US Federal Readiness
SAM.gov registration.
Registering your business on SAM.gov is the first gate to U.S. federal contracts. It's free, you do it yourself, and it produces the two IDs every agency asks for: your UEI and your CAGE code.
This is the front-of-the-funnel paperwork — get it right once and you're eligible to bid. Below: the real steps, what the government actually charges (nothing), how long it takes, and what to do the day your registration goes active.
How to register, step by step.
The official process on SAM.gov. Have your entity details ready and most of it is one sitting; the wait is the government's validation, not your typing.
- 01
Create a Login.gov account
SAM.gov sign-in runs through Login.gov. Set up your Login.gov credentials first, then create a SAM.gov account with the same email. This is the gate for every later step.
- 02
Gather your entity information
Have your legal business name, physical address, and Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN/EIN) ready, plus banking details for electronic funds transfer (EFT) if you pursue full registration. Full registration asks for a lot of information — collect it before you start.
- 03
Validate your entity and get a UEI
SAM.gov validates your legal business name and physical address against its records. Once validated, it assigns your Unique Entity ID (UEI) — a 12-character alphanumeric identifier generated inside SAM.gov. You do not apply for a UEI separately or through any third party.
- 04
Complete full registration
To be eligible for federal contract awards you complete full registration: core data, assertions, representations and certifications, and points of contact. The Defense Logistics Agency then assigns your CAGE code as part of the process.
- 05
Wait for activation, then keep it active
Government validation (IRS TIN matching, CAGE assignment, entity verification) takes time — typically up to about 10 business days for domestic entities. After activation you must renew your registration every 365 days to stay in active status.
Always start at the official site, sam.gov. Sell to State is not affiliated with SAM.gov, GSA, or any U.S. government agency.
What registration gives you.
A Unique Entity ID (UEI)
A 12-character ID generated inside SAM.gov that replaced the DUNS number in 2022. It's how every federal system references your business.
Look up a UEI →A CAGE code
A 5-character code assigned by the Defense Logistics Agency during full registration, used across defense and supply-chain systems.
Award eligibility
An active registration is required to be eligible for most federal contract awards and financial assistance. No active SAM record, no award.
Registered. Now find the work.
SAM.gov makes you eligible. It doesn't tell you which contracts to chase. Once your registration is active, the next job is discovery: finding the opportunities you can actually win and the buyers worth your time.
That's what Sell to State does. Search government tenders in plain English, profile the agencies that buy what you sell, see who's won before, and get alerted the moment a relevant opportunity posts — across federal, state, and local markets.
Keep going
Get contract-ready
- UEI lookup — Find and verify a Unique Entity ID on SAM.gov
- Capability statement — The one-page seller's resume every contracting officer expects
- Find tenders — Search open government opportunities across 194 markets
- Tender alerts — Get notified the moment a matching contract posts
- Government procurement software — How the full discovery stack fits together
Frequently asked questions
Is SAM.gov registration free?
Yes. Registering an entity on SAM.gov is free, and getting a Unique Entity ID (UEI) is free. The U.S. government does not charge for SAM registration or for a UEI. Third-party firms may charge to file on your behalf, but you can complete the process yourself at no cost on the official SAM.gov site.
How long does SAM registration take?
Entering your information online generally takes a few hours if you have it ready. After you submit, government validation — IRS TIN matching, CAGE code assignment, and entity verification — typically takes up to about 10 business days for domestic entities to become active. International entities can take longer.
What is the difference between a UEI and a CAGE code?
The Unique Entity ID (UEI) is a 12-character alphanumeric identifier assigned inside SAM.gov that replaced the old DUNS number in 2022. The CAGE code is a separate 5-character identifier assigned by the Defense Logistics Agency and used mainly in defense and supply-chain systems. Full SAM registration produces both.
How often do I have to renew my SAM registration?
Your registration stays active for one year. You must renew it every 365 days to keep it in active status. The UEI itself does not expire, but the registration around it does — let it lapse and you become ineligible for new federal awards until you renew.
Do I need to register with SAM before I can bid on federal contracts?
An active SAM registration is required to be eligible for most federal contract awards and federal financial assistance. Many contracting officers will not award to an entity that is not actively registered, so register early — well before a deadline you care about.
How does Sell to State help once I'm registered?
Registration makes you eligible to win; Sell to State helps you find what to win. Once you're active on SAM.gov, use Sell to State to search government contract opportunities, profile the agencies that buy what you sell, and get alerted on new tenders — across federal, state, and local markets and 194 countries.
Find the tender before your competitor does.
Free to browse the entity graph across 194 countries. One subscription unlocks the full dataset, the API, the CLI and the MCP server.