SAM.gov for Trades Owners: A Plain-English Starter Guide

Launch price: $15 through November 15. Regular price $22.

If you run a plumbing, HVAC, electrical, or maintenance outfit and you’ve ever wondered whether government work is even possible for a shop your size, this guide is for you.

SAM.gov is the government’s vendor list. If you’re not on it, they can’t hire you or pay you. Registering is free, but the website is confusing, the words are strange, and a few wrong turns can cost you weeks.

I’m Stephany Hearne, owner of Red Dirt Sidekick in Oklahoma City. I registered my own business and got stuck in the same places you will. This guide walks you through it in plain English, in the order the website asks for things.

What’s inside (12 printable, fillable pages):

• Three myths that keep trades owners from registering (no, you don’t need to be a corporation)
• A checklist of everything to gather before you log in
• Every step of the registration, with the spots where people get stuck
• The trade codes most shops start with, and how to look up your own
• What happens after you hit submit, and how long it really takes
• How to spot the scam emails that show up once you’re registered
• One sheet that keeps all your numbers in one place for renewal time

The fine print: This guide is for education only. It isn’t legal advice and doesn’t promise you’ll win a contract. Red Dirt Sidekick isn’t connected to SAM.gov or any government agency, and SAM.gov registration is always free. Everything was checked against official sources in November 2026. Instant download. Works best on a computer or iPhone, and prints in black and white.