Well this is scary.
TLS Joint Venture, LLC was properly registered on SAM.gov. A few days before its registration was set to expire, it submitted its renewal. But the government moves at its own pace, and SAM didn’t process and approve the renewed registration until about 24 hours after the old registration expired.
Unfortunately for TLS, this one-day lapse in its registration came while it was being considered for a custodial services contract at the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Maryland. The Navy ultimately picked TLS for this contract, but, after a protest by a competitor, the Navy was forced to find that TLS was ineligible for award because of this one day lapse in its SAM registration.
The moral here? Be aware that (as with any time you need the government to review and approve something) you can’t control the pace of the government’s review of a SAM registration. And, rigid rules might mean that you suffer the consequences of the government’s delay.
The best defense is a good offense: make sure to stay on top of your SAM registration, and submit any renewal requests well in advance of your expiration date. Whether you are registering for the first time or submitting a renewal, we can help.