XL EagleSAM.gov (System for Award Management)
SAM.gov stands for System for Award Management. SAM.gov is the official U.S. government website, run by the General Services Administration (GSA), for doing business with federal agencies. It holds the master record of every company that wants federal contracts or grants, and it is also where agencies post most contract opportunities.
The site brings together several older systems that used to live in separate places, including the old FedBizOpps bid board and the Central Contractor Registration database. Registering and searching on SAM.gov is always free, so any company that charges you just to 'register on SAM' is selling a service you can do yourself.
Why it matters to a small contractor
If you want to be paid directly by a federal agency, you need an active record on SAM.gov. Even if you only plan to work as a subcontractor, searching SAM.gov's Contract Opportunities shows you what agencies near you are buying, which helps you find primes to team with.
Example
A janitorial company owner in Ohio searches SAM.gov for 'custodial' notices within her state, finds a VA clinic cleaning contract, and reads the statement of work before deciding whether to bid.
SAM.gov: common questions
Does it cost money to use SAM.gov?
No. Registration, renewal and searching are free. Outside firms may charge to help you, but the government never charges a fee to register.
Do I need a SAM.gov account just to look at bids?
No. Anyone can search Contract Opportunities without logging in. You need a Login.gov account and an entity registration only when you want to be awarded contracts or access certain restricted documents.
Is SAM.gov the only place federal bids are posted?
It is the main one, but not the only one. Some purchases run through agency systems like DIBBS or GSA eBuy, and small buys may never be posted publicly.
Want the contract without the paperwork? Send XL Eagle your price on an open government job. We write and submit the bid under our registrations, free to you. Find open jobs →