IRS Verification

There is a separate process within the System for Award Management (SAM) for a company’s Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN). This is handled by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and is processed within the SAM, but separate from the rest of the registration. This helps the government and other agencies with the accuracy of the data that is being given and connects the entity to another identifier.

All U.S. entities and international entities that pay U.S. taxes should have a TIN and include it within the system.

What is a TIN?

A TIN is a nine-digit number that is assigned by the IRS. There are several different types, most of which can be used within the SAM registration depending on the type of entity that is being registered.

• Employer Identification Number (EIN) – This is the most common form of TIN that an entity uses. This separates the owner from the company in an LLC and is required for corporations.
• Social Security Number (SSN) – This is more commonly used for sole proprietors or LLCs. This is a number that is tied to the owner of the entity.
• Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) – This is more commonly used for sole proprietors or LLCs. This is a number that is tied to the owner of the entity.

When processing your SAM within the system, you are authorizing the IRS to verify your Taxpayer Identification Name and Taxpayer Identification Number that is given. For most U.S. entities, this will be given on their IRS SS-4 form when they were first assigned their EIN.

The taxpayer name and numbers must match what is given exactly, in the case of an EIN, this will be what is listed on the form. For an SSN, this will be what is listed on their social security card, and for an ITIN this will be what is listed on the W-7 form. All of these will be as they are received from the IRS directly and not as they are written by each taxpayer.

Receiving an Employer Identification Number (EIN)

If you need an EIN for your company and have not already received one, you can register to receive one for your company by going to the IRS’s website and applying or learning about which may be best for your company and company type.

If you are looking to receive an EIN for an exempt organization that may not need to file taxes (nonprofits, charities, etc.), you must make sure that the entity has already been legally formed. If you file for an EIN before your company has been formed, depending on what type of structure your company has, you may lose your tax-exempt status.

You will need the following information when filing for an EIN:

• Company’s legal business name and trade names or doing business as (DBA) names
• The full address
• The executor or responsible party for the entity
• The organization type
• General company information (start date, activity type or products sold, and purpose for applying)

It can take up to five weeks for a new EIN to be processed and ready to be used in the system, even after it has been given.

If you are finding that your Taxpayer name and number do not match, you can also call the IRS’s Business & Specialty Tax Line at (800) 829-4933 to reach out to them and see if they can locate and provide your taxpayer information.

For all other questions about your TIN call the Contractor Helpline at 855-545-6604 to learn how to qualify and become properly registered in System for Award Management (SAM).