FAR 26.205—Disaster Response Registry.
Plain-English Summary
FAR 26.205 addresses the Disaster Response Registry and how contracting officers use it to identify contractors available for disaster and emergency relief work. It covers the requirement to consult the registry through SAM.gov, the types of work the registry is meant to support—debris removal, distribution of supplies, reconstruction, and other disaster or emergency relief activities—and the geographic scope, which includes the United States and outlying areas. It also explains how prospective vendors can be found through the System for Award Management (SAM) search tool using the Disaster Response Registry search path and the “Disaster Response Contractors” criterion. In practice, this section is intended to help agencies quickly locate capable sources during emergencies while ensuring the government uses a centralized, searchable vendor pool. It also reinforces that contractors must be registered in SAM to be visible in the registry, which makes SAM registration a practical prerequisite for firms seeking disaster-response opportunities.
Key Rules
Consult the registry
Contracting officers must consult the Disaster Response Registry through SAM.gov when looking for contractors for disaster or emergency relief activities. This is a required source of market information for these types of requirements.
Use for disaster work
The registry is specifically intended to identify contractors for debris removal, distribution of supplies, reconstruction, and other disaster or emergency relief activities. It is not a general-purpose vendor list; it is tied to emergency response needs.
Covers U.S. and outlying areas
The registry applies to disaster and emergency relief activities inside the United States and its outlying areas. Contracting officers should use it when sourcing for those locations.
Search through SAM
Prospective vendors are retrieved using the SAM search tool under Search Records, Advanced Search, Disaster Response Registry Search. The search criteria include selecting “Disaster Response Contractors.”
SAM registration required
Contractors must be registered in SAM to gain access to the Disaster Response Registry. Without SAM registration, a contractor will not be visible in the registry search results.
Responsibilities
Contracting Officer
Consult the Disaster Response Registry in SAM.gov to determine whether contractors are available for disaster or emergency relief requirements, and use the registry as a source of prospective vendors for covered work.
Contractor
Register in SAM if it wants to be included in and accessible through the Disaster Response Registry, and maintain that registration so it can be found for disaster-response opportunities.
Agency
Ensure acquisition personnel know to use the registry for applicable disaster and emergency relief needs and support the use of SAM-based search tools for locating vendors.
Practical Implications
For emergency acquisitions, the registry gives contracting officers a fast way to identify vendors that have opted in to disaster-response work, which can save time during urgent sourcing.
A common pitfall is assuming the registry is optional for the government; for covered disaster-response needs, contracting officers are directed to consult it.
Another pitfall is assuming any SAM-registered contractor will appear in the registry; only vendors that voluntarily participate and are identified as disaster response contractors will show up.
Contractors seeking disaster-response business should not stop at basic SAM registration—they should ensure their profile supports visibility in the Disaster Response Registry search.
Because the registry is tied to SAM, outdated or incomplete SAM information can reduce a contractor’s chances of being found during a disaster response procurement.
Official Regulatory Text
(a) Contracting officers shall consult the Disaster Response Registry via https://www.sam.gov to determine the availability of contractors for debris removal, distribution of supplies, reconstruction, and other disaster or emergency relief activities inside the United States and outlying areas. (b) A list of prospective vendors voluntarily participating in the Disaster Response Registry can be retrieved using the System for Award Management (SAM) search tool, which can be accessed via https://www.sam.gov , Search Records, Advanced Search, Disaster Response Registry Search. These vendors may be identified by selecting the criteria for "Disaster Response Contractors". Contractors are required to register in SAM in order to gain access to the Disaster Response Registry.