SAM Background Check: What You Need to Know

Cindy Ellis - September 12, 2023

Background checks have become an integral part of the interview process. A background check reveals public records about someone’s past, which include criminal history, educational background, and much more.

The SAM background check, or System for Award Management background check, verifies vendors and applicants who aren’t eligible for federal contracts, benefits, and subcontracts.

Knowing about what information appears on a SAM background check is essential when you’re hiring applicants or vendors for your business. Hiring someone who is excluded from federal benefits can impact your organization’s ability to receive funding or assistance with Medicare/Medicaid.

The good news is that we’re here to help. Read on to learn more about SAM background checks and how to view these records.

What Is the System for Award Management (SAM)?

The System for Award Management (SAM) is a government platform that allows vendors and employers to register with the government to receive benefits or contracts. SAM was founded in 2012 and is currently operated by the General Services Administration (GSA). Its purpose is to help contractors win contracts and it’s popular within the healthcare sector.

To ensure that everyone has equal access to opportunities provided by the System for Award Management, it’s a free tool that anyone can use. Businesses, employers, vendors, and the federal government can use this system.

What Information Is Available in the SAM Database?

The SAM database contains a lot of information that’s useful for employers and the Federal Government. From information about someone’s contracts to available grants, plenty of information can be found on the SAM database.

The most common things you’ll find in a SAM database include:

• Information about individuals who can’t apply for government contracts, grants, and other benefits
• Procurement and acquisition information
• Learning about federal grants and how to apply for them
• Registration with the federal government to get contracts

Knowing this information is useful for applicants, employers, as well as the federal government.

What Excludes Someone From the System of Award Management (SAM)?

A SAM exclusion will appear on a SAM background check, so it’s important to know what causes this to happen. Several factors will continue to cause someone to be excluded from the database.

Below, we list the most common reasons for someone to be excluded from SAM:

• Civil judgment for fraud when trying to get a contract or subcontract
• Violating antitrust statute laws
• Recovering a conviction for crimes like fraud, bribery, embezzlement
• Breaking tax laws
• Sticking a “Made in America” label to something made in a different country
• Violating clauses found in the Drug-Free Act
• Being delinquent on $10,000 or more in federal taxes
• Not disclosing violations or issues with the False Claims Act
• Receiving overpayments on a government contract and choosing to not report them

These reasons for debarment on the SAM are outlined in the Code of Federal Regulations.

In some cases, you’ll have to do some further digging to discover the exact reason someone was excluded.

Why Are SAM Background Checks Important in the Healthcare Sector?

SAM background checks are essential in the healthcare sector because many hospitals are competing for government contracts. Additionally, many hospitals receive funding from grants, Medicaid, and Medicare.

Having staff members who are excluded from the System of Award Management can hinder a healthcare organization’s ability to win these contracts, which can hinder their ability to help patients.

Ultimately, it’s better to be safe than sorry when running a SAM background check.

How to Run a SAM Background Check

A SAM background check is easy to do if you have access to the right tools. While you can use the System for Award Management platform to search for someone’s records, there are innovative tools that streamline this process. Information.com’s public records search tool is one of them.

Learn about the best ways to run a SAM background check below.

Information.com Public Records Search

Information.com offers several people search tools that allow you to find information about someone. When it comes to finding records about someone’s SAM exclusions, the public records search tool is the best option.

Our public records search tool combs through millions of databases to provide you with accurate and up-to-date information about someone’s public records, which includes a check through the System of Award Management.

Using our public records search tool is also easier and faster than searching through a traditional database. All you need is someone’s first and last name, city, and state of residence. From there, you can run an in-depth search and open a full report that compiles a detailed report about their records.

In fact, with Information.com you’ll find the following information:

• Criminal records
• Court records
• SAM exclusions
• Sex offender status
• Social media accounts
• Address
• Phone numbers
• Email addresses

Depending on the person, you can find even more information like their education or work history.

What makes Information.com the best place to search is how fast you get your results. Plus, you don’t have to deal with the awful keyword navigation that the SAM database offers.

Overall, it’s one of the best tools to help you run a SAM background check.

Manually Searching the SAM Database

The SAM database is free and open to everyone. Therefore, you can try your hand at manually searching through this database.

To do so, you’ll need the person’s full name and usually their Social Security number. Unfortunately, this information is hard to come across, especially if you’re just purchasing a service or product from a vendor. Once you have their information you can visit Sam.gov to begin your search.

When you get started you’ll need to enter their information into the search tool. From there, you can start adding filters to narrow your search. Examples include age, known associates, relatives, and type of business.

Overall, navigating the SAM database is a daunting task for individuals and employers. For this reason, we always recommend starting with our public records search tool. You’ll find what you’re looking for fast. Plus, you won’t need their Social Security number.

Checking the List of Excluded Individuals/Entities (LEIE)

The List of Excluded Individuals/Entities is another list that can reveal if someone is excluded from government contracts and it can be an important part of a SAM background check.

Checking this database is great for more information about applicants, especially in the healthcare sector because it focuses more on Medicare and Medicaid. That said, there is some overlap and you should check this list as part of a comprehensive SAM background check.

Information you’ll find on the LEIE includes:

• Someone who was convicted of Medicare or Medicaid fraud, usually over insurance
• Abusing or neglecting patients
• Convictions for healthcare-related felonies, fraud, or embezzlement
• Felony convictions for selling, over-prescribing, or distributing controlled substances

Checking the List of Excluded Individuals/Entities is not the same thing as a SAM background check. If you work in healthcare it’s important to cross reference your results to ensure that there are no gaps in your backyard check process. Plus, you might find something the SAM database missed.

These are the best ways to run a SAM background check but you can also work with private investigators, background check companies, and other organizations.

Run a SAM Background Check Today

A SAM background check can protect you from working with the wrong people. Running this type of background check on someone can reveal if they’ve been excluded from obtaining federal benefits, which can impact your business if you hire them. It also shows you that the applicant or vendor has a troubled past that may include fraud or other crimes.

Among other types of background checks, we always recommend running a SAM check if you plan on hiring a vendor or applicant for a company that receives federal aid or benefits. If you need help obtaining these public records, our public records search tool can always help.