Unique Entity ID (SAM)
UEI
Also known as: UEI (SAM), the entity identifier that replaced the DUNS number
Visit UEI →Operated by GSA (Integrated Award Environment)
At a Glance
- Official site
- sam.gov (assigned during registration)
- Run by
- GSA — assigned in SAM.gov
- When you use it
- On every offer and award; it identifies your entity across systems
- Cost
- Free — assigned as part of SAM registration
- Replaced
- The DUNS number, retired for federal use on April 4, 2022
What It Is
The Unique Entity ID, or UEI (SAM), is the 12-character alphanumeric code the federal government uses to uniquely identify a business across every award and reporting system. Since April 4, 2022, the UEI has replaced the Dun & Bradstreet DUNS number as the government's official entity identifier; unlike the DUNS number, the UEI is assigned and managed by the government within SAM.gov rather than by a private company, and there is no fee to obtain it. Every entity that registers in SAM is assigned a UEI, and that identifier then follows the firm through the Federal Procurement Data System, USAspending.gov, subcontract reporting, and past-performance systems. Because the UEI is the common key that links a firm's records across systems, it appears on offers, awards, and reports, and a firm generally needs one before it can be paid or before its awards can be tracked.
When You Touch It
- When you register in SAM.gov — the UEI is assigned automatically as part of the registration.
- On offers and awards — the UEI identifies your entity to the contracting officer and the award systems.
- In downstream systems — FPDS, USAspending, eSRS, and past-performance records all key off your UEI.
- When teaming — a prime reporting your subaward will ask for your UEI so the record ties back to you.
Key Features
| Feature | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Replaced the DUNS number | As of April 4, 2022, the government-assigned UEI replaced the privately issued DUNS number as the official federal entity identifier. |
| Government-assigned and free | The UEI is generated within SAM.gov at no cost, so you no longer request an identifier from a private company. |
| The common key across systems | Your UEI links your records across FPDS, USAspending, subcontract reporting, and performance systems, so all your federal activity ties back to one identifier. |
| Twelve alphanumeric characters | The UEI is a fixed 12-character alphanumeric string tied to your specific entity and physical location. |
What It Means for an SDVOSB
For an SDVOSB, the UEI is a small but load-bearing detail: it is the identifier that ties your set-aside awards, your subcontract awards, and your past performance together into a single track record the government can find. If you registered before April 2022, confirm your firm transitioned cleanly from a DUNS number to a UEI, and make sure the UEI on your offers matches the one in your active SAM record — a mismatch or a stale identifier can slow an award or scramble how your performance history is credited. When you subcontract on a set-aside as a similarly situated entity, the prime will report your subaward under your UEI, so keeping it consistent is what makes that work show up correctly against your name.
Watch Out For
- Assuming you still need a DUNS number — it was retired for federal use on April 4, 2022 and replaced by the UEI.
- A UEI/entity mismatch — the UEI on your offer must match your active SAM registration, or the award can stall.
- Confusing the UEI with the CAGE code — the CAGE code is a separate identifier also captured in SAM.
- Paying for an identifier — the UEI is assigned free within SAM.gov; no purchase from a private service is needed.
Frequently Asked
What is a Unique Entity ID (UEI)?
The Unique Entity ID, or UEI (SAM), is a 12-character alphanumeric identifier the federal government assigns each entity in SAM.gov to uniquely identify it across award and reporting systems. It replaced the DUNS number as the official federal entity identifier on April 4, 2022. Unlike the DUNS number, the UEI is assigned and managed by the government within SAM.gov, and it is free to obtain as part of registration.
Did the UEI replace the DUNS number?
Yes. On April 4, 2022, the government stopped using the Dun & Bradstreet DUNS number and replaced it with the Unique Entity ID (SAM) as its official entity identifier. The key differences are that the UEI is generated and controlled by the government inside SAM.gov rather than by a private company, and there is no fee to obtain it. Entities that were registered before the transition were assigned a UEI automatically.
How do I get a UEI?
You get a Unique Entity ID by registering your entity in SAM.gov — the UEI is assigned automatically as part of the registration process, at no cost. If you only need the identifier and are not yet ready to complete a full registration, SAM.gov also allows you to obtain a UEI on its own, but any firm that intends to receive federal awards will need to complete the full SAM registration in any case.
Primary Sources
- FAR 4.605 — Procedures (unique entity identifier)
- FAR 52.204-6 — Unique Entity Identifier
- SAM.gov — Entity registration and UEI
Plain-English reference, not legal advice. Government systems are periodically consolidated, renamed, or migrated to new addresses, and the FAR/DFARS sections that govern them are amended from time to time — always confirm the current system, its URL, and its requirements against the official site and the actual solicitation before relying on it, and consult qualified counsel for your specific situation.
Change log (1)
- LaunchedPublished the federal contracting systems & databases reference covering the online systems an SDVOSB registers in, is found in, and is evaluated through — SAM.gov (FAR Subpart 4.11), the Unique Entity ID (FAR 52.204-6), VetCert (13 CFR Part 128), SAM.gov Contract Opportunities (FAR 5.201), the Dynamic Small Business Search (FAR 19.202-2), SBA SubNet (FAR Subpart 19.7), the Federal Procurement Data System (FAR Subpart 4.6), USAspending.gov (FFATA/DATA Act), CPARS (FAR Subpart 42.15), FAPIIS (FAR 9.104-6), the Supplier Performance Risk System (DFARS 252.204-7019/7020), the electronic Subcontracting Reporting System (FAR 52.219-9), and the FFATA Subaward Reporting System (FAