Register an International Entity in SAM

A SAM registration is required to work as a federal contractor or subcontractor, and for nonprofits to receive grants. The registration process can be confusing, time consuming, and frustrating, even though it is the first step to working with the U.S. government. For this reason, and because KER provides additional value to the SAM registration process, many businesses and nonprofit entities use our registration services.

What is an Entity? An entity is any person who or organization that is registered to do businesswith the federal government. You must have an active entity registration in SAM.gov to receive a federal contract or federal assistance. What do I need to get started? Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): You need a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) to register your entity in SAM.gov. UEIs are unique for each physical location you register. NATO Commercial Government and Entity (NCAGE)Code: Before starting the registration process, international entities must obtain an NCAGE Code for each UEI they plan to register in SAM. To obtain an NCAGE Code, visit the NSPAePortal. Make sure the legal business name and physical address you provided to receive your UEI and your NCAGE Code are identical. It takes up to 3 business days to obtaina NCAGE code.

What about a U.S. Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN)? You only need a TIN if your entity pays U.S. taxes. If you are an international entity that does not pay taxes in the U.S., do not enter a numberin the TIN field during registration.

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Login to SAM.gov

1. Navigate to SAM.gov.

2. Click the “Sign In” button in the upper right corner. Select “Accept” to accept the US Government System terms.

3. After selecting“Accept,” the system will redirect you to login.gov.

4. Enter your login.gov credentials and select “Sign In.” The system may prompt you to enter a one-time securitycode. (You will receive this code via the authentication method you selected during account creation.) a. Note: If you do not already have a Login.gov account, please create an account.

5. After signing in, the system will re-direct you to your SAM.gov workspace.

Starting a New Entity Registration in SAM.gov Any user wishing to register an entity needs to have an Entity Administrator role. If there is no administrator for your organization, the Federal ServiceDesk (FSD) can assign you an administrator role. First you will need to create an account in SAM.gov. Once your accountis created, you can go to FSD.gov and create an incident using the webform. You will be required to attach a notarized letter to the webform and indicate that you are requesting an administrator role for your entity. A scanned copy of the notarized letter should be attached to the webform. For instructions on submitting a notarized letter, visit Notarized Letter at the FSD.

1. In the Entity Management widget, select the “Register Entity” button.

2. Select the “Start Registration” button at the bottom of the registration overview page.

3. Review the Before You Start information, and gather all required information needed to complete your registration

4. Select the “Continue” button to proceed.

5. Complete and submit the online registration. If you have all the necessary information this shouldtake approximately 45 minutes to complete. The time to complete could vary depending on the size and complexity of your registration. The steps to complete the registration are next.

How to Complete an Entity Registration in SAM.gov

1. Select your type of entity, most likely “Business or Organization.”

2. Tell the system why you are registering in SAM, which determines what information you must provide. If you are registering in SAM.gov to conduct businesswith the governmentthrough contracts, select “I want to be able to bid on federal contracts or other procurement opportunities. I also want to be able to apply for grants, loans, and other financial assistance programs.” Note: If you are only interested in financial assistance, please refer to the Quick Start Guide for Grants Registrations.

3. Complete your registration. Required fields are marked with a red asterisk (*). A few helpful hints:

   1. On the Business Information page, you will create aMarketing Partner Identification Number (MPIN). Remember your MPIN. It is used as a password in other government systems like Grants.gov. If you do not pay U.S. taxes, do not enter a TIN or select a TIN type. Leave those fields blank.

   2. On the NCAGE Code page,enter your NCAGEcode. Remember your legal business name and physical address for your DUNS number and NCAGE code must match.

   3. On the General Information page, only select “Foreign Owned” if your entity is owned or controlled by a foreign entity. If you are also a Manufacturer of Goods, select that first, then select “Foreign Owned.”

   4. On the Financial Information page, you do not need to provide Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) banking information. If you do choose to provide this electronic banking information, it must be for a U.S. bank; SAM cannot accept foreign bankinginformation. The remittance name and addressare the only mandatory sections on this page.

   5. In the Points of Contactsection, list the names of people in your organization who know about the registration in SAM and why you want to do business with the U.S. government. These are calledPoints of Contactor POCs. The Government Business POC is the primarycontact for your organization.

4. After your final review, select “Submit.” You will receive a confirmation message on the screen.If you do not see this message,you did not submit your registration.

Once approved by the IRS (if you entered a TIN), the U.S. Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE)system, and when your entityregistration is active with an approved Entity Administrator letter on file, SAM.gov will send an email to you.

Note: Start this process well before your contract or grant application deadline. Allow up to 12- 15business days afteryou submit beforeyour registration is active in SAM, then an additional 24 hours for other systems such as Grants.gov to recognize your information.

How long will it take?

Allow up to 12-15 business days after you submit before your registration is active in SAM.

As you can see, SAM registration is cumbersome and takes several hours. While the process is easy, it takes several hours and is often not completed properly by those doing it on their own. Write to us on mgr@karenvr.com or call +1 (720) 897 5115 today to discover how we can help you.