The COGR Virtual Meeting held February 27 to March 1, 2024, included a session focused on the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) entity registration process, presented by Ivana Henry from the U.S. General Services Administration and moderated by Krystal Toups of CGA (COGR). The presentation provided a comprehensive overview of SAM.gov, the officially managed platform for organizations aiming to do business with the U.S. federal government, emphasizing its role in registering entities, obtaining Unique Entity IDs (UEIs), and accessing a broad spectrum of federal contract and assistance information. The walkthrough detailed who should register, the necessary preparations and documentation, and the importance of appointing multiple entity administrators to ensure continuity and ease of management.
Significant attention was given to the entity validation process, which independently verifies organizations’ legal existence and information to maintain the integrity of federal awards. Challenges commonly encountered include difficulties with document acceptance, communication issues with support services, long processing times, and problems during IRS or DLA (CAGE code) verifications. The session offered practical tips for expediting validation—such as ensuring consistency of entity data, responding promptly to help desk requests, and submitting appropriate documentation within specified timeframes. The importance of early renewals, accurate alignment of legal and tax documentation, and understanding the distinct verification roles of SAM.gov, IRS, and DLA were emphasized. Attendees were guided to leverage available help resources at FSD.gov and encouraged to utilize online tools, guides, and support channels to navigate the complex registration and renewal process effectively.
