(1) GSA's System for Award Management (SAM), which is available at https://sam.gov , identifies entities excluded throughout the U.S. Government (unless otherwise noted) from receiving Federal contracts or certain subcontracts and from certain types of Federal financial and non-financial assistance and benefits. The SAM website provides useful documents and online training to assist with SAM navigation and data entry. User Guides and Demonstration Videos can be found in the User Help section after clicking the HELP link at the top of the website homepage. The former Excluded Parties List System (EPLS) information is within the Performance Information functional area of SAM, and is maintained as “Exclusions” data. Exclusions are located in the Data Access area of SAM which can be accessed by navigating the following path after logging into the SAM website. Select Tab – MYSAM, Tab - Data Access, and Tab – Exclusions.

(i) Multiple agencies have the authority to suspend or debar entities from “doing business” with the Government. There are approximately 71 separate cause and treatment codes under which entities have been suspended or debarred or excluded. New exclusion records created in SAM will no longer be identified with cause and treatment codes. Exclusions will be associated with one of four exclusion types: Preliminarily Ineligible (Proceedings Pending), Ineligible (Proceedings Completed), Prohibition/Restriction, Voluntary Exclusion. Each cause and treatment code is linked to one exclusion type.

(ii) The exclusion type advises readers of the nature of the exclusion, debarment, or suspension and how those listed in the SAM Exclusions should be treated. However, the fact that an entity is listed in the SAM Exclusions does not necessarily mean the entity is ineligible for contract award. Review of the exclusion type is crucial in ensuring that listed entities are not deprived of their “liberty interest” in conducting business with the Government.

(iii) When the Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance debars individuals under 10 U.S.C. 4656, they are placed in the SAM Exclusions under cause and treatment code FF (Reciprocal), which is now linked to exclusion type, Ineligible (Proceedings Completed). The records for individuals currently entered into EPLS and listed under this cause and treatment code can be found in the SAM Exclusions. Records created in EPLS have both a cause and treatment code and an exclusion type listed.

(2) The contracting officer shall consider the information available in the Supplier Performance Risk System during the evaluation of quotations and offers received in response to a solicitation and in the determination of the contractor’s responsibility. In addition, the contracting officer shall document the contract file regarding any action taken as a result of information obtained from the Supplier Performance Risk System.