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Created by
Stephanie Sung, last updated by Blanche Sharpe on Jan 26, 2026
4 minute read
This FAQs answers questions you may have about the AOR and AA.
Q. What is the difference between the AOR and AA roles?
A. The AOR for Industry, Academia, Non-Profit, or Federal/State/Local Government organizations is the Government Business POC, Alternate Government Business POC, Past Performance POC, Alternate Past Performance POC, Electronic Business POC, or the Alternate Electronic Business POC (from SAM.gov) associated with the organization in SAM.gov. For DOE FFRDCs, the AOR is the individual(s) designated by the organization to manage and approve user accounts in the system. The AOR is able to approve accounts for users in their organization and can create/submit applications for their organization in the Energy Program Information Center (EPIC). Once approved by the AOR, the AA can also manage and approve user accounts for their organization. Please refer to Role Permission Matrix for additional information.
Q. How do I know who my AOR is?
A. For Industry, Academia, Non-Profit, or Federal/State/Local Government organizations, the AOR is the Government Business Point of Contact POC, Alternate Government Business POC, Past Performance POC, Alternate Past Performance POC, Electronic Business POC, or Alternate Electronic Business POC in SAM.gov. You can find this information on SAM.gov by following these steps:
Go to SAM.gov.
Click “Search Records,” enter the name or UEI number of the organization, and click
“Search”
Click “View Details” and select “POCs” in the left navigation.
For DOE FFRDCs, the AOR is likely the Lab Relationship Manager at the organization. If additional assistance is needed, FFRDC staff can access the Energy Program Information Center Help Desk to identify their AORs.
Q. When will you be contacting AORs?
A. In early July of 2024, the EPIC team will send the initial communication to AORs to begin the registration process.
Q. Can you have multiple AORs?
A. Yes. The EPIC allows for multiple AORs to be associated with an organization only if the organization has multiple POCs listed in SAM.gov. Those POCs listed in SAM.gov will have the AOR role assigned to them during registration as long as the email from SAM.gov is the same email entered into EPIC. If your affiliation is an FFRDC, you may have multiple AORs and should notify the EPIC Help Desk. Additionally, organizations can have multiple AAS, who can manage and approve user accounts for your organization.
Q. Can someone else be designated as AOR?
A. For Industry, Academia, Non-Profit, or Federal, State, or Local Government affiliations, only the users who are listed as the Government Business POC, Alternate Government Business POC, Past Performance POC, Alternate Past Performance POC, Electronic Business POC, and Alternate Electronic Business POC in SAM.gov can be the AORs. DOE FFRDCs should notify the EPIC Help Desk to reassign their AORs.
Q. Will the AOR be able to see all applications?
A. Yes, the AOR will be able to see all applications within their organization.
Q. Do you need an AOR to submit a Concept Paper or Letter of Intent?
A. Any user affiliated with Industry, Academia, a Non-Profit, Government, or FFRDC will need to have an approved account by their AOR or AA to submit Letters of Intent, Concept Papers or Full Applications for their organization.
Q. If the AOR gives someone else the ability to add/remove users, can that individual also have a dual role to submit applications?
A. Yes. The AOR can approve one or more AA roles for their organization, which allows the AA to manage accounts for users in the organization. For an AA to submit an application, they would also need to be assigned to the application as the Technical and/or Business POC.
Q. Can an organization get a report of all the users associated with their organization?
A. Yes. The AOR and AA can select “Manage Users” from the “Administrative” tab of the Landing Page in the EPIC to view all registered users within their organization.
Q. What happens if an AOR leaves the company or changes role, how is a change made?
A. For Industry, Academia, Non-Profits, or Federal/State/Local Government organizations, it is the organization’s responsibility to update SAM.gov and notify the EPIC Help Desk that an AOR EPIC account needs to be disabled after departure. DOE FFRDCs should notify the EPIC Help Desk to update the AOR in the system.
Q. Is there a limit on who should be an AA?
A. No. There is no limit to the number of AAS that can be approved in the EPIC by the AOR.
Q. Will AA's also see all applications submitted or just the AOR?
A. Only the AOR can see all applications for their organization. However, if the AA is assigned to applications as the Business or Technical POC, the AA can see the submitted applications to which they are assigned.
Q. Can we give access to individual submissions to multiple people/roles?
A. Yes. You can grant application access to multiple users by using the shared access feature. This feature provides applicants the ability to invite users into the system, as well as grant application access to already registered users.
Q. If assigned as an AA, would a user also need to be assigned as a Business POC (when available for a DOE FFRDC) to submit applications?
A. Yes. If you are an AA, you would need to be assigned as a Business POC to create, edit, and/or submit applications. Depending on your role in the project, you could also be assigned as the Technical POC.
Q. Why can only the AOR see the complete listing of opportunities for their organization? Why not the AA as well?
A. The reason for limiting the complete list of opportunities to only the AOR is because not all organizations use the AA role in the same way. However, we have received feedback that there is a need for other roles to be able to see the complete list. We are currently reviewing possible approaches to handle that for a future system update.