1. Procurement Desktop Defense (PD²) and the System for Award Management (SAM)
SPS Spotlight Series
April 2014

2. NOTE: This information was originally created for The SPS Spotlight Series project, which ran from November 2013 through November 2015.  Updates to the original content may be incorporated to ensure accuracy. If you have any questions about this information, please contact the SPS Help Desk at

3. Overview What is SAM? How does SAM interact with PD²?
Configuring the SAM PD² System Administration Task
Test Connection
Days to Synchronize
Document Approval/Release Messages
Synchronizing a vendor from Vendor Maintenance
Synchronizing a vendor from within a document
Data elements sent from SAM and used by PD²
DUNS +4 Issue

4. What is SAM?
The System for Award Management (SAM) is combining federal procurement systems and the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance into one new system. This consolidation is being done in phases. The first phase of SAM includes the functionality from the following systems:
Central Contractor Registry (CCR)
Federal Agency Registration (Fedreg)
Online Representations and Certifications Application
Excluded Parties List System (EPLS)

5. How Does SAM Interact With PD²?
In PD², the ‘SAM’ sysadmin task replaces the former ‘CCR’ task. This is where connectivity to SAM is configured so that vendor synchronization can occur.
In Award Documents in PD², the “Synch. w/ CCR” button is now “SAM Vendor Synch”.
Vendor Synchronization can be performed from within the vendor record in vendor maintenance, or from within an award document.

6. Configuring the SAM System Administration Task
In the SAM Vendor Maintenance Task, the site SA will enter the SAM URL, User ID, and Password, and select the number of Days to Synchronize.

7. SAM System Administration Task—’Test Connection’
Click the ‘Test Connection’ button to verify that the information entered is accurate. The ‘Successfully connected….’ message should appear. If the connection fails, there may be a problem with the User ID/Password entered, or SAM could be offline.

8. SAM System Administration Task—’Days to Synchronize’
In the ‘Days to Synchronize’ box, the SA may select a value from 1 to On pre-approval and release of an award, the system validates whether or not the vendor has been synchronized within the required number of days. If not, an informational message displays to the user. On release, the user would also need to select a reason for release without synchronizing.

9. Document Approval/Release Messages
If a vendor has not been synchronized within the number of days the SA entered in the ‘Days to Synchronize’ field of the SAM sysadmin task, the user will receive the following during pre-approval:
During release, the user will receive the following message:

10. Document Approval/Release Messages (continued)
If the user selects ‘Yes’, to continue with release, the user must choose a reason for releasing without performing the SAM Vendor Synch:

11. Document Approval/Release Messages (continued)
After release, the use can see the reason that was selected by opening the award. The [SAM Vendor Synch] button is now labeled [Reason no Synch.]. If the user clicks this button, the reason that was selected during release will display.

12. Synchronizing a Vendor From Vendor Maintenance
Go to Utilities  Organization Maintenance  Vendor Maintenance. The Address Search window displays:
Search for the desired vendor, highlight the contact, and click ‘Select’.

13. Synchronizing a Vendor From Vendor Maintenance
In the open vendor record, select the ‘Addresses’ tab. Click the ‘SAM Vendor Synch’ button. If the vendor record in PD² already matches the record in SAM, a message indicates the match and the ‘Synch. Date:’ will update.

14. Synchronizing a Vendor From Vendor Maintenance
If the vendor record in PD² does not match the SAM record when the ‘SAM Vendor Synch’ button is selected, the PD² vendor record will be updated. The ‘Vendor information synchronized successfully’ message will appear, and the ‘Synch. Date:’ will update.

15. Synchronizing a Vendor From Within a Document
Vendor synchronization can also be performed from within a document. In the ‘CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR’ box, note the ‘SAM Vendor Synch’ button.

16. Synchronizing a Vendor From Within a Document
In the open Award Document, click the ‘SAM Vendor Synch’ button. The vendor record will be verified with SAM and, if it already matches, the message shown will appear.

17. Synchronizing a Vendor From Within a Document
If the vendor information in SAM is different from what is in PD², the information will update. The message shown will display, and the ‘Synch. Date:’ (in vendor maintenance—see slide 13) will update.

18. Synchronizing a Vendor From Within a Document
If a user synchronizes a vendor from a document and the vendor has been synched either in vendor maintenance, or from another document since the user’s document was saved, the following message is received:
The user must click ‘Delete’, removing the vendor from the document. Then click ‘Add’. Select the vendor again, and then click the ‘SAM Vendor Synch’ button.

19. Data Elements Sent From SAM and Used By PD²
When SAM Vendor Synch occurs, PD² uses the following data elements sent from SAM:
The Legal Business Name of the Vendor
Complete Address (Street Address, City, State, ZIP +4, Country)
Cage Code
DUNS and DUNS +4
Vendor Status
Vendor Categories (multiple)

20. DUNS +4 Issue
If a PD² vendor record contains a DUNS code (or a DUNS +4) when the SAM Vendor Synch is performed, SAM will return information based on the DUNS code (without the +4) and will likely return multiple vendor records. PD² expects a single record and, as such, takes the first record returned, which is probably the wrong vendor.
Workaround: Remove the DUNS code from the vendor record when performing the SAM vendor synch. This forces SAM to use the CAGE code to synch. NOTE: This will work only when performing the synch from the vendor record in vendor maintenance.
When a document contains a vendor that the user knows has multiple associated DUNS +4 records in SAM, the user should not synch the vendor from within the document, as incorrect information may be pulled.
See SPS KB ID for further information on this known issue.