You are required to complete your System for Award Management (SAM) Registration in order to work as a Federal Contractor or to apply for Federal Grants. Once completed correctly & without errors, your SAM Registration will be valid for one year from the date the registration is approved. The SAM Registration is ONLY utilized to make & track payments to Approved Entities for contracts, grants & financial assistance. SAM is NOT used by Contracting Officers to locate vendors, it’s strictly a Federal payment tracking system.