Department of Defense — DoD SBIR Grant Series — Part 2

Registration Requirements to Participate in DoD SBIR / STTR Program

Once you have verified that you are a qualified SBC, it is time to begin the process of getting all the required registrations necessary to be able to upload your proposal to the DoD submission portal and be eligible for an award.  SAM.gov is the central supplier database for the federal government and is where you ultimately input your bank information to get paid.  SAM collects, validates, and stores data from suppliers and makes them available to government agencies for procurement.  As the primary system for government agencies to see supplier information during the acquisition process, all contract or grant seekers with federal agencies, like the DoD, are required to be in the system to sell to the federal government.  Once registered in SAM you will receive your organization’s CAGE code.  The Commercial and Government Entity, or CAGE code is a five-character ID number that identifies contractors.  During the SAM registration you will also identify your NAICS for your business.  The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) identifies business establishments by business categories.  Your organization can designate multiple NAICS and will allow you to see and bid on future government contracts.

The process of DoD SBIR grant registration in SAM is as follows:

1. Your business must have a Taxpayer ID, you can get one here: https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/apply-for-an-employer-identification-number-ein-online
2. Register your business as an SBC with the small business administration SBA.gov in order to receive your SBA SBC ID https://www.sba.gov/user/register
3. Register your business at SBIR.gov https://www.sbir.gov/user/login
4. Dun & Bradstreet’s nine-digit DUNS code has become a standard business identifier worldwide. Short for Data Universal Numbering System, DUNS numbers are required for DoD government contractors. You will need to have a DUNS number http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform
5. Register your entity in SAM.gov. www.sam.gov

Helpful Tip: It is important to get all your DoD SBIR grant registration done early.  They cost nothing, can take time to become effective, and all must be completed prior to SBIR submission.  Also, a lot of the government sites require complicated passwords that must be changed every 60-days.  To manage all these and more you may want a password support program to generate passwords and securely store them for you.

SAM.gov Process

1. 1. 1. Go to www.sam.gov
      2. Create a User Account
      3. Click “Register New Entity” under “Manage Entity” on your “My SAM” page
      4. Select your type of Entity
      5. Select “No” to “Do you wish to bid on contracts?”
      6. Select “Yes” to “Do you want to be eligible for grants and other federal assistance?” 
      7. Complete “Core Data”
   1. 1. 1. 1. • • Validate your DUNS information
                 • Enter Business Information (TIN, etc.)
                 • Enter CAGE code if you have one. If not, one will be assigned to you after your registration is completed. Foreign registrants must enter NCAGE code.
                 • Enter General Information (business types, organization structure, etc)
                 • Financial Information (Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) Information)
                 • Executive Compensation
                 • Proceedings Details
                 1. 8. Complete “Points of Contact”
                    9. Your entity registration will become active after 3-5 days when the IRS validates your TIN information.

          

         Once you have received your SAM registration, you will need to register on the DoD SBIR portal, this is where you will ultimately upload your proposal.  https://sbir.defensebusiness.org/

         Helpful Tip: Registering and Navigating SAM.gov portal can be challenging.  I recommend contacting your local Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) for assistance on this step.  They will save you a lot of time!   You can find your local assistance at http://www.aptac-us.org/ .  If you choose to go at it on your own, there is a step by step video that may assist you.  On youtube search for “SAM Registering New Entities in SAM for Government Contracts,”

         Once registered in SAM.gov you may get several emails that look very official telling you your SAM.gov is out of date, click here to update.  We are not certain if these are a scam or companies trolling to “assist” you in the simple task of annually updating your SAM.  We always look at the suffix of the website and/or sender email to find the .GOV.  If not there, you probably want to block and delete the sender

          

         If your solicitation states ITAR control, you should attempt to get registered for the Joint Certification Program via DD2345 form prior to submitting your proposal.  This verifies your company.  The simple online form and instructions can be found here:

         http://www.dla.mil/HQ/InformationOperations/Offers/Products/LogisticsApplications/JCP/DD2345Instructions.aspx

          

         Learn more about DoD SBIR Grant Writer Mr. Bard

          

         Did you like this post? Stay tuned for the next in the DoD SBIR Grant Series: The DoD SBIR Process: What do you give up?

         To go back to Post#1 in this series, Is Your Organization Eligible for a DoD SBIR Grant, click HERE.