Inside SAM.gov: An Open Data Demo for Journalists

"SAM.gov — the federal government’s System for Award Management — is one of the most underused databases in public-interest journalism. It tracks hundreds of billions of dollars in federal contracts and grants, the companies and organizations that receive them, and entities barred or suspended from doing business with the government. If you cover federal spending, government contractors, nonprofits, or public accountability, this data is for you. This session [on April 3] is a hands-on demo, not a panel discussion. We walk through what’s in SAM.gov’s open data, how to access and navigate it, and how to start asking it real questions."

• See also the accompanying article: "Follow the Codes: 3 Takeaways From Our Webinar on Federal Contract Data" by Clark Merrefield.

The Journalist’s Resource

April 7, 2026