SAM.gov Entity Registration - For Vendors.pptx

February 2024 SAM.gov Entity Registration For Vendors

U.S. DEPARTMENT of STATE

The information is current as of February 4, 2024 We developed this slide deck for Procurement professionals at post. Please modify to suit your needs, as you interact directly with entities/vendors and often help with entity registration.

For vendors creating, updating or renewing a SAM.gov Entity Registration

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This slide presentation contains:

User Account Information Entity Process Overview SAM.gov Registration Process Overview Common Issues & Solutions Resources – Where to Find Help

This slide deck will be helpful for entities (vendors) who are creating, updating or renewing a SAM.gov Entity Registration. This is a resource of information from DOS SAM.gov LES Workshop presentations, GSA IAE and GSA FSD.gov. This is not a step-by-step guide. We focused on the most important information, common issues, and solutions. The Federal Service Desk (FSD.gov) Knowledge Base articles are referenced throughout, and entities are encouraged to read these documents via the FSD.gov which is the place to go for assistance.

What is SAM.gov ?

What is SAM.gov?

SAM.gov is an official website of the United States government The government does not charge any money to register or maintain your entity registration in SAM.gov You can use SAM.gov to become eligible to bid on and receive payment for U.S. federal government contracts

The General Services Administration’s (GSA’s) Integrated Award Environment (IAE) facilitates the federal award processes in multiple online systems, including the System for Award Management or SAM.

Think of SAM as a depository for vendors, state & local governments, individuals, or non-profit organizations’ information If the entities want to do business with the U.S. Federal Government , they must be registered in SAM.gov

What is an International Entity?

What is an International Entity?

“Entities” in SAM.gov are corporations, organizations, partnerships or individuals that submit information to be eligible for federal funds through contracts, grants, or other financial assistance “International Entities” are any entity based outside of the U.S.

Entities = Vendors (Please see the Code of Federal Regulations, 2 CFR 200.1 for a definition of included entities)

An entity is anyone who desires to do business with the U.S. Government Entity can also refer to a party which has been suspended or debarred, is covered by a prohibition or restriction, or is otherwise excluded from doing business with the government We will use the terms entity and vendor interchangeably

SAM.gov User Account & Roles

How do I create a SAM.gov user account?

Go to SAM.gov and select Sign In in the upper right corner Select Accept to accept the U.S. Government terms and conditions Create a login.gov account (Click the Create an Account button) or use your existing login.gov account

How do I create a SAM.gov user account?

KB0017363

SAM.gov and Login.gov – Authentication Methods Authentication Methods:

SMS/Text messages Voice/Phone Backup codes Authentication application (Microsoft Authenticator, Google Authenticator, etc.)

Federal government employee or military identification (PIV/CAC) Security Key Other method

IMPORTANT!!!!!

Select at least two Include phone numbers Remember to renew backup codes Check Login.gov International phone number support

Everyone should have TWO (2) authentication methos, to avoid getting locked out of your account Check the Login.gov International Phone Number Support to determine if your international phone number can be used as a two-factor authentication method to receive SMS (text messaging) and/or phone calls.

Due to spam issues, or changes made by Login.gov’s SMS and voice providers, this list can change and your number may no longer be supported. Sometimes new phone numbers are also not supported for voice or SMS (text messaging).

We encourage you to set up more than one authentication method to avoid getting locked out of your account if your phone number is no longer supported.

How do I request a role with an entity on SAM.gov ?

Sign in to SAM.gov and navigate to your Workspace.

Scroll down to the bottom of the page and select “Request a Role” View a video on how to request a role or accept a role assignment How do I request a role on SAM.gov?

KB0016602

Before you begin…

Watch Stakeholder Forum videos IAE Stakeholders Forums:

August 3, 2022 (For those in the process now) August 9, 2022 (For those new to the process) September 14, 2022 (Questions & Answers from Users) December 06, 2022 (State & Local Governments + great demo) Read Federal Service Desk Knowledge Base articles Read the Quick Start Guide for International Registrations

Before you begin the process to create, update or renew a SAM.gov Entity Registration, you should watch the Stakeholder Forum videos and/or read the Knowledge Base articles.

Most of the issues entities encounter stem from lack of knowledge of the processes. These issues can be minimized or eliminated if you become familiar the FSD.gov articles and videos, as well as the Stakeholder forum presentations/videos.

Entity Information

SAM.gov Entity Information Domain

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SAM.gov/content/home

SAM.gov/content/entity-information

Entity Information is one of the SAM.gov domains or functional areas There are links to register your entity or get a unique entity ID (UEI), if you don’t have one already Sign into your entity workspace to renew or update your entity registration information Always check the status of a recently submitted entity registration or renewal to see where you are in the process.

Entity UEI Change – April 4, 2022 Prior to April 4, 2022:

DUNS Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) Third-party provided both the entity validation service (EVS) and generated the UEI Third-party owned the associated data As of April 4, 2022:

DUNS UEI changed to SAM UEI Entity Validation Service (EVS) contract awarded to a new provider EVS is now separate from UEI generation All must complete initial entity validation against the new provider’s database

April 4, 2022 GSA transitioned from the DUNS Unique Entity ID (UEI) to the SAM UEI

With this transition, the Entity Validation Service provider also changed EVERYONE must complete initial entity validation against the new provider’s database, as the old provider’s data cannot be use as of April 4, 2022.

Entity Validation Process

Entity Validation Process

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Entity Validation Process Helps prevent improper payments Deters procurement fraud Maintains the integrity of government and grants processes

Entity Validation Process (cont.)

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Entity Validation Service (EVS) Independently verifies the existence and uniqueness of an entity when they:

Request a Unique Entity ID (UEI) Register to pursue federal awards Renew their entity registration each year Validation focused on changes to key details Update or change their entity’s legal business name or physical address Every entity must validate against the EVS provider’s database and data sources, even if they have an active registration

SAM.gov Registration Process

SAM.gov Registration Process

Entity Validation is the first step to get a UEI and register an entity

SAM.gov Registration Process (cont.)

How does Entity Validation work in SAM.gov?

SAM.gov Registration Process (cont.)

Documentation Review Process

SAM.gov Registration Process (cont.)

Check Registration Status

You must log into SAM.gov to Check Entity Status SAM.gov Home page, Customer Service section at the bottom of each page, or FSD.gov contains the Check Registration Status button

SAM.gov Registration Process (cont.)

Check Registration Status (cont.)

When checking the entity registration status, the blue box will contain the Legal Business Name, UEI, and Entity Status Label. Read all the information in the blue box to understand where you are in the process. This example shows a vendor who only has a UEI assigned. They need to continue the process in order to obtain a SAM.gov Entity Registration.

SAM.gov Registration Process (cont.)

Sign into FSD.gov New button will appear Below the SAM.gov Logo Select button Open a new chat window Find entity status

Check Entity Status via Chat Now Available!

Entity Status Labels

How long does entity validation take?

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Information (legal business name, physical address, etc.) must be confirmed by finding an exact match in the database.

Most entities find a match immediately, but some may require additional documentation and a manual review.

If the entity submits documents, they will be reviewed, and the entity will receive and email from fsdsupport@gsa.gov with further instructions. The review time will depend on whether a match can be made from the original document or if additional documentation is required.

As of 01/16/24, the average time to complete a manual review is four (4) business days.

(Per FSD.gov Knowledge Base article number KB0064315) Once the review is complete, instructions will be provided via email from fsdsupport@gsa.gov on how to return to SAM.gov and complete the entity validation process.

See the FSD.gov Knowledge Base article number KB0064315 to update the average time to complete a manual review.

This information is subject to change

Common Issues & Solutions

SAM.gov Assistance - Most Common Issues

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1. Do you need to appoint an Entity Administrator?

See the FSD.gov Knowledge Article:

How can I become the new administrator for our entity registration? (KB0016652) Create a ticket via the Federal Service Desk (fsd.gov) and attach the Entity Administrator letter to that ticket.

If you have already submitted an Entity Administrator letter - You will receive direct updates via the FSD ticket once a decision (approval or rejection) has been made Be responsive to the Agent’s comments What to Expect: Tickets are reviewed in the order in which they are received.

According to GSA, these are the four (4) most common issues We have also included additional slides containing issues we have seen

SAM.gov Assistance - Most Common Issues (cont.)

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2. Do you need to Validate your Entity?

See the FSD.gov Knowledge Article:

I am unable to find a matching entity when asked to enter or validate my entity information (KB0055230) Validating your Entity (KB0058422) What documentation do I need to validate my entity? (KB0055230) Create an FSD ticket by going to the Entity’s workspace in SAM, click the three-dot ‘Actions’ menu and select 'Update'; on the next screen click 'Create Incident' Be responsive to the Agent’s comments or the FSD ticket will be closed What to Expect: Tickets are reviewed in the order in which they are received.

SAM.gov Assistance - Most Common Issues (cont.)

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3. Do you need to Submit a Registration?

See the FSD.gov Knowledge Article:

How can I become the new administrator for our entity registration? (KB0016652) Create a ticket via the Federal Service Desk (fsd.gov) and attach the Entity Administrator letter to that ticket.

SAM.gov Assistance – Most Common Issues (cont.)

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4. Have you Submitted a Registration?

Users with assigned roles with the registration can monitor the process via this path:

Log in to SAM.gov → from the Homepage, select ‘Check Registration Status’ → and enter the UEI or Legal Business Name If the registration is rejected, the Entity must follow the instructions provided by either IRS or CAGE to reconcile any discrepancies.

What to Expect: Normal processing times are 10 business days from the date the registration was submitted.

Common Issues: Addresses not matching

SAM.gov Entity Information

Physical Address must match CAGE/NCAGE: FSD Articles KB0055230 & KB0061654

These next few slides show an example of an address mismatch between SAM.gov Entity Registration and CAGE/NCAGE. We see this issue a lot The addresses must match line by line

Common Issues: Addresses not matching (cont.)

CAGE/NCAGE

Common Issues: Addresses not matching (cont.)

SAM.gov Entity Information

CAGE/NCAGE

Common Issues: Unique Entity ID

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You can only have one UEI and one CAGE/NCAGE See the FSD.gov Knowledge articles:

Do I have to re-register my entity or update my entity to get a Unique Entity ID? (KB0045988) I am a international registrant and need to find an NCAGE Code to register in SAM.gov. How do I get an NCAGE code? (KB0016381)

What is an NCAGE code?

International entities are required to get an North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) code before registering. You must get an NCAGE code if you meet either of the following criteria:

You are registering for "All Awards" (both contracts and grants) as your purpose of registration, or

You are seeking financial assistance from Department of Defense (DoD).

If your purpose of registration is "Financial Assistance Awards Only", and you are not seeking financial assistance from the DoD, you do not need an NCAGE code to register. When you get an NCAGE code, you supply a legal business name and a physical address for your entity.

The entity name and address you provide in SAM.gov must match your NCAGE record and entity documentation you may be required to provide to validate your entity.

Common Issues: Incorrect Documentation Documents to Validate Legal Business Name and Physical Address

What documentation do I need to validate my entity? KB0055230 https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=gsafsd_kb_articles&sys_id=9bcc94f9872bbd14f20c63180cbb3501

7 Common Reasons Entity Validation Documents Get Rejected Reason #1: You attached the correct document, like a bank statement, but it’s too old.

Reason #2: You didn’t include the specific request you’re making in the text box of your ticket.

Reason #3: You attached one or more documents with incorrect information.

Reason #4: You attached documents demonstrating your physical address using a P.O. box.

Reason #5: You attached non-English-language originals without also attaching a certified English translation.

Reason #6: You attached your original application or typed document, or screenshots of a form where you entered data on a website.

Reason #7: You attached poor quality documents.

Source: FSD.gov article number: KB0059705

Where to Find Help

Resource – Stakeholders Forums

IAE Stakeholders Forums:

August 3, 2022 (For those in the process now) August 9, 2022 (For those new to the process) September 14, 2022 (Questions & Answers from Users) December 06, 2022 (State & Local Governments + great demo)

If you did not attend the Stakeholder Forums, please take the time to view these videos. They show demonstrations which include the screens. Not all applies to International registrants, but the information is very useful if you are creating a new registration or renewing your current registration.

Federal Service Desk (FSD.gov)

This is the help desk for SAM.gov. Become familiar with this FSD.gov landing page and the Knowledge Base Sign in to see your incident ticket status, if applicable Always check the FSD.gov Knowledge Base first. Use the green or blue links, if applicable Search by Keyword or Article Number to find the latest articles

Federal Service Desk (FSD.gov) Knowledge Base

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Federal Service Desk (FSD.gov) Search the FSD Knowledge Base Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) FIRST OPTION: Search the FSD Knowledge Base User guides Video tutorials Articles Glossary terms SECOND OPTION: Create an incident ticket THIRD OPTION: Phone Call or Live Chat w/ FSD representatives

First Option should be the FSD.gov Knowledge Base

Login.gov Help (For issues with logging into SAM.gov)

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Login.gov Login.gov/Help Login.gov/Contact

If you have trouble logging into SAM.gov due to an authentication code issue, you must go to the Login.gov website Help Center. The FSD.gov cannot assist with login issues. Please take the time to familiarize yourself with this page and the different sections.

YouTube – General Services Administration (GSA)

Thank You

SAM.gov FSD.gov Login.gov YouTube - GSA

The above slide contains the links for the four (4) websites referenced in this slide deck.

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