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SAM.gov Academy

New to government contracting? Start here.

Government contracting rewards preparation. This is what to do, in order, and why — plus how to get set up if you're not there yet. It's a real market, and every step below is free to do yourself.

SAM.gov registration is free — always.

The U.S. government never charges you to register or renew on SAM.gov, and you keep your own Login.gov credentials and stay your own Entity Administrator. Be cautious of anyone who asks for a fee to “register” you. Free, government-funded help is available from APEX Accelerators and the SBA — both linked below.

Government contracting in 60 seconds

What it is

Federal, state and local agencies buy goods and services from private companies through a public, competitive process — a large, steady market that rewards firms who learn its rules.

Prime vs. subcontractor

A prime holds the contract with the government; a subcontractor works under a prime. Teaming as a sub is often how a new firm builds past performance before winning as a prime.

The lifecycle

Find → qualify → bid → win → deliver → recompete. Knowing where an opportunity sits tells you what to do next — the per-solicitation checklist walks you through the bid.

New to government contracting?

The SAM.gov Academy

A free, plain-English course covering the whole journey — from setting up your business and registering, to finding, qualifying, pricing, and winning federal work. Eleven short modules, each explaining what to do and why.

Start the Academy

Not set up yet? Start with your situation

Not registered on SAM.gov yet?

You need an active SAM.gov registration to bid on and be paid for federal work. Here's the typical path — all free.

The typical path

  1. 1Create a Login.gov account and turn on multi-factor authentication.
  2. 2Request your Unique Entity ID (UEI) and pass entity validation (your legal name and physical address must match official records).
  3. 3Enter your EIN/TIN and give IRS tax-match consent.
  4. 4Let SAM request your CAGE code (assigned by DLA).
  5. 5Confirm your Entity Administrator and core business data (business type, NAICS, size, and banking for payment).
  6. 6Complete the Representations & Certifications (Reps & Certs).
  7. 7Submit — activation can take up to about two to three weeks.

Most delays come from an entity-validation name/address mismatch or a TIN mismatch — match your official records exactly. Your registration expires yearly and an expired registration makes you ineligible, so renew 30–60 days early.

Free help

Get free help registeringSee the full step-by-step in the Academy

No business set up yet?

Before SAM.gov you need a legal business in place. Do these first, in order.

The typical path

  1. 1Form a legal business entity with your state.
  2. 2Get a free EIN (Employer Identification Number) from the IRS.
  3. 3Set up a real physical business address (not a P.O. box).
  4. 4Open a business bank account — SAM needs it for payment.
  5. 5Identify your NAICS codes and consider free SBA small-business certifications.
  6. 6Then register on SAM.gov (see the pathway to the left).

SAM registration itself is free. The SBA offers free counseling to help you form the business and get certified — start there rather than paying a third party.

Free help

Get free help getting set upSee the full step-by-step in the Academy

Have another question about getting started?

Ask the SAM.gov Hunter team and we'll follow up by email. It's free to ask, and the free official help is always available.

Learn the app

The Field Manual

A step-by-step guide to using every part of SAM.gov Hunter.

Video tutorials

Short walkthroughs of the search, analysis and proposal tools.

This overview is educational and points you to the official, free sources — it isn't legal or financial advice, and SAM.gov Hunter is not affiliated with SAM.gov, GSA, or the U.S. government.