Register Your Business With the Government

Before you can bid on government contracts, you'll need to obtain a couple of registrations for your business.

• First:

  • You will need a D-U-N-S number, a unique nine-digit identification number for each physical location of your business.

    To do business with DLA, vendors need a D-U-N-S number from Dun & Bradstreet (D&B).
    The D-U-N-S Number is a unique nine-digit identification sequence, which provides unique identifiers of single business entities, while linking corporate family structures together. http://www.dnb.com/US/duns_update/index.html.  DUNS Phone Number 1–800–333–0505.

• Second:

  • You need to register with the federal government's Central Contractor Registration (CCR),
    The primary database of vendors doing business with the federal government.
    Here you will be assigned a Cage Code.

The Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) requires contractor registration in the DoD Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database prior to the award of any contract, basic agreement, basic ordering agreement, or blanket purchase agreement, unless the award results from a solicitation issued on or before May 31, 1998.  http://www.ccr.gov/

• CAGE CODE

  • The Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code is a five position code that identifies contractors doing business with the Federal Government, NATO member nations, and other foreign governments. The CAGE Code is used to support a variety of mechanized systems throughout the government and provides for a standardized method of identifying a given facility at a specific location. The code may be used for a Facility Clearance, a preaward survey, automated Bidders Lists, identification of Debarred Bidders, fast pay processes, etc.  The Defense Logistics Information Service (DLIS) has sole responsibility for assigning and maintaining the CAGE Code Master File. http://www.dlis.dla.mil/cageserv.asp

• Third:

  • Get a Marketing Partner Identification Number (MPIN)
    The MPIN is a 9-character code containing at least one alpha character and one number (no special characters or spaces).
    The MPIN is created, by you, in your company’s CCR record and acts as a password for various government systems, including ORCA.
    The MPIN is the last data field in the “Points of Contact” section of the CCR registration. Once you’ve entered your new MPIN into CCR, it will become active in ORCA as soon as your CCR registration becomes active.
     

• Fourth:

  • Get your Online Representations and Certifications ( ORCA )
    ORCA is an e-Government initiative that was designed by the Integrated Acquisition Environment (IAE) to replace the paper based Representations and Certifications (Reps and Certs) process.
    Before Starting Your Application and Before you can enter ORCA you must:

    • Have an active registration in Central Contractor Registration

    • Have the MPIN from your active registration

    • Know your DUNS number

    • You must renew your record, at least once a year.

    • If you do not renew your record, it will expire.

In addition will want to learn about and get:

Your Tax Payers Identification Number  (TIN)
Your Joint Certification Program Certification  (JCP)
 

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 Marketing To The Defense Logistics Agency