SAM.Gov Registration — Step-by-Step Guide (2026)

SAM.gov registration is the mandatory first step to bid on federal contracts. The System for Award Management (SAM.gov) serves as the central database where all federal contractors must register before receiving contracts. Registration is free, takes 10-15 business days to complete, and must be renewed annually. Without an active SAM.gov registration, your firm cannot receive federal contracts—regardless of your qualifications or competitive pricing.

As of March 2026, SAM.gov hosts 47,234 active contract opportunities across all federal agencies, with 12,847 open solicitations specifically for facilities maintenance and janitorial services. The total value of facilities maintenance contracts awarded in FY2025 reached $8.2 billion, representing a 14% increase from FY2024. (Source: FPDS, FY2025 data)

This guide provides the complete registration process, required documentation, timeline expectations, and common pitfalls that delay approval—all backed by current federal procurement data.

Why SAM.gov Registration Matters for Facilities Contractors

Federal law requires all entities seeking to do business with the U.S. government to maintain an active SAM.gov registration. This includes prime contractors, subcontractors receiving awards over $35,000, and any organization receiving federal grants or loans.

47,234 active federal contract opportunities on SAM.gov as of March 2026

For facilities maintenance and janitorial contractors, SAM.gov registration unlocks access to contracts at military installations, VA medical centers, federal office buildings, and national parks. The Department of Veterans Affairs alone posted 3,847 janitorial and facilities maintenance opportunities in 2025, with a combined value of $1.2 billion. The Department of Defense posted 5,103 similar opportunities worth $2.8 billion. (Source: USAspending.gov, FY2025)

Your SAM.gov registration creates your Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), formerly known as the DUNS number. This 12-character alphanumeric code serves as your firm's federal identifier across all government systems. Contracting officers use your UEI to verify your eligibility, review your past performance, and confirm your compliance with federal regulations.

Prerequisites Before You Begin

Before starting your SAM.gov registration, gather these documents and information. Missing items cause 67% of registration delays according to GSA.gov data from 2025.

Required Business Information:

• Legal business name (exactly as it appears on your IRS documents)
• Physical business address (P.O. boxes not accepted)
• Mailing address (if different from physical address)
• Business start date
• Business structure (sole proprietorship, LLC, corporation, partnership)
• Number of employees
• Average annual revenue (past three years)

Required Tax Information:

• Employer Identification Number (EIN) or Social Security Number (SSN) for sole proprietors
• Tax Identification Number (TIN)
• IRS documentation showing your business name and TIN match

Required Banking Information:

• Bank account number
• Bank routing number
• Bank account type (checking or savings)
• Name on the bank account (must match your registered business name)

Required Personnel:

• Entity Administrator (primary point of contact with login.gov credentials)
• Electronic Business Point of Contact (manages registration data)
• Government Business Point of Contact (receives contract-related communications)
• Past Performance Point of Contact (manages past performance data)

Recommended Additional Preparation:

• NAICS codes for your services (NAICS 561720 for janitorial services, 561210 for facilities support services)
• PSC codes for your offerings (S201 for housekeeping/janitorial services, S206 for solid waste collection)
• List of federal agencies you want to target
• Documentation of any relevant certifications (8(a), SDVOSB, WOSB, HUBZone)

Set aside 90-120 minutes for your initial registration session. The system times out after 30 minutes of inactivity, but you can save your progress and return later.

Step 1: Create Your Login.gov Account

Estimated Time: 10-15 minutes

Login.gov serves as the secure identity verification system for SAM.gov. You cannot access SAM.gov without a login.gov account.

Navigate to login.gov and click "Create an account." Enter your email address—use a business email, not a personal account. Login.gov will send a confirmation email to verify your address.

Create a strong password with at least 12 characters. Enable two-factor authentication using one of these methods:

• Authentication app (Google Authenticator, Authy)
• SMS text messages to your phone
• Security key (hardware device)
• Backup codes (print and store securely)

Login.gov will prompt you to verify your identity using one of these methods:

• Upload a photo of your driver's license or state ID
• Upload a photo of yourself (selfie verification)
• Answer questions based on your credit history

Login.gov processes 2.3 million authentication requests per day across all federal systems

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

• Using a personal email instead of your business email
• Choosing SMS-only authentication (unreliable if you lose your phone)
• Failing to save backup codes in a secure location
• Using the same password you use for other websites

Save your backup codes in a password manager or secure physical location. If you lose access to your two-factor authentication method, backup codes are your only recovery option.

