Question from Client:
I spoke with the Expert today, and he said he had just sent the Contracting Officer a confirming email that SAM registration was complete. The Expert mentioned a verification period of 10 days. Is that going to impact our Agency’s timeline? I would rather not jump through the hoops of a SAM deviation at this point.
Is there anything else holding up the contract that I can help with?
Answer:
Yes, it will impact your timeline. The Contracting Officer can’t award the contract until his registration shows up as “Active” in SAM. Currently, his status is “Submitted.” The Contracting Officer should be able to send the contract out for signature quickly after the SAM registration shows up as “Active,” but I’m not sure how long you are able to wait.
If you cannot wait, we can pursue a Temporary SAM Deviation Memorandum to allow the Expert’s work to proceed. A Temporary SAM Deviation typically takes a few days to get approved. The Expert will still have to register in SAM prior to submitting an invoice, but he would be able to start working once the contract is awarded by the Contracting Officer. You will also need to briefly explain why he is the only available expert who is registered in SAM or could get through the process before the contract needs to be signed.