What is a SAM exclusion?
The System for Award Management (SAM.gov) maintains a list of individuals, companies, and other entities that are excluded from participating in federal procurement and non-procurement programs. An exclusion is formally issued by a federal agency and means the excluded party cannot receive federal contracts, subcontracts, or assistance awards during the exclusion period.
Exclusions are issued for reasons including: fraud, bribery, tax delinquency, failure to perform on prior federal contracts, or debarment following a suspension. They apply across all federal agencies — an exclusion issued by the Department of Defense applies equally to the Department of Transportation or any other awarding agency.
Federal requirement: Under FAR 52.209-6, prime contractors must verify that their subcontractors are not excluded before award. Using an excluded vendor — even unknowingly — can jeopardize the prime contract and expose the buyer to liability.
Types of exclusions on the SAM list
Not all exclusions are the same. The SAM exclusion list contains several distinct categories, each with different implications:
| Type | What it means | Issued by |
|---|---|---|
| Debarment | Prohibited from federal contracting for a defined period, typically 3 years | Suspending and Debarring Official (SDO) at a federal agency |
| Suspension | Temporary exclusion pending investigation or legal proceedings | SDO at a federal agency |
| Proposed Debarment | Formal notice of intent; the vendor may respond before final action | SDO at a federal agency |
| Voluntary Exclusion | Agreement between the agency and the entity to exclude from non-procurement programs | Various agencies |
How to check exclusion status manually
SAM.gov provides a public exclusion search at sam.gov/search. You can search by:
- UEI (Unique Entity Identifier) — the most reliable search method for active registrants
- CAGE code — useful for older records and defense contractors; see the CAGE code guide
- Company name — less reliable due to name variations; always verify with an identifier
- Individual name — for sole proprietors or named individuals on the exclusion list
Note that SAM.gov name search can miss records where the excluded party used a slightly different name. A name-only search should always be supplemented with an identifier-based search when the UEI or CAGE is available.
Why SAM exclusion match rates are low
The SAM exclusion list is historical. Many excluded firms are no longer active registrants in the SAM Entity extract, which means identifier-based matching across the full registrant database covers roughly 1% of all exclusion records. This is expected — not an error in the data.
For active vendors who are currently registered and doing business, identifier-based checks are highly reliable. For historical screening of vendors who may have been debarred years ago and since dissolved, name-based review of the exclusion list is necessary.
How KnowVendor surfaces exclusion data
KnowVendor links SAM exclusion records to legal entities using deterministic identifiers — primarily UEI, and CAGE where UEI is unavailable. Each exclusion record includes the issuing agency, exclusion type, effective date, and where available, the termination date.
Exclusion records linked by name only — without a supporting identifier — are flagged as needing review rather than treated as confirmed. This prevents false positives from name-matching unrelated entities.
What to do if a vendor is excluded
If a vendor you are evaluating has an active exclusion:
- Confirm the exclusion applies to the same legal entity — verify UEI or CAGE against SAM.gov directly
- Check the exclusion type and termination date — a suspension may have lapsed; a debarment may have a set end date
- Do not award a federal contract or subcontract to an excluded vendor regardless of tier
- Document your check and the date of verification for contract file records
- If the vendor disputes the exclusion, refer them to the issuing agency's SDO
Note on proposed debarments: A vendor listed as "Proposed Debarment" is not yet excluded. However, this status is a significant risk signal and warrants additional scrutiny before contracting.
Exclusion check as part of a broader workflow
SAM exclusion is a binary check — a vendor is either excluded or not. For a complete picture of vendor risk, exclusion status should be combined with FMCSA safety data, OSHA inspection history, and active SAM registration status. See the vendor due diligence checklist for a full workflow.