5 Registrations for Your Business
The following registrations are required to apply for SBIR/STTR funding. Be sure to notice that some are dependent upon completing others first. Also, some take up to 6 weeks to obtain, so start early:
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) (Replaced Dun and Bradstreet Universal Numbering System (DUNS) April 2022)
A unique 9 digit number that identifies your organization. It is required before an NIH award is issued. The UEI will permit you to register for other registrations in this list (SAM, eRA Commons, and SBA Company registries), so complete it first. Registration is free and the online application is brief. It takes up to 30 days but can be expedited for a fee. After the transition to UEI, it will be obtained on SAM.gov along with SAM registration. Until then, a DUNS is still needed first. The UEI will be used in grant proposals due on or after January 25, 2022. If you are already registered in SAM, you will automatically be issued a UEI.
System for Award Management (SAM)
Registers your business to do business with the government. Required to get a federal grant and must be renewed annually. This process can take 2 to 6 weeks.
Grants.gov
The official access point to search for and apply for federal grant funding. You need to register to use this portal to apply for funding but not to search for funding opportunities. Registration is free and requires a DUNS (will be the UEI) number and SAM registration.
- Registering your organization/institution’s contact person (Authorized Organization Representative) can take from several days to 5 weeks and should be completed before submitting a grant application.
- Grants.gov Applicant Registration Allow 2 days for the registration to be completed.
eRA Commons
eRA Commons is electronic system for NIH electronic research administration for extramural research. It allows sharing of grant applications and grant information among applicants, grantees, reviewers, and NIH staff. Both the institution/organization and the individuals who are key personnel on a grant proposal must have accounts. The applicant organization should start registration at least 6 weeks before the grant submission. The Signing Official account is created when the organization is registered. The SO creates the individual accounts for the key personnel.
Login.gov account
You will need to establish your Login.gov account. The 2-factor log-in via log-in.gov was phased in starting September 2021 and will be required by all users instead of logging in via ERA.gov by early 2022. See more details.
4.a. NSF Account Registration: Information on the equivalent registrations for NSF funding.
SBA Company Registry
This registration yields an SBC Control ID number that gives access to the SBIR.gov system. DUNS (Will be UEI in 4/2022), EIN, and email are required to register. Proof of registration is required before submitting an application (in Other Project Information, Other Attachments). It usually takes only one business day.
Sample Registration Illustrations:
UEI Screenshots (on SAM.gov)
SAM.gov Screenshots
Grants.gov Screenshots and Point of Contact Resource
Ebiz POC Authorizes Profile Roles – If you are a grant applicant, but are not your organization’s representative (Ebiz POC), you must be authorized by your POC. This webpage on Grants.gov explains the process.
ERA Commons
SBA Company Registry
(USDHHS, 2020)
References
USDHHS. Five Required Registrations. Originally in: SBIR/STTR Application Process Infographic. December 23, 2020. See: Register Your Company section on Before You Apply for more recent details.
Tax ID Numbers
You will need a federal tax ID number and may need a state ID tax number.
Federal Tax ID Number
Employer Identification Number (EIN): After registering your business, apply for an EIN, which is your federal tax ID and is needed to hire employees, open a bank account, and apply for business licenses and permits. It is free to apply and may be processed the same day or by the next business day.
An EIN is required before an NIH award is issued. Instructions related to NIH proposals regarding the EIN are in item 6 of the SF424 (R&R) SBIR/STTR Application Guide (Version D).
Screenshot of LLC EIN Application
State Tax ID Numbers
If your business must pay state taxes, you will need a state tax ID number. Review your state’s income tax, employment tax, and worker’s compensation insurance laws for information. Steps vary by state, so check state government websites.
Resources on Tax Numbers
Employer Identification Number (EIN): By Julia Kagan at Invesopedia. Updated 6/16/2022.
Get Federal and State Tax ID Numbers – U.S. Small Business Admin.
Matching: Check Your Understanding of These Registrations and IDs
Drag the description of each registration to the corresponding registration. After matching all descriptions and registrations, click “Check” to view feedback.
