likely evaluation priorities

This is why Bidlook's core philosophy is: winning starts long before submission.

SAM.gov registration checklist

Before starting

Confirm legal entity information
Confirm physical address
Prepare tax/business information
Prepare banking information where applicable
Identify relevant NAICS codes
Identify appropriate company points of contact

During registration

Complete entity validation
Obtain/confirm UEI
Complete applicable Core information
Review Assertions
Complete applicable Representations and Certifications
Add accurate Points of Contact
Review before submission

After submission

Monitor registration status
Resolve validation issues
Confirm Active status
Record renewal date

After activation

Validate NAICS and size standards
Review relevant certifications
Build capability positioning
Identify target agencies
Research buying history
Build opportunity pipeline
Establish bid/no-bid process
Begin capture

Frequently asked questions about SAM.gov registration

Is SAM.gov registration free?: SAM.gov does not charge a fee for entity registration. Use the official SAM.gov website. Businesses can also seek free government-contracting assistance through APEX Accelerators.
How long does SAM.gov registration take?: SAM.gov currently advises allowing up to 10 business days for registration to become active. Entity-validation or information issues may affect the timeline.
What is a UEI?: The Unique Entity ID is the federal identifier assigned to entities through SAM's entity process. It replaced the previous federal use of DUNS numbers for entity identification.
Do I need a UEI before registering in SAM?: The UEI is issued through SAM's entity process. Organizations completing full entity registration receive/use their UEI as part of that process.
Does getting a UEI mean my SAM registration is active?: No. A UEI identifies the entity. Full SAM registration involves additional information and processing before the registration becomes Active.
How often must SAM registration be renewed?: SAM.gov states that entity registrations must be renewed every 365 days to remain active.
Can my company have multiple NAICS codes?: Yes. A company can have multiple relevant NAICS codes when it performs multiple types of business activity. The codes should accurately reflect the products and services the company provides.
Does an active SAM registration make me eligible for every federal contract?: No. Individual solicitations can contain specific eligibility, size, certification, technical, security, past-performance, contract-vehicle, and other requirements.
Can I bid on a federal contract before SAM is active?: Federal rules generally require offerors to be registered in SAM when submitting an offer or quotation and at award, subject to specified exceptions. Always review the specific solicitation and applicable requirements.
What should I do after SAM registration?: Move from administrative readiness to market readiness: validate NAICS and size status, understand relevant certifications, strengthen your capability positioning, identify target agencies, research how they buy, build an opportunity pipeline, and establish a disciplined pursuit process.

Official resources

External official resources

These are external websites operated by U.S. government organizations and are not affiliated with Bidlook.

Related guides

Government Contracting Launchpad
Learn how to prepare your technology company for U.S. government contracting, from SAM.gov and NAICS codes to opportunity discovery, capture, proposals, and compliance.

Registered isn't the same as ready

Turn registration into a pursuit strategy.

SAM gets your company into the federal contracting system.

Bidlook helps technology companies decide where to compete, which opportunities deserve pursuit, how to shape the position, and how to execute when an opportunity matters.

Have an opportunity? Get a First Look Government Contracting Launchpad