For fbo.gov Users, BetaSAM is Here and We Can’t Hide Any Longer
If you are a frequent user of the Government’s System for Award Management (www.SAM.gov) you are probably aware of the initiative begun in 2014 to consolidate many of the Government’s online management tools into a single system. Ultimately, SAM will absorb the functionality of 10 separate government web sites with the relaunch of a new SAM site including enhanced search and security functions. However, if you don’t often use these web sites, it may come as a surprise that sites such as fbo.gov are shutting down soon – very soon for fbo.gov – which will be completely phased out and shut down in November 2019.
The Government has established a web site called BetaSAM (beta.sam.gov). When fbo.gov and the other 9 web sites are migrated, you will find those functions on BetaSAM which is already up and running now and available for user sign-in.
For frequent users of fbo.gov, it is important to note that your fbo sign-in information will not migrate automatically. Moreover, many of the terms and categories of information will change. For example:
[table] [tr][th]FBO Term[/th] [th]Becomes SAM Term[/th][/tr] [tr][td]Fbo.gov[/td] [td]Beta.sam.gov[/td][/tr] [tr][td]Watchlist[/td] [td]Follow[/td][/tr] [tr][td]Search Agent[/td] [td]Saved Search[/td][/tr] [tr][td]Archived[/td] [td]Inactive[/td][/tr] [/table]Beta Sam also promises enhanced capabilities, including:
- The ability to search for opportunities by number, keyword, or location
- The option to access previous versions of opportunity notices with one click
- The ability to easily set up notices that will inform you when frequently used contract opportunities are updated
- The ability to manage alerts easily through a new user workspace (frequency, turn on/off)
- Shared login, search, workspace, data services, reports, and a design that will allow you to leverage other IAE system data easily
Note the last bullet…it means that your old fbo.gov log-in will no longer be valid once the site is decommissioned. BetaSAM will require that you use entity-based login.gov account information to access BetaSam. The good news is that if you already have a current SAM account you can use that log-in information to access BetaSAM. If you are an established entity (i.e., have a DUNS number or CAGE code), you will be able to easily access BetaSAM using that information.
Once the SAM system has been completely migrated into BetaSAM, the old SAM site will be decommissioned and BetaSAM will be renamed SAM. This process is ongoing now and for a limited time period SAM and BetaSAM are both operational — providing you the opportunity now to get familiar with the new system while still accessing the familiar one.