Advanced SAM.gov | Understanding Notice Types

Posted by timmreardon on 04/23/2024
Posted in: Uncategorized.

The main tool federal agencies use to communicate with government contractors is SAM.gov. Become an advance user of the buyers’ communication tool to win more.

This article summarizes my slides from a training I did today (4/22/2024) about the 9 Notice Types in SAM.

Understand SAM’s Fit in Federal Buyer Toolbox

Federal agency buyers communicate with government contractors (industry) using multiple tools. Here are a few of the most important ones:

  • System for Award Management (SAM)
  • Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS)
  • USASpending | Primarily a nice dashboard of FPDS data
  • Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) | This is where federal buyers communicate to each other and to incumbents about contract performance.
  • Bid Boards (e.g., DIBBS, ARC, etc.) | DIBBS is a DLA based tool primarily for product purchases. ARC is the tool used by the Intelligence Community primarily since there are classification concerns.
  • Contract Vehicle Portals | For example, Seaport NxG is the Navy’s primary contract vehicle. Notices appearing here, do not appear in SAM.

The 9 Notice Types in SAM

  1. Special Notice | Heads up on Industry Days, APBI, or LRAFs
  2. Sources Sought | Seeking possible vendors
  3. Presolicitation | Makes known a solicitation may follow soon
  4. Consolidate / (substantially) Bundle | Intent to Bundle Requirements
  5. Solicitation | RFQ, RFP, etc.
  6. Combined Synopsis / Solicitation | Solicitations with specifications
  7. Award Notice | Vendor who received an award and the amount agreed
  8. Justification | Needed when a solicitation isn’t posted and one vendor used
  9. Sale of Surplus Property | Usually for real estate no longer needed

Importance of Each Notice Type

I racked and stacked the notice types based on their value to your company. The rationale I used is ‘shift left’ – any notice that helps you learn about and engage on an opportunity sooner is better.

Low Value

  • Award Notice
  • Consolidate / (substantially) Bundle
  • Justification
  • Sale of Surplus Property

Medium Value

  • Combined Synopsis / Solicitation
  • Solicitation

High Value

  • Sources Sought
  • Special Notices
  • Presolicitation

How to Rapidly Process Many SAM.Gov Notices

With hundreds or even thousands of opportunities being processed in SAM, you need a way to process them fast to find those best for you.

Before you follow my three-step approach below, make sure you document your ‘Slam Dunk’ opportunity criteria. Watch my other training to understand how to define your ‘slam dunk’ criteria in 30 minutes or less.

Three Step Approach

  1. Triage By Title | Seconds Per Opportunity | Use Tabs
  2. Triage By Description | SAM Field Only
  3. Triage By Files | Before Adding to Pipeline

Video Replay of Notice Types in SAM.Gov

Here’s a replay from the training I did here on LinkedIn about the 9 types of notice within the System for Awards Management (SAM).

View media

Article link: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/advanced-samgov-understanding-notice-types-neil-mcdonnell-gnsee