How do I access or register my business in SAM?

To create an account and access SAM as a new user:

Step 1:  Go to www.sam.gov.
Step 2:  Click on “Create a User Account.”
Step 3: Complete the requested information, and then click “Submit/Create.”
Step 4: Select “Individual User Account.”
Step 5: You will receive an email confirming you have created a user account in SAM. You can now register an entity, search For Official Use Only (FOUO) information, and (if you are a designated government official) enter exclusions into the system.
Step 6: If you are an organization, business, government agency or grantee (known in SAM as an “entity”), you must also register your entity in SAM.

To register in SAM as an entity:

Step 1: Login to SAM with your user ID and password.
Step 2: Gather all of the required information needed to complete your registration.
Step 3:  Click on "Register New Entity" from the left side navigation pane.
Step 4: Complete and submit the online registration. It is estimated that it will take approximately 30 minutes to complete registration if you already have all the necessary information on hand, depending upon the size and complexity of your entity.
Step 5: You will receive an email confirming that your registration is in process. Note that new registrations can take an average of 7-10 business days to process in SAM. SAM must send out some information for validation with outside parties before your registration can be activated; this includes TIN validation with the IRS and CAGE validation/assignment with DoD. This timeframe may be longer if the information you provide is flagged for manual validation by either party. If you notice your registration has had a ‘Submitted’ status for longer than 10 business days, and you have not otherwise been contacted to correct or update information, please contact the Federal Service Desk at 866-606-8220 or https://www.fsd.gov.

What information do I need to register my entity in SAM?

Depending on the type of registration you need, categories of information needed may include the following:
Core Data - Includes, but is not limited to, an entity's DUNS and/or DoDAAC, name, address, CAGE or NCAGE code*, taxpayer or employer ID numbers (TIN or EIN), general information, financial information, and details about any proceedings in which the entity may currently be involved. Core Data is mandatory for all registration types.
Assertions - Includes, but is not limited to, data about the types of goods and services the entity provides, the entity size, NAICS Codes, optional Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) and disaster-relief data.
Representations and Certifications – Details related to an entity’s small business status, responses to commonly used Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) provisions/clauses, and Architect-Engineer Responses (SF330 Part II).
Points of Contact (POC) – Types include, but are not limited to, contacts for accounts receivable, electronic business and government business. POC information is mandatory for all registration types.

Before you start, please be sure you also have gathered the following information:

• Your Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number from Dun & Bradstreet, and the name and address associated with that DUNS
• Your Taxpayer Identification Number and the name associated with that TIN (from your W-2 or W-9)
• Your Contractor and Government Entity (CAGE) Code, if you already have one (if you don't, one will be assigned to you during registration)
• Your Electronic Funds Transfer information, such as your financial institution’s ABA Routing Number and your account number, along with the bank phone or fax number

You will be unable to submit your registration online unless all the mandatory information is provided.

* The Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code is a five-character ID number used extensively within the federal government, assigned by the Department of Defense’s Defense Logistics Agency (DLA). You do not need to have a CAGE code prior to registration, as one will be automatically assigned to you as a part of your entity's registration in SAM.