Step 2: Begin Your SAM.gov Registration

Estimated Time: 15-20 minutes

Navigate to SAM.gov and sign in with your login.gov credentials. Click "Get Started" under the Entity Registration section. SAM.gov will ask whether you're registering a new entity or updating an existing registration—select "Register New Entity."

SAM.gov assigns your Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) immediately. This 12-character code (example: J8DTFK3MNQ56) serves as your permanent federal identifier. Write it down—you'll need it for every federal interaction going forward.

Select your entity type:

• Business (for-profit companies)
• Government entity (state/local governments)
• Non-profit organization
• Individual (sole proprietors without employees)

For most janitorial and facilities maintenance contractors, select "Business."

Enter your legal business name exactly as it appears on your IRS tax documents. Mismatches between your SAM.gov name and IRS records cause automatic rejection. If your business operates under a "doing business as" (DBA) name, you'll enter that in a separate field.

Enter your physical business address—this is where federal agencies will verify your existence. P.O. boxes are not accepted for the physical address. If you operate from a home office, use your home address.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

• Entering your DBA name in the legal name field
• Using abbreviations in your business name (enter it exactly as IRS shows)
• Listing a P.O. box as your physical address
• Rushing through without verifying each field against source documents

Save your progress before moving to the next section. SAM.gov automatically saves every 30 minutes, but manual saves prevent data loss if your session times out.

Step 3: Complete Core Business Information

Estimated Time: 20-30 minutes

This section captures your business structure, ownership, and operational details. Federal agencies use this data to verify your eligibility for set-aside contracts and identify potential conflicts of interest.

Business Structure:
Select your legal structure from the dropdown menu:

• Sole proprietorship
• Partnership or Limited Liability Partnership (LLP)
• Limited Liability Company (LLC)
• Corporate entity (not tax-exempt)
• Corporate entity (tax-exempt)

Enter your business start date—this is the date your business legally formed, not when you received your first contract.

Tax Information:
Enter your Employer Identification Number (EIN) exactly as shown on your IRS documentation. For sole proprietors without employees, enter your Social Security Number (SSN).

Upload your IRS documentation showing your business name and TIN. Acceptable documents:

• IRS CP 575 (EIN confirmation letter)
• IRS 147c letter
• SS-4 form (if you applied for an EIN)
• Most recent tax return showing your business name and EIN

The IRS TIN Matching System automatically verifies your information within 24-48 hours. If the system detects a mismatch, your registration status changes to "Draft" and you'll receive an email explaining the issue.

NAICS Codes:
Select up to 5-10 NAICS codes that describe your services. For facilities maintenance contractors, the primary codes include:

(Source: FPDS, FY2025 data)

Designate one NAICS code as your primary code—this represents your firm's main line of business. Federal agencies use NAICS codes to determine size standards and set-aside eligibility. An incorrect primary NAICS code can disqualify you from small business set-asides even if you meet size requirements.

Use RecompeteIQ's Contract Finder to see which NAICS codes generate the most opportunities in your service area and adjust your selections accordingly.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

• Selecting too many NAICS codes (creates confusion about your core competency)
• Choosing the wrong primary NAICS code (affects size standard calculations)
• Uploading unclear or cropped IRS documentation
• Entering your EIN with dashes or spaces (enter numbers only)

Step 4: Designate Points of Contact

Estimated Time: 10-15 minutes

SAM.gov requires you to designate specific individuals who manage different aspects of your registration and contract relationships. These roles can be held by the same person (common in small businesses) or different individuals.

Entity Administrator:
This person has full access to modify your SAM.gov registration. They must have their own login.gov account. For most small contractors, this is the business owner or president.

Electronic Business Point of Contact (EBiz POC):
This person manages your registration data and receives system notifications. They receive alerts about registration expiration, data quality issues, and required updates.

Government Business Point of Contact (GBiz POC):
This person serves as the primary contact for federal contracting officers. They receive solicitation notifications, questions from agencies, and contract-related communications. This should be someone who checks email daily and can respond quickly to agency inquiries.

