What is the purpose of the System for Award Management (SAM)?

The purpose of the System for Award Management (SAM) is to provide a consolidated interface for federal procurement systems, which serves as a central hub for various federal contracting and grant activities. SAM streamlines the processes involved in federal procurement by consolidating multiple systems and eliminating the need for businesses to register in multiple places. This makes it easier for federal agencies to find, vet, and engage contractors, as well as for businesses to manage their registrations and act as eligible vendors for federal contracts.

While managing federal budgets, maintaining contractor performance records, and issuing contracts are important elements of federal procurement activities, these functions are not the primary focus of SAM. SAM's design as an inclusive platform intended to simplify and unify the registration and eligibility verification processes is what truly delineates its core purpose.