Mittelstand US procurement RFP handbook.
The RFP architecture US federal procurement reads on, and what foreign suppliers rebuild before responding.
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The US federal entity registration database, mandatory for any entity seeking federal contracts above the micro-purchase threshold, federal grants, or federal sub-awards.
SAM.gov, operated by the General Services Administration, is the official US government registration system for entities seeking to do business with the federal government. Active SAM.gov registration is a precondition under FAR Part 4 for receiving federal contract awards above the micro-purchase threshold (currently 10,000 US dollars), federal financial assistance awards, and federal sub-awards. The system replaced the legacy Central Contractor Registration (CCR), Online Representations and Certifications Application (ORCA), and Excluded Parties List System (EPLS), consolidating them into a single federal awardee management database.
Registration requires an entity to obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), the 12-character alphanumeric identifier that replaced the Dun and Bradstreet DUNS Number as the primary federal entity identifier in April 2022. UEIs are issued directly by SAM.gov. Registration also requires a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code for US-based entities, or an NCAGE code for non-US entities. NCAGE codes are issued by the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) and are obtained before SAM.gov registration is completed for a foreign entity.
The SAM.gov registration record captures the entity's legal business name, physical address, taxpayer identification, banking and electronic funds transfer information for federal payment, primary and additional NAICS codes, business size and socioeconomic classifications, points of contact, and the FAR and DFARS representations and certifications the entity is making to the government. Registration is valid for one year and must be renewed annually; lapsed registrations make the entity ineligible for award until reinstated.
For internationally-headquartered firms entering the US federal market, SAM.gov registration is the foundational compliance step. Foreign entities register through SAM.gov directly; an NCAGE code must be obtained from NSPA in advance, which adds typically four to six weeks to the registration timeline. The representations and certifications captured at registration are extensive: FAR 52.204-26 covered telecommunications equipment representations, Section 889 prohibitions, Buy American Act and Trade Agreements Act certifications, debarment and suspension representations, and many others. Entities making inaccurate representations face civil and criminal exposure under the False Claims Act.
SAM.gov registration sits upstream of NAICS code selection, GSA MAS application, and federal solicitation responses. Further reading: Mittelstand US procurement RFP handbook.
The RFP architecture US federal procurement reads on, and what foreign suppliers rebuild before responding.
Read the pillar →The reading frame US procurement applies to foreign vendors. Category, past performance, peer set, risk architecture.
Read the pillar →The full corridor architecture for German firms entering the US, including registration and procurement gates.
Read the pillar →