CHAPTER 2 - STEPS TO REGISTER FOR ELECTRONIC APPLICATION SUBMISISION (FIVE STEPS)

Before you can submit your grant application electronically through Grants.gov, you must complete several important steps to register as a submitter. The registration process can take approximately two weeks to be completed. Therefore, registration should be done in sufficient time before you submit your application. The Grants.gov web site offers access to checklists to help applicants complete the registration process at Grants.gov - Get Started. Registration steps include:

Ø STEP 1 - Obtain a Data Universal Number System (DUNS) Number for your organization.

Ø STEP 2 - Register your organization with the Central Contractor Registration.

Ø STEP 3 - Register with the Credential Provider as an Authorized Organization

Ø STEP 4 - Register with Grants.gov as an AOR to submit applications through Grants.gov.

Ø STEP 5 - Electronic Business Point of Contact (E-Biz POC) gives authorization to AOR to submit applications for the organization.

A. Step One: Obtain A Data Universal Number System (DUNS) Number

In order to register and submit an electronic application via Grants.gov, your organization will need a DUNS number. A DUNS number is a unique nine-character identification number provided by the commercial company Dun & Bradstreet (D&B).

Note: You must have a different 9 digit DUNS for each physical location/different address in your organization.

Prior to requesting a DUNS number, investigate if your organization already has a DUNS number by contacting your chief financial officer, grant administrator, or authorizing official within your organization. If your organization does not have a DUNS number you can immediately receive one by calling 866-705-5711. The approximate time to get a DUNS number by phone is 10 – 15 minutes, and there is no charge.

Note: You should wait approximately 24 to 48 hours to register with the Central Contractor Registration so that your DUNS number can become active in D&B’s records.

The registration process allows for use of the DUNS + 4 as part of the registration process. The use of the DUNS + 4 allows large organizations to register as a single parent organization, as well as register sub-units or organizations. Each sub-organization would use the main 9-digit Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number plus 4 additional unique DUNS numbers.

If you decide to call Dun & Bradstreet (D&B), please have the following information ready when you call:

– Name of your organization
– Organization address
– Local phone number
– Name of the CEO/Organization owner
– Legal structure of the organization (corporation, partnership, proprietorship)
– Year the organization started
– Primary line of business
– Total number of employees (full and part time)

As a result of obtaining a DUNS number, you have the option to be included on D&B's marketing list that is sold to other companies. If you do not want your name/organization included on this marketing list, request not to be listed when you are speaking with a D&B representative during your DUNS number telephone application.

You can also obtain a DUNS number on-line by following these instructions:

§ Go to http://www.ccr.gov/.

§ Click Start new registration.

§ Click the link to the D&B website.

§ Under #1, click the link to the web form and continue.

Once the web form is submitted, an automated response will be sent to the email address provided. This will give a tracking ID number, which will assist D&B in tracking the status of the request.

A response from the appropriate fulfillment center regarding the DUNS request will be sent within one business day and it will contain the DUNS number. If additional information is needed by D&B, the request will be marked Pending and the reason will be provided in the email. All pending requests are kept by D&B for 3 business days before being denied.

Note: Your registration is not finished until Steps Two through Five are completed.

B. Step Two: Register Your Organization With The Central Contractor Registration

Grant applicants and recipients must register with the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) to begin the electronic application submission process. The CCR is the primary vendor database for the

U.S. Federal Government. Vendors are required to register to provide basic information relevant to procurement and financial transactions. Vendors must update or renew their registration annually to maintain an active status. CCR validates the vendor’s information and electronically shares the secure and encrypted data with the federal agencies’ finance offices to facilitate paperless payments through electronic funds transfer (EFT).

Grants.gov uses the CCR to establish roles and IDs for the representatives of organizations that will use Grants.gov to submit electronic applications. Information for registering with the CCR and on-line documents can be found at http://www.ccr.gov/.

Employer Identification Number (EIN) or Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN)

Note: You will NOT be able to complete your CCR registration until CCR has confirmed your Employer Identification Number (EIN) or Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) with the IRS. It will take 24-48 hours for IRS to validate your TIN. According to the IRS, if you do not currently have an EIN and need to apply for one over the phone or Internet, you will be given a tentative EIN, but your EIN may not become active for up to two (2) weeks. If you have questions about your EIN, please call 1-800-829-4933. If you apply for an EIN by mail, confirmation from the IRS can take up to 5 weeks.

Central Contractor Registration Handbook

Before registering, you should review the Central Contractor Registration Handbook, which can be found by clicking on the CCR Handbook tab at the top of the page at http://www.ccr.gov/. You can also contact the CCR Assistance Center 24 hours, 7 days a week at 888-227-2423 or 269-961-5757 for assistance.

Central Contractor Registration Worksheet

The CCR Worksheet is a tool that you can use to collect information about your organization before you register. It contains general, corporate, and financial information, as well as information on goods/services, Point of Contact, and Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) that will you will need during the registration process. It is highly recommended that you print this worksheet and keep it with your records. See Appendix 1 – CCR Registration Worksheet and Appendix 2 – Information/Data Needed to Register. To locate the CCR Worksheet, see the screen shot at B1. How to Register Your Organization With CCR.

