The GSA’s System for Award Management website (SAM.gov) is looking to make some massive updates in the future. SAM is the searchable federal database where vendors register in order to carry out any business with the government.
The new vision for SAM is to eventually consolidate the functions of 10 existing sites. The goal of this endeavor is to compile all contractor registration and award data into one easily accessible source.
The new SAM is already undergoing BETA testing and can be accessed on the GSA’s test site, beta.SAM.gov. When the current SAM.gov is retired, beta.SAM.gov will become the new SAM.gov. The current legacy websites will maintain their usual roles until they are eventually decommissioned.
The government-owned sites currently being integrated into the new beta site are migrating in waves.
Sites Migrating Now:
SAM.gov – System for Award Management
- SAM is the home for contractor’s entity registrations. Anyone who wants to be considered for a federal award (acquisition awards, assistance awards, or both) must be registered and listed in SAM.
FPDS.gov – The Federal Procurement Data System
- FPDS is currently the single source for federal procurement data managed by the General Services Administration. It includes data on what was purchased, from whom, for how much, and much more, as reported by various government agencies.
FBO.gov – Federal Business Opportunities
- The source for commercial vendors seeking to market their products and services to various government agencies. Here you will be able to search open and closed opportunities published by government buyers.
Future Consolidations
fsrs.gov – The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act Subaward Reporting System
- The system Federal prime contract awardees use to report subcontract award information in compliance with the FFATA.
fapiis.gov – The Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System
- Contains contractor performance records posted by government agencies. This includes past performance evaluation, suspensions, and debarments.
The GSA has stated that the functions of these sites will be fully implemented within the next 2 years. After testing is completed and the above are fully implemented into SAM, the sites will be retired and no longer usable. The GSA confirms, however, that these sources will continue to be updated and improved until they are removed.
esrs.gov – Electronic Subcontracting Reporting System
- Contractors with Subcontracting Plans integrated in their contracts make their reports here. Federal contracting officials review subcontracting reports and compile information to support subcontracting goals.
cpars.gov – Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System
- CPARS is the home for contractor assessments completed by government officials. Before an assessment is posted, contractors will also be able to contest them here. Government contractors used CPARS to help determine their source selections.
Decommissioned Government Web Sites
Wdol.gov – Wage Determination Online
- gov provided a location for federal contracting officers to use in obtaining appropriate SCAand DBA wage determinations for each official contract action.
Cfda.gov – Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
- The listing of Federal assistance programs, projects, services, and activities.
PPIRS – Past Performance Information Retrieval System
- Provided contractor past performance reviews to the Department of Defense and Federal Acquisition Community. This system is now consolidated with CPARS.
New Features
Federal Hierarchy
- One of the newly confirmed features of the new SAM is the federal hierarchy database. SAM will provide an organization hierarchy of funding and awarding departments or independent agencies, sub-tier organizations, and offices.
The consolidation of SAM will allow users to create a single account to access all data, search across the entire database of systems, and access a one-stop shop help center. There is also a feedback tool for user input.
The GSA has stated that the functions of these sites will be fully implemented within the next 2 years. After testing is completed and the above are fully implemented into SAM, the sites will be retired and no longer usable. The GSA confirms, however, that these sources will continue to be updated and improved until they are removed.
Consultant with Coley GCS, LLC, a Government Contracts Consulting, Coaching and Training company. John has more than five years’ experience and is an expert on GSA Schedule product and catalog management, data analysis, & process and system support.