A Guide to the SAM Renewal Process

A Guide to the SAM Renewal Process

If you want to do business with the federal government, it is necessary to register within the System for Award Management (SAM). Is it time to renew your SAM registration? Or are you unsure how often SAM registration must be renewed? In this article, we discuss the requirements and how to go about the SAM renewal process:

How often do I need to renew a SAM Registration?

At least every year, you need to re-validate and renew your SAM registration within the system. That means you typically have 365 days from the most recent date you registered your organization. However, if any of the details for your company change during the year, you must update SAM registration right away.

How does DUNS relate to SAM? SAM information must match what is in DUNS. That system is used to validate original registrations and any updates. (See the process section below.)

While registration and renewal are not excessively complicated, the way that you register, renew, and present yourself within SAM is critically important. Not only must your registration remain active to get government contracts, grants, and other awards – but also, much of the value of SAM is as a marketing tool to introduce your organization to the government and other contractors.

For that reason, you may choose to skip the DIY route and work with SAM registration and renewal experts. These professionals validate everything and guide you in who to contact, what to say, and what to send them. Additionally, you get strong third-party support rather than having to find solutions through the Federal Service Desk (FSD) if you have any issues.

How do I check my current SAM Registration?

Do you not know if you need to renew SAM registration? Are you unsure if you are registered at all? Or do you simply want to see how your record appears in the public database? In any of those cases, you need to know how to view your entity (the term used within SAM for any organization or company within its database). There are three different processes for viewing records, based on your registration circumstances, as follows:

Scenario 1: You were previously elected for public registration, and it is currently live.

  1. Go to www.sam.gov.
  2. Click on “Search Records” at the top left.
  3. Search the records using your Entity Name, DUNS Number, or CAGE Code.

Scenario 2: You previously elected for public registration, but your registration has expired.

  1. Go to www.sam.gov.
  2. Click on “Search Records” at the top.
  3. Click on “Advanced Search – Entity” at the right.
  4. Look for the “Registration Status” line. Click the “Inactive” checkbox.
  5. Click the “Entity” checkbox.
  6. Search the records using your Entity Name, DUNS Number, or CAGE Code.

Scenario 3: You previously declined inclusion in public search.

While you cannot view your record in the public database, in this case, you can view your privately listed registration information as follows:

  1. Go to www.sam.gov.
  2. Log in with your username and password.
  3. Migrate your roles.
  4. Click “Register/Update Entity.”
  5. Click “Complete Registrations.”