FAQs - Arkansas APEX Accelerator

Arkansas APEX Accelerator services are provided at no charge to clients.

Your business will need to be operational, stable, and established before beginning government contracting. 

On April 4, 2022, the federal government stopped using the DUNS number to uniquely identify entities. Now, entities doing business with the federal government use the Unique Entity ID created in SAM.gov. They no longer have to go to a third-party website to obtain their identifier. This transition allows the government to streamline the entity identification and validation process, making it easier and less burdensome for entities to do business with the federal government.

The process to get a Unique Entity ID to do business with the government changed. With the transition, we are made it easier to get a Unique Entity ID by streamlining the request and ongoing management process. You go to a single place, SAM.gov, to:

• Get your Unique Entity ID and register your entity to do business with the U.S. government.
• Make any updates to your legal business name and physical address associated with the Unique Entity ID.
• Find customer support at a single helpdesk for all Unique Entity ID and entity registration issues.

Counselors often receive questions about SAM registration. It is recommended that you contact your local APEX Accelerator office for assistance in navigating the SAM (System for Award Management) registration process. 

There are no SAM numbers. People are typically referring to a CAGE code when referencing a "SAM number". More details about CAGE codes are available below.

No. There is never a fee for registering or renewing a registration in this database.

Beware of phishing scams from businesses attempting to charge for this service over the telephone or through email. Any email you receive regarding your SAM registration should come from a ".gov" email address.

 The Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code is a five-character ID code using letters and numbers. This code is important in order to be awarded federal contracts. This code is not needed for state or local contracts.

The CAGE code is used to support a variety of procurement and acquisition processes throughout the U.S. Government.

Once the SAM registration process is completed and validated, a CAGE code will be issued to you via email. Please be aware that SAM validation time could vary, taking anywhere from two to three weeks. 

Once again, please contact your local APEX Accelerator for help completing the SAM registration process.

Are you ready to start bidding? Contact us!

See our Services page to get more information about how we can help you find and bid on solicitation.

Business corporations, nonprofit corporations, professional corporations, limited partnerships, limited liability partnerships and limited liability companies are formed in Arkansas by filing with the Business Services Division of the Office of Secretary of State. The above entities that form in other states must file with the Arkansas Secretary of State as “foreign” entities in order to transact business in the state. Our counselors can help you determine if this registration is required to obtain a DUNS number.

Check out the Arkansas Secretary of State's "Doing Business in Arkansas" booklet for more information.