SAM.gov (System for Award Management)
The federal government's central registration database for entities doing business with the government — required for receiving contracts, grants, or other awards.
How It Works
Any company or organization that wants to do business with the federal government must register in SAM.gov. Registration includes providing an entity's legal name, address, banking information, and NAICS codes. SAM.gov also hosts contract opportunities — it's where agencies post solicitations and companies find contract opportunities. The site replaced several legacy systems including CCR (Central Contractor Registration) and FBO (FedBizOpps). Registration must be renewed annually.
Related Terms
- NAICS Code — The North American Industry Classification System code — a 6-digit number that classifies a business by the type of economic activity it performs, used to determine small business size standards.
- Competitive Bidding (Full and Open Competition) — The standard procurement process where the government publicly solicits proposals from multiple vendors and selects the best offer based on price, quality, and capability.
- USASpending.gov — The official U.S. government website that tracks all federal spending — contracts, grants, loans, and other financial assistance — searchable by agency, recipient, and location.
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About This Definition
This definition is part of the TaxDollarData Federal Spending Glossary — 31 terms explaining how the U.S. government spends taxpayer money. All definitions are written in plain language for taxpayers, journalists, contractors, and researchers.