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USAID Contribution

Doing Business with USAID: DUNS and SAM Systems 101

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The DUNS/SAM screencasts are designed to help USAID staff and its current and future partners better understand the steps required to register with the federally-mandated DUNS and SAM systems. Screencast 1 contains a summary overview of the higher level steps of DUNS and SAM, followed by a Q&A session where the presenters answered questions submitted by Missions and Washington bureaus. Screencast 2 is a comprehensive step-by-step walk-through of the DUNS and SAM process by representatives from each system's internal unit. 

The PowerPoint presentations used in the screencasts are also available in Haitian Creole, French, and Spanish and a robust USAID focused FAQ is currently being built out and will be available on this page in a few weeks. 

We encourage all USAID contracting officers, programs officers, and AORs and CORs to share these resources with their partners to streamline procurement processes and better educate our community on doing business with the federal government.  

 Presenters: 

Judith Zawatsky, Director of Outreach & Stakeholder Management from the Integrated Award Environment Office of General Services Administration (GSA)

 Jeanine Maas, Senior Engagement Manager, Dun & Bradstreet

 What is SAM and DUNS?

Before being able to bid on government proposals, entities need to obtain a Dun & Bradstreet, or D-U-N-S, Number, a unique nine-digit identification number for each physical location of their business. D-U-N-S Number, or simply DUNS, assignment is free for all businesses required to register with the federal government for contracts or grants. A DUNS number is required prior to registration in the System for Award Management (SAM). 

The System for Award Management (SAM), accessible at www.SAM.gov, is the single federal website where users (contracting officials, contractors, grant seekers, grantees, and the public) can access 9 separate websites/databases that aid in the management of federal procurements from start to finish. The goal of SAM is to eliminate redundancies and streamline these processes.

 The systems to be combined into SAM, grouped by functional area, are: 

Entity Management

  • CCR/FedReg - Central Contractor Registration/Federal Agency Registration
  • ORCA - Online Representations and Certifications Application

Award Management

  • FBO - Federal Business Opportunities
  • FPDS-NG - Federal Procurement Data System - Next Generation
  • eSRS/FSRS - Electronic Subcontracting Reporting System/FFATA Subaward Reporting System

Wage Date

  • WDOL - Wage Determinations Online

Performance Information

  • PPIRS/CPARS/FAPIIS - Past Performance Information Retrieval System
  • EPLS - Excluded Parties List System
  • PPIRS/CPARS/FAPIIS - Past Performance Information Retrieval System, Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System, and Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System.

Assistance Program Catalog

  • CFDA - Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

The first systems to go offline will be CCR/FedReg, ORCA, and EPLS.  No date has been given for when the remaining systems will be migrated into SAM. 

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