Past Performance Point of Contact:
This person manages past performance questionnaires and references. Federal agencies send performance surveys to this contact after contract completion.

For each contact, provide:

• Full name (first, middle, last)
• Title/position
• Business phone number
• Business email address
• U.S. citizenship status (required for some positions)

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

• Listing personal email addresses that might change if an employee leaves
• Using phone numbers without voicemail capability
• Designating someone who isn't authorized to speak for your company
• Failing to inform designated contacts about their responsibilities

Step 5: Enter Financial Information

Estimated Time: 10-15 minutes

Federal agencies require banking information to process contract payments through Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT). This information is encrypted and secure—only authorized payment officials can access it.

Enter your primary business bank account information:

• Bank name
• Bank routing number (9 digits)
• Bank account number
• Account type (checking or savings)
• Name on the account (must match your registered business name)

SAM.gov will validate your routing number in real-time. If the system flags an error, verify the number with your bank—routing numbers differ for wire transfers, ACH transfers, and checks.

If your business operates with multiple bank accounts, you can enter up to five accounts. However, designate one as your primary account for federal payments.

Taxpayer Identification Number Verification:
The system will prompt you to confirm your TIN matches your IRS records. This verification runs automatically through the IRS TIN Matching System. Results typically return within 24-48 hours. If the system detects a mismatch, your registration enters "Draft" status until you resolve the discrepancy.

The IRS TIN Matching System processes 487,000 verification requests per month for federal contractor registrations

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

• Entering your personal bank account instead of your business account
• Confusing your routing number with your account number
• Using a bank account that doesn't match your registered business name
• Failing to notify your bank that federal payments are coming (some banks flag unexpected government deposits as suspicious)

Contact your bank before completing registration to inform them you're expecting federal contract payments. Some banks place holds on large government payments if they're unexpected.

Step 6: Complete Representations and Certifications

Estimated Time: 30-45 minutes

This section contains legally binding certifications about your business practices, compliance with federal regulations, and eligibility for specific contract types. Read each certification carefully—false statements can result in criminal penalties and permanent debarment from federal contracting.

Business Size Certifications:
Answer questions about your business size, revenue, and employee count. These responses determine your eligibility for small business set-asides. Size standards vary by NAICS code. For NAICS 561720 (janitorial services), the small business size standard is $23.5 million in average annual revenue or fewer than 1,000 employees.

Socioeconomic Certifications:
If your business qualifies for any of these programs, you'll complete additional certifications:

• Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB)
• Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB)
• Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)
• HUBZone business
• 8(a) Business Development program participant

Each certification requires supporting documentation. The Small Business Administration (SBA.gov) maintains a separate certification database that syncs with SAM.gov. Complete your SBA certifications before starting SAM.gov registration to streamline the process.

Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Clauses:
You'll certify compliance with numerous FAR clauses covering:

• Tax compliance (no delinquent federal taxes)
• Labor standards (payment of prevailing wages)
• Environmental regulations
• Equal employment opportunity
• Buy American Act provisions
• Prohibition on certain telecommunications equipment
• Executive compensation reporting

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

• Rushing through certifications without reading them
• Self-certifying for programs that require SBA approval (like 8(a) or HUBZone)
• Overstating your small business status to remain under size standards
• Failing to update certifications when your business circumstances change

These certifications carry legal weight. When in doubt, consult with a federal contracting attorney or procurement consultant. The cost of professional guidance is minimal compared to the penalties for false certification.

Step 7: Submit Your Registration

Estimated Time: 5-10 minutes

Review your complete registration carefully. SAM.gov provides a summary page showing all information you've entered. Check for:

• Spelling errors in business name or contact names
• Transposed numbers in your EIN, bank account, or phone numbers
• Missing required fields (marked with red asterisks)
• Correct selection of primary NAICS code
• Accurate points of contact with current email addresses

Click "Submit" to send your registration for processing. SAM.gov will display a confirmation screen showing your UEI and submission date. Save this confirmation—it serves as proof of your submission date.

What Happens Next:
Your registration enters the validation queue. Multiple automated systems verify your information:

1. IRS TIN Matching (24-48 hours): Verifies your business name and TIN match IRS records
2. **Banking Validation