Do I need to register on SAM.gov to bid on US state or city contracts?

SAM.gov is the federal government's System for Award Management. State and local governments don't run their buying through it. To bid on a state or city tender, you register with that government's own procurement portal, usually for free, and choose your commodity codes so you receive the right notices.

When SAM.gov still comes up

• Federally funded projects. Many state IT projects, such as Medicaid or unemployment insurance systems, and many city projects funded by federal grants follow federal rules too. Buyers may ask for a UEI or check that you aren't excluded from federal work.
• Exclusion checks. Buyers often check SAM.gov's exclusions list for debarred firms, whether or not you're registered.
• Cooperative purchasing. Some state and local buyers can order from certain GSA Schedule categories, which do require federal registration.

Next step

Register with the procurement portal of each state and city you want to sell to, and read each solicitation's vendor requirements. If you plan to bid on federal work later, registering on SAM.gov is free and does no harm, but it must be renewed every year. See selling IT to US state governments.