SAM Information

[onebugle]

Just in case some do not recieve info from AFG. Here's the latest email in regard to SAM issues.


Essential Information for Applicants and Awardees on the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) Registration

We understand that it is frustrating to deal with the new SAM (System for Award Management) registration system for grants, especially when it requires migrating previous DUNS numbers and Central Contractor Registry (CCR) information.

To help you make the transition, here are some resources and key points that all applicants and awardees should keep in mind. The information below is explained in more detail on the System for Award Management for AFG Awardees (www/fema.gov//rules-tools/system-award-management).

To Receive an Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Award, you must be registered and have up-to-date information in the online System for Award Management or SAM (SAM.gov). SAM replaced the Central Contractor Registry (CCR), which no longer exists. SAM registration is FREE of charge and is required of all Federal awardees. Follow the FAQs and User Guides on the SAM.gov website for specific instructions.

New Awardees must register in SAM to receive any Federal grant award. If your organization applied for a grant but has not yet registered in SAM, please go to Sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/ and follow the FAQs and User Guides for help completing the registration process.

If You Registered Previously in the CCR, you still have to create a new Individual User Account in SAM prior to receiving a future federal grant. You should open an Individual Account as soon as possible and then migrate your legacy (CCR) account. (See the Quick Start Guide for Updating/Renewing Registrations That Were in CCR and Are Now in SAM.)

Your DUNS Information Must Be Correct: When you create a new SAM account you must use the same e-mail address and DUNS (Data Universal Numbering System) number that you entered when you registered previously in the CCR. It is critical that you enter the correct DUNS number in your SAM.gov account. If the DUNS number does not match the number and mailing address on record for the grantee on the Dun and Bradstreet website, you will not be able to complete your registration.

Is Your SAM Profile Marked PRIVATE? If so, FEMA Grants Management Specialists will not be able to verify your active SAM registration. We recommend that you mark your SAM profile PUBLIC. Sensitive banking and financial data are not revealed in the Public profile.

Questions about SAM? FEMA Grants Management Specialists are available to answer questions about SAM. Contact your State Assigned Grants Management Specialists (http://www.fema.gov//rules-tools/***...nt-specialists).

Technical Issues. Your success in navigating through SAM may vary depending on the browser and platform used, e.g., Internet Explorer vs. Firefox, etc. The SAM.gov website says that any of the following web browsers will offer the most effective use of SAM: Firefox v3+ (free download available from http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/all/); Internet Explorer v7+; Chrome; Opera v9.64+; Safari v3.2+. For details see Browser Settings for Optimal Use of the System for Award Management.

Other SAM Resources

SAM Help Desk, (toll-free) 1-866-606-8220. You may have to wait a long time to talk to someone, but they will be able to help you navigate through the system.

SAM User Guide
Quick Start Guide for Entities Interested in Being Eligible for Grants
Quick Start Guide for Updating/Renewing Registrations that Were Previously in CCR and Are Now in SAM
Quick Start Guide for Migrating Roles
Browser Settings for Optimal use of the System for Award Management

[penman]

Many thanks onebugle. They mention using Java which seems to be a target for hackers lately. I hate to put it back on my Mac, have you heard of any problems lately. They seem to fix the problem only to get hacked again.
Ed

[Wolf8552]

In an email that I received from an AFG grant specialist, which I assume other Grants Management Specialists use also, mentions our “SAM profile” and being marked PRIVATE vs PUBLIC. I looked everywhere in SAM and found nothing that uses the term “SAM profile”. I believe the correct term is "SAM registration". Also, I don’t believe there is a way to mark your registration as “PRIVATE” or “PUBLIC”. What folks should be looking for is
"I DO NOT authorize my entity information to be displayed in SAM's Public Search." vs "I authorize my entity information to be displayed in SAM's Public Search."

I believe that the misuse of terminology, as well as general unfamiliarity of AFG personnel with SAM is exacerbating problems.

Anyhow, the main problem with my fire district's SAM account happened when our CCR info was moved over to SAM. The contact information for each of our individuals was a bungled up. It put full names (First Middle Last) in a box that was only for a First name and left the Last name blank. So though our registration was checked of as available for public search, SAM had an error in it that was hanging it up.

Wolf

[ktb9780]

In an email that I received from an AFG grant specialist, which I assume other Grants Management Specialists use also, mentions our “SAM profile” and being marked PRIVATE vs PUBLIC. I looked everywhere in SAM and found nothing that uses the term “SAM profile”. I believe the correct term is "SAM registration". Also, I don’t believe there is a way to mark your registration as “PRIVATE” or “PUBLIC”. What folks should be looking for is
"I DO NOT authorize my entity information to be displayed in SAM's Public Search." vs "I authorize my entity information to be displayed in SAM's Public Search."

I believe that the misuse of terminology, as well as general unfamiliarity of AFG personnel with SAM is exacerbating problems.

Anyhow, the main problem with my fire district's SAM account happened when our CCR info was moved over to SAM. The contact information for each of our individuals was a bungled up. It put full names (First Middle Last) in a box that was only for a First name and left the Last name blank. So though our registration was checked of as available for public search, SAM had an error in it that was hanging it up.

Wolf

Wolf, mea culpa and guilty as charged. The improper use of terminology is indeed a big problem but, unfortunately without being able to log in myself I was unable to discern that there was indeed a language problem. I have been forwarding problems to AFG specialist that is developing a webinar ref same so with your permission I will send your comments on to her. I am quite sure this would resolve a bit of the problems people are having in there. Thanks for clarification!

