Scammers thrive on the confusion between what should cost money in federal contracting and what should not. Here is a clear line between free official resources, legitimate optional paid help, and the scams that charge for things the government gives away.
SAM.gov registration and your UEI are always free through the official government website — the government never charges to register or renew. Legitimate paid help is optional professional support (done-for-you setup, proposal strategy, certification help) that is transparent about the free process. It becomes a scam when a service charges for something the government provides free or hides that registration is free.
The Free vs. Paid Confusion (and Why Scammers Exploit It)
One of the most confusing things for a business new to federal contracting is figuring out what should cost money and what should not. This confusion is not accidental — scammers deliberately exploit it, charging for things the government provides for free and dressing up fake fees as official requirements.
The clearest rule to anchor on: SAM.gov registration and your UEI are always free. The official government website never charges you to register or renew. Everything else — whether help is worth paying for — is a business decision, not a requirement.
What Is Always Free
These are provided by the government at no cost. If anyone charges you a mandatory fee for them, that is a red flag:
- SAM.gov registration and your UEI. Free, always, through the official sam.gov website.
- Searching contract opportunities on SAM.gov. Anyone can search opportunities without an account and without paying.
- SBA counseling and resources. The Small Business Administration provides free guidance on contracting, certifications, and readiness.
- Government guidance and official information. Acquisition.gov, SBA.gov, and agency OSDBU offices all provide free authoritative information.
- Free local contracting assistance. Government-funded programs provide no-cost counseling to businesses selling to the government, including help with registration, certifications, and market research.
What Legitimate Paid Help Actually Is
Paid help is legitimate when it is clearly optional professional support — not a fake toll on a free government process. Businesses hire help for the same reason they hire an accountant to do taxes they could file themselves: to save time, reduce errors, and get expert judgment.
Legitimate paid services include:
- Done-for-you registration and profile setup — handling the SAM.gov process, NAICS selection, and SBS optimization on your behalf, while you retain control of your own SAM account.
- Bid and proposal strategy — help identifying winnable opportunities, making bid/no-bid decisions, and building compliant, compelling proposals.
- Capture and positioning — agency targeting, capability statement development, and relationship-building strategy.
- Certification support — assembling the evidence and navigating the application for programs like 8(a), HUBZone, WOSB, or SDVOSB.
The distinguishing feature of legitimate paid help: it is transparent that the underlying government process is free, and it never claims payment is required to register.
There is nothing wrong with paying for help — I built a firm around it. The line that matters is honesty. A legitimate service tells you plainly that SAM.gov is free and that you are paying for expertise and time savings, not for access to a government system. A scam hides that the process is free and manufactures urgency to make you pay a “fee” that does not exist. When someone pressures you to pay immediately to “activate” or “renew” your registration, stop — that is not how the government works.
How to Spot a Scam
Federal contracting scams almost always share these warning signs:
- They charge to register or renew in SAM.gov. The government never does. This is the number one tell.
- They pose as SAM.gov or a government agency. Look at the actual email domain and URL — official federal sites end in .gov.
- They manufacture urgency. “Your registration expires in 24 hours — pay now to avoid penalties.” Real renewal reminders do not demand immediate payment to a third party.
- They guarantee contracts or awards. No legitimate service can guarantee you will win federal work. Anyone who does is lying.
- They ask for sensitive credentials. Be wary of anyone requesting your MPIN, banking details, or login credentials by email.
A Simple Decision Framework
Ask two questions about any help you are considering:
- “Is this charging me for something the government provides free?” If yes, walk away. If the fee is clearly for optional expertise or time savings, it may be legitimate.
- “Are they transparent that SAM.gov is free and that I control my own account?” Legitimate providers say so plainly. Scammers hide it.
Ready to Take Your First Step?
Biz2Gov helps small businesses go from unregistered to pipeline-ready in 90 days. Founded by former DoD Contracting Officer Bruce Ayres, we provide hands-on implementation — not just advice.
Frequently Asked Questions