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Central portal — register once as a vendor

How to register as a government contractor in United States

To bid on U.S. federal contracts, an entity must complete a free entity registration in SAM.gov, the government's central system for award management. During registration the entity is validated and issued a Unique Entity ID (UEI); a domestic entity also automatically receives a CAGE code, while a foreign entity must first obtain an NCAGE code before registering. Registration must be renewed every 365 days to stay active and eligible for federal awards.

Central portal — register once as a vendor
This country runs a single national portal where you register as a vendor. That registration is your standing qualification to bid.

Official portal

System for Award Management (SAM.gov)

U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) — Integrated Award Environment

Go to portal ↗

Who can register

Foreign companies eligibleNo local entity required to bid

A U.S. subsidiary or local incorporation is not required to register in SAM.gov as a foreign entity. Foreign entities register directly but must obtain an NCAGE code (from NSPA/national Codification Bureau) instead of a domestically-assigned CAGE code, and may be asked for country of incorporation and a national identifier during entity validation rather than a U.S. state of incorporation.

Step-by-step: registering in United States

1

Obtain an NCAGE code (foreign entities only)

Entities located outside the United States and its outlying areas must obtain a NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) code before starting a SAM.gov registration. Request it from the national Codification Bureau if the country is a NATO member or sponsored nation, otherwise directly from the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) public portal. The legal business name and physical address submitted for the NCAGE code must exactly match what is entered in SAM.gov.

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Required:
  • Legal business name
  • Physical (street) address of the entity
  • Business/organizational details
2

Create a Login.gov account and start at SAM.gov

Go to SAM.gov and sign in through Login.gov (create an account if you do not have one). Select 'Get Started' and choose 'Register Entity' to begin a full registration that allows bidding on federal contracts. (Choosing 'Get a Unique Entity ID' only, without registering, does not allow direct application for federal awards.)

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🔒 Sign up to see the 1 required document(s) for this step.
3

Validate your entity and receive a Unique Entity ID (UEI)

Entity validation is the first step of registration. SAM.gov validates the entity's legal business name and physical address. If the entity is not found, the registrant must submit documentation proving legal business name, physical address, and start year (foreign entities provide country of incorporation and may provide a national identifier instead of a U.S. state of incorporation). Non-English documents require a certified English translation. Once validated, a Unique Entity ID is assigned.

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🔒 Sign up to see the 4 required document(s) for this step.
4

Complete the full registration record

Enter the remaining required information: business details, NAICS code(s), financial/banking information for payment, points of contact (including the Entity Administrator and Authorized Official), and complete the required Representations and Certifications (FAR/DFARS reps and certs). Foreign entities effectively owned or controlled by a foreign government must disclose that ownership.

official link ↗

🔒 Sign up to see the 6 required document(s) for this step.
5

Submit and wait for activation

Submit the registration for processing. SAM.gov states registration can take up to 10 business days to become active; delays occur when there are errors or missing documentation. Once active, the entity may bid on federal contracts as a prime awardee.

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~10 day(s)
6

Renew every 365 days

Registration must be renewed every 365 days to remain active and eligible to receive federal awards and payments. Renewal is also free.

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Cost, timeline & legal basis

Cost

Free. SAM.gov registration (and NCAGE codes from NSPA) carry no government fee; GSA states 'You do not need to pay a third party to complete your registration.'

Typical timeline

~10 days

Legal framework

Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) — CAGE/NCAGE and SAM registration requirements at FAR 52.204-16 (Commercial and Government Entity Code Reporting) and FAR 52.204-7 (System for Award Management); DFARS 252.204-7000 series for NCAGE. See https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.204-16

Common pitfalls & restrictions

Foreign entities frequently fail because the legal business name and physical address in their NCAGE record do not exactly match SAM.gov (must match 100%). Starting SAM registration before the NCAGE code exists, or before it has propagated, causes validation failures. Non-English supporting documents must include a certified translation. Entity validation documentation errors are the most common cause of delay beyond 10 business days.

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Sources & verification

This guide is grounded in official sources, last verified 2026-07-20.

SAM.gov is central registration; Login.gov sign-in; UEI assigned during registration; up to 10 business days; renew every 365 days; UEI-only cannot apply for awards — https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration
Foreign SAM registrants must obtain an NCAGE code prior to registration in SAM; domestic entities get CAGE automatically; CAGE required prior to award (FAR clause) — https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.204-16
Registration is free; GSA registration steps (NAICS, size standards, SAM.gov, UEI); do not pay a third party — https://www.gsa.gov/small-business/find-opportunities/register-your-business
Entity validation is first step; foreign entities provide country of incorporation/national identifier not U.S. state; certified translation for non-English docs; foreign government ownership disclosure — https://sam.gov/entity-registration
Entity Registration Checklist: documents to prepare including NCAGE, validation docs, banking, points of contact — https://sam.gov/sites/default/files/2024-11/entity-checklist.pdf
NSPA public NCAGE/CAGE list and request portal for non-NATO/non-sponsored countries — https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/scage/CageList.aspx
This guide summarizes official requirements for general information and can change. Always confirm current requirements on the official portal before acting. GlobalGov is not affiliated with any government procurement authority.