SAM Step 2: Assertions (~5 min)

Screen 1: Good and services

Find NAICS & PSC Codes: Enter the NAICS codes that reflect the type of work your company does. 

If you don’t know which NAICS codes to choose:
1) Go to:  https://app.fedscout.com/user/market-research/tools/codes
2) Enter a keyword
3) Copy the NAICS codes on the right that make sense for your company and paste them into the “Search for NAICS code” box

Screen 2: Size metrics

Explanation: The government wants to assess whether you are a small business so enter your:
1) Annual receipts: To compute your annual receipts take the average of the revenue you’ve made for each of the last three years.
2) Number of employees: Same idea, but take the number of employees you’ve had over the last three years

Notes:
1) Overseas revenue and employees: If you have overseas operations include that revenue and employees in this calculation
2) If you are owned in whole or in part by another company: If your company is owned in whole or in part by another company include that company’s revenue and employees in this calculation
3) If you’ve been in business for less than three years: If you’ve been in business for less than three years average across the years you have been in business
4) If you are truly a new business with limited revenue don’t stress: The size calculations can get complicated but for most new companies you are so far from the small business size limits that you don’t need precise computations. So we recommend:
a) Computing your employees and revenue using the highest estimates you have (e.g. if in doubt about whether to include certain revenue and employees include them)
b) If SAM tells you you are large go talk to an accountant or a lawyer and they will see if you can shave enough employees or revenue to get under the small business standard
You can’t enter zero: Even if you are a new business you have to list $1 or more in receipts
“Small” is different for different NAICS codes: We go into this in more detail in our NAICS codes class but just be aware that your company might be considered small for one contract but large for another contract if the NAICS codes are differenct.

Screen 3: EDI Information

Explanation: If you don’t know what an Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) is then select “No,” If you do then enter your EDI information

Screen 4: Disaster Response

Explanation: When natural disasters strike the government has to move fast so they want to pre-qualify companies that could be part of the disaster response by validating critical information about them. So if you provide disaster response services (e.g. construction, remediation, emergency housing, etc) select “Yes” and fill-in:
1) Bonding: If your commercial contracts typically require a bond fill in this info
2) Geographic area served: Fill in where you could respond to a natural disaster

Congrats on completing the Assertions section, now move on to the Reps and Certs