[olneyfd]

I was just checking our Department's information and we are registered with SAM as "I authorize my entity information to be displayed in SAM's Public Search."

I have tried searching the database using the name of our entity and also our DUNS number to no avail. I want to ensure that our registration is visible for AFG, but don't know any other tricks. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!

[ktb9780]

I was just checking our Department's information and we are registered with SAM as "I authorize my entity information to be displayed in SAM's Public Search."

I have tried searching the database using the name of our entity and also our DUNS number to no avail. I want to ensure that our registration is visible for AFG, but don't know any other tricks. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!

If you just recently finished registering then they will be verifying the information and you should receive an email in a few days stating that it is has now been accepted after which it should be visible when you do the search.

[olneyfd]

If you just recently finished registering then they will be verifying the information and you should receive an email in a few days stating that it is has now been accepted after which it should be visible when you do the search.

Already received all that a couple weeks ago. Still not showing up though.

[ktb9780]

Already received all that a couple weeks ago. Still not showing up though.

Call them about it then.

[Retread30]

Already received all that a couple weeks ago. Still not showing up though.

Same thing happened to us. Got the 1199A update 1 month ago, registered with SAM end of January and got confirmation Feb 1. Everything good until yesterday, poof all gone! Called SAM today said they had upgraded search software this weekend have no idea what happened. They are looking into it. Our Department only shows up in a SAM search if it is done with a Government account according to the SAM help desk. If I log in I can see it as my entity but if I do a search its comes up no record. Hope it gets fixed soon!

[Retread30]

By the way, you can search by name, DUN, or Cage code and it comes back NO RECORD. Also, received the email questions by the Grants Specialist and responded immediately (2 weeks ago). Haven't even heard if he received the reply yet! Anyone have any idea how long this process is going to take?? Thanks.

[bartonff201]

I went through this ordeal yesterday you have to call 1-866-274-0960 and speak to rep. You might be on hold a while but they will assign someone to your case. They let me know that our department is listed as public but for some reason they cannot look us up either by doing us a search. They hope by the end of the week they will have my problem fixed but you need to call to make sure your department gets taken care of.

[olneyfd]

I went through this ordeal yesterday you have to call 1-866-274-0960 and speak to rep. You might be on hold a while but they will assign someone to your case. They let me know that our department is listed as public but for some reason they cannot look us up either by doing us a search. They hope by the end of the week they will have my problem fixed but you need to call to make sure your department gets taken care of.

Thanks for the info. On hold now and I am only number 75 in line!

[kylefiremedic]

Thanks for the info. On hold now and I am only number 75 in line!

I was number 71 on the call waiting list yesterday when I called yesterday. It took about twenty minutes and I finally got to speak to a representative. She was more than helpful and solved my problem.

[BC79er]

Fixed one yesterday that had both a Complete and Incomplete registrations for the department somehow. Complete one was marked private, incomplete was marked searchable. Had to delete the Complete one, which wiped both records, and then re-register. Then there will be the 24+ hour delay in it appearing again. Obviously by olney's post, many people are having issues. As long as you're in progress and AFG staff is aware of it, you'll be good to go.

[Retread30]

Recently received the following reply from the SAM help desk reference our Department not showing up on a SAM search:

There is a known issue in SAM right now where all government types are automatically being opted-out of public search. Since you are a US Local Government this is impacting your registration and will be resolved in our next deployment on March 15th.

[BC79er]

If you're not a municipal department you should be listed as "Business or Organization" in that 1st or 2nd screen.

Also been finding that your organization name and address need to match EXACTLY what is in D&B's database since it checks that. Had one yesterday where their address was listed as "Corner of ____ and _____" in D&B. Which you can check if you go to their site and enter just the first word of your department's name. Several are now Fire & Rescue or other variations yet D&B still lists it under the original name.

[GratefulEd]

Quick and easy way to tell if you're marked "public" or not: do you get spam that obviously originates from information the SAM system? Like what I've pasted below?

----------

"The contents of this email are intended for the following recipient only:

To: Edwin Ditto with West Polk County Fire And Rescue | Cage Code 6LAW8

Re: Expiring contract available for bid matching West Polk County Fire And Rescue's capabilities - NAICS: 922160

If you are not the intended recipient and received this message in error, please notify the sender by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of this page and delete this transmission.

Edwin Ditto, you've received this notification due to West Polk County Fire And Rescue's federal contracting profile matching the prerequisites for registering as an interested vendor to directly bid on an Expiring Contract available for recompete matching West Polk County Fire And Rescue's capabilities. We would like to speak with you regarding this opportunity. Please call 888-964-3392 M-F 8:30am-7pm EST."

[Retread30]

My Department's issue with SAM has nothing to do with being marked public or private. We are marked public but the new search software SAM installed two weeks ago is not allowing government agencies to show up on a public search. Spoke to the Grants Manager assigned to our grant, (the one who sent the 5 questions), and had to log on to SAM and save our entity in a doc file to email to him. There's got to be a better way!

[kylefiremedic]

My Department's issue with SAM has nothing to do with being marked public or private. We are marked public but the new search software SAM installed two weeks ago is not allowing government agencies to show up on a public search. Spoke to the Grants Manager assigned to our grant, (the one who sent the 5 questions), and had to log on to SAM and save our entity in a doc file to email to him. There's got to be a better way!

Same issue here.......

[ktb9780]

[QUOTE=Retread30;1359437 There's got to be a better way![/QUOTE]

LOL When you find it you please be sure to share it with all of us OK?