For small businesses navigating the complexities of federal contracting, even seemingly minor administrative hurdles can become significant roadblocks. This was the case for Mrs. Cristina Gervacio, who faced considerable challenges renewing her System for Award Management (SAM) Registration, which is a critical step for securing government contracts.

Mrs. Gervacio encountered two main obstacles: first, she needed to establish herself as the administrator of her SAM Registration, as it had previously been managed by someone else, leaving her unfamiliar with the system. Second, the system repeatedly failed to recognize her correct physical address during the validation process, displaying an incorrect address instead, despite her repeated attempts to correct it. These issues, while perhaps appearing minor from the outside, presented a major impediment to Mrs. Gervacio’s ability to pursue federal opportunities.

Recognizing the importance of resolving these issues quickly and effectively, Mrs. Gervacio sought assistance from FeCC – APEX Accelerator counselor Ada Santos. Through dedicated support and persistence, Ms. Santos expertly guided Mrs. Gervacio through the intricacies of the SAM system. She facilitated the transfer of administrative control and meticulously worked through the address validation issue, making numerous attempts until the system finally accepted the correct information.

Thanks to this vital assistance from FeCC – APEX Accelerator, Mrs. Gervacio successfully completed her SAM Registration renewal. This crucial step enabled her to achieve a significant milestone: signing a contract with the USDA Forest Service.