GSA Issues Notice of “Glitch” and Recommends Contractors Validate Small Business Status Representations on SAM.gov

September 17, 2026 - 23:55

The General Services Administration has started alerting contractors about a known glitch affecting certain System for Award Management registrations, with problems dating back to spring. The agency is advising companies to double check the small business status representations listed on their SAM.gov profiles.

According to the notice, the error may have caused incorrect or outdated information to appear in the small business certifications tied to some entities. This matters because federal contracting officers rely on SAM.gov data to determine whether a business qualifies for set-aside awards and other small business programs. If the information is wrong, a contractor could lose out on opportunities or face compliance issues later.

The GSA is recommending that all affected contractors log into their SAM.gov accounts and review every small business representation carefully. If something looks off, they should update it as soon as possible. Contractors who are unsure whether the glitch touched their records should still verify their entries to be safe.

The agency has not said exactly how many registrations were impacted or what triggered the problem. It also has not given a timeline for a full fix. For now, the guidance is simple: check your status, correct any mistakes, and keep records of what you change. Staying on top of SAM.gov data is a basic but critical step for any company doing business with the federal government.