Trading Partner Profile (TPP)

When the CCR Worksheet is completed and accepted by CCR it becomes your organization’s Trading Partner Profile (TPP). It identifies the CCR Point of Contact, the E-Business POC, and provides the organization’s MPIN.

To view the TPP, see screen shots at Chapter 2 – Steps to Register for Electronic Application Submission, B8. Don’t Know Your MPIN?

To change information in the TPP, see screen shots at Chapter 2 – Steps to Register for Electronic Application Submission, B4. How to Renew/Update Your CCR Registration.

B1. How To Register Your Organization With the CCR

Access the CCR on-line registration by following these steps:

§ Go to http://www.grants.gov/ and select Applicants.

§ Click on Register with Central Contractor Registry (CCR)

§ At this screen you can download CCR’s Registration Worksheet and complete it prior to registering. See Appendix 1 – CCR Registration Worksheet. It is highly recommended that you print this worksheet and keep it with your records. The worksheet contains pertinent information that you will need during the registration process. When the worksheet is completed and accepted by CCR it becomes your organization’s Trading Partner Profile (TPP). If you already have the necessary information on hand, the on-line registration takes approximately one hour to complete, depending upon the size and complexity of your company. 

§ For details on the information to gather before you register. See Appendix 2- Information/Data Needed to Register.

§ Also at this screen click on the link to http://www.ccr.gov/.

§ Click on Start New Registration to start the registration process. You must have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Number in order to begin the registration process.

§ At the next screen enter your DUNS number and click on Submit.

§ Complete and submit the on-line registration.

CCR Temporary Confirmation Number

When you register via the Web, a temporary confirmation number will be assigned to you so that your application can be saved in the event you are unable to complete it during your initial on-line session. It is important that you write down your temporary confirmation number, as you must have it, along with your DUNS Number, to resume your application. An example of a temporary confirmation number is available at Appendix 3 at the end of the chapter. Clicking Validate/Save will save the incomplete registration. A list of information you are missing will appear on the Show Errors list. Registrations in process are saved for up to 120 days for your convenience. Once your complete registration is submitted, the confirmation number becomes invalid.

B2. How To Know Your CCR Registration Was Successful

You will be unable to submit your registration on-line unless all of the mandatory information is provided. You will be notified of missing information by a list of errors on each page when you click Validate/Save. Once you have provided the information, click Validate/Save again to verify that all necessary fields are filled. 

CCR Confirmation Notices

You will receive two notices if your registration was submitted successfully. The first notice, which you will receive within 24 hours after submitting your registration, welcomes you to CCR and will include a copy of your registration. An example of a Welcome Notice is provided at Appendix 4 at the end of this chapter.

Trading Partner Identification Number (TPIN) Letter (Second Confirmation Notice)

The second notice, which you will receive within 48 hours after submitting your registration, provides you with a Web link/address where you can enter your DUNS number and temporary confirmation number to obtain your confidential TPIN.

A Trading Partner Identification Number, which is assigned by CCR, will replace the temporary confirmation number when your registration is active. The TPIN is also your confidential number that confirms that you have successfully registered in CCR and allows you to change your CCR information. An example of a TPIN letter is provided in Appendix 5 at the end of this chapter.

If your registration was submitted successfully, you will receive notice either by U.S. Postal Service mail or email. The email notice contains a method to access your confidential TPIN. The TPIN access information is sent separately for security reasons. Receipt of your TPIN is your confirmation that you are successfully registered in CCR. The confidential TPIN allows access to your CCR data and is required to make, or request, any changes or updates to your active registration.

B3. How To Verify The Status Of Your CCR Registration

To verify the status of your registration online:

§ Go to http://www.ccr.gov/ and click on Search CCR.

§ When prompted, enter your DUNS number and click Search.

§ The registration status is located at the top of the page. This screen indicates the Current Registration Status is: Active in CCR.

§ Valid statuses are:

o Active: Registration is Active.

o Registered/Active Pending: Registration is in the process of being validated.

o Inactive: Registration has been cancelled or has expired.

o Invalid: DUNS Number is incorrect. Contact D&B to verify the DUNS Number.

You can also call the CCR Assistance Center at 888-227-2423 to find out the status of your registration.

B4. How To Renew/Update Your CCR Registration

Applicants are required to renew/update their information in CCR on an annual basis. If you do not renew your registration it will expire and result in your Grants.gov application being rejected.

Thirty days prior to the expiration of your CCR registration, a 30-Days To Expiration Letter will be sent to the CCR POC, identified in the CCR Trading Partner Profile (TPP), notifying them of the pending expiration. See Chapter 2, Appendix 6, 30-Days To Expiration Letter. If the CCR registration is not updated within this timeframe, the registration will expire. The CCR POC will receive a final Expiration Letter. See Chapter 2, Appendix 7, Expiration Letter.

§ To renew your registration, the CCR POC should go to http://www.ccr.gov/ and click on Update or Renew Registrations Using TPIN.

§ Enter your DUNS number and TPIN, and then click Submit.

§ If there are no changes to the registration, click the Validate/Save button for the information to register in the system. If there are changes, enter the changes, and click the Validate/Save button.

NOTE: You must click on the Validate/Save or the Renew Profile (Trading Partner Profile) button in Registration Tools. Please be aware that new requirements may have been implemented since your last visit. You may receive an error on your renewal if a new requirement isn't fulfilled.

§ At this screen you will receive a notice advising that you successfully finished your CCR Registration.

Your registration renewal/update may take approximately 48 hours to update.

At this screen it is also highly recommended, if you have not done so already, that you print your TPP. It contains your organization’s DUNS number, CCR and E-Business POC names, and the MPIN. At the above screen, click on View TPP and then print.

You can also call the CCR at 888-227-2423 for assistance.

B5. How to Maintain Your CCR Registration

Your Responsibilities

- You are responsible for ensuring the accuracy of your registration. You must use your DUNS Number in conjunction with your TPIN number when making and requesting any changes to your profile. 

- You are responsible for updating all of your registration information as it changes.

- You must renew your registration at least once a year. If you do not renew your registration, it will expire. An expired registration will affect your ability to conduct business (receive contract awards or payments) with the federal government. 

- Please remember that once you cancel your registration, all payments, if payments are being made, will cease. A vendor must remain active in CCR until all payments are made to avoid discontinuation. 

- You may voluntarily delete your registration at any time by going on-line with your DUNS Number and TPIN or contacting the CCR Assistance Center at 888-227-2423 or 269-961-5757. If you delete your registration, your information will be removed from the CCR database. If you delete your registration by mistake, you may call to reinstate that registration.

NOTE: See also Chapter 3, E. Registration Tips For The Applicants Who Successfully Submitted An Application Last Year - You will find information on the following:

- CCR Point Of Contact Must Renew/Update The CCR Registration

- CCR Point Of Contact - Don’t Know Your TPIN?

- Who Is The AOR That Will Submit The Grant Application Package?

- How To Check Your AOR Status In Grants.gov

- Forgot Your AOR Grants.gov Username?

- Forgot Your Grants.gov Password?

- Who Is The Organization’s E-Business POC?

- The E-Business POC Will Need To Authorize The AOR To Submit Applications

- E-Business POC - Don’t Know Your MPIN?

B6. How To Cancel An Active CCR Registration

§ Go to www.ccr.gov and click on Update or Renew Registrations Using TPIN.

§ Enter your DUNS Number and TPIN and click Submit.

§ On the next screen click Delete Profile in the upper left corner to cancel your registration. 

B7. Current Registrants Without A MPIN

If you currently have an active registration in CCR and you do not have a MPIN you will need to:

§ To access your CCR registration, go to http://www.ccr.gov/ and click on Update or Renew Registrations using TPIN.

§ Enter your DUNS number and TPIN and click on Submit.

§ Click on the Points of Contact tab.

§ Complete all fields for the E-Business POC and the alternate E-Business POC and update all other fields as necessary.

§ At the bottom of the screen create an MPIN.

§ After creating an MPIN, click on the Validate/Save button.

Your registration will take approximately 48 hours to update.

B8. Don't Know Your MPIN?

You can search for your MPIN by following these steps:

1. Go to http://www.ccr.gov/ and select Update or Renew Registrations Using TPIN.

2. Enter your DUNS Number and TPIN.

3. On the left side of the screen, select View TPP.

4. Scroll down to the bottom of the page for the MPIN.

Note: You should make a copy of the TPP for your records.

Or you can call the CCR at 888-227-2423 for assistance.

B9. Don’t Know Your TPIN?

If you are registered in CCR, but do not know your TPIN follow the steps below. The TPIN is a confidential number that is required for subsequent changes and renewal of your registration.

§ Go to http://www.ccr.gov/ and click on Update or Renew Registrations Using TPIN.

§ Select Click here for a TPIN Letter Request.

§ On the next screen enter your DUNS number and click on Send TPIN Letter.

A confidential TPIN letter will be mailed to the CCR E-Business Point of Contact (POC) identified in the Trading Partner Profile (TPP). See also the Chapter 2, Appendix 5, Example of a TPIN Letter.

B10. Don't Know Your E-Business Point of Contact (E-Business POC)?

You can search for the name of your organization's E-Business POC by following these steps:

§ Go to http://www.grants.gov/ and click on the Get Started link.

§ On the left side of the screen, select Search CCR for your EBIZ POC.

§ At the next screen enter your DUNS Number and click on Search.

§ At the next screen scroll down the page to the Electronic Business POC section.

Or you can call the CCR at 888-227-2423 for assistance.

Note: Your registration is not finished until Steps Three through Five are completed.