FAPIIS stands for the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System, a U.S. government database that tracks the track record of companies and organizations that receive federal contracts and grants. It functions like a background check system for government spending: before awarding a contract worth more than $250,000 (the simplified acquisition threshold), contracting officers are required to review the winning bidder’s FAPIIS record to decide whether that company is responsible enough to get the work.
The system pulls together integrity records from multiple sources, including exclusion lists and past performance reports, giving government buyers a single place to check whether a contractor has a history of problems. FAPIIS data now lives within SAM.gov, the government’s central platform for entity management and procurement information.
What Information FAPIIS Contains
FAPIIS stores what the government calls “integrity records.” These include whether a contractor has had a contract terminated for default or cause (meaning the government ended the deal because the contractor failed to deliver), determinations that a contractor was not responsible enough to receive an award, and records of criminal, civil, or administrative proceedings connected to federal work. It also pulls in data from the System for Award Management (SAM) exclusions list, which tracks companies that have been debarred or suspended from doing business with the government.
A 2024 Government Accountability Office review found significant gaps in the data. Over a five-year period, 335 contract terminations and 52 administrative agreements that appeared in other government records were never reported into FAPIIS. So while the system is meant to be comprehensive, it doesn’t always capture every relevant event.
Who Has to Report and When
Reporting obligations flow in two directions. Federal agencies must enter information about contract terminations, nonresponsibility determinations, and other integrity-related actions. Contractors and grant recipients also have disclosure requirements, but only once they cross a specific financial threshold.
If your organization holds federal contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements with a combined active value exceeding $10 million, you are required to disclose information about any criminal, civil, or administrative proceedings that reached final disposition within the past five years and were connected to a federal award. This disclosure must be updated every six months for as long as your active awards stay above that $10 million mark. The information goes into SAM.gov, where it becomes part of your entity’s responsibility and qualification profile.
How Contracting Officers Use It
FAPIIS plays a direct role in what’s called a “responsibility determination,” the decision about whether a company is qualified and trustworthy enough to receive a government contract. Before making any award above the simplified acquisition threshold, contracting officers must review the bidder’s FAPIIS record and document in the contract file how they considered that information and what action they took as a result.
The review doesn’t stop at the company itself. Contracting officers also check FAPIIS records for the company’s immediate owner, any predecessor organizations, and subsidiaries. If the review turns up concerning information, such as a criminal proceeding or a previous termination for cause, the contracting officer must give the company an opportunity to respond and explain the circumstances. The officer may also notify the agency official responsible for debarment or suspension if the information warrants it.
A negative record in FAPIIS doesn’t automatically disqualify a contractor. It triggers additional scrutiny, but the contracting officer weighs the information alongside everything else they know about the company’s capabilities and track record.
How Long Records Stay Visible
Integrity records and any comments attached to them remain in the system for six years. After that period, the information drops off. This means a contract termination or legal proceeding from seven years ago would no longer appear in a FAPIIS review, though other government databases might retain their own records independently.
How Contractors Can Respond to Records
If an agency enters negative information about your organization, you have the right to add comments to the record. Those comments stay attached to the entry for the full six-year retention period, so anyone reviewing the record sees your side of the story alongside the agency’s report.
When a contracting officer finds concerning FAPIIS information during a preaward review, you can submit additional details to demonstrate your responsibility. This is your opportunity to provide context: explaining what happened, what corrective actions you’ve taken, and why the issue shouldn’t disqualify you from the current award. If the situation escalates to a proposed debarment, you have 30 days from receiving notice to submit information and arguments in opposition, either in person, in writing, or through a representative. A general denial isn’t sufficient at that stage. You need to identify specific facts that contradict the government’s statements.
The Transition From FAPIIS.gov to SAM.gov
FAPIIS originally operated as a standalone website at FAPIIS.gov. That site has been retired, and all of its records now live within SAM.gov as part of each entity’s profile. The data is labeled “Responsibility/Qualification” (often shortened to R/Q) rather than “FAPIIS,” but the underlying information is the same.
To search and view R/Q data on SAM.gov, you need to sign in using a Login.gov account. The records don’t include performance assessment data from CPARS (the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System), which remains in its own system. For developers and organizations that pull data programmatically, R/Q records and proceedings information are available through Version 3 of the Entity Management API at open.gsa.gov.
Why FAPIIS Matters for Contractors
For any organization that depends on federal contracts or grants, your FAPIIS profile is essentially your integrity credit report. A clean record is invisible, quietly helping you clear responsibility checks without delay. A record containing terminations for cause, legal proceedings, or nonresponsibility findings creates friction in every future bid, requiring you to explain the circumstances each time and giving contracting officers a documented reason to look more closely. Since records persist for six years and are visible across all federal agencies, a single negative entry with one agency can affect your competitiveness government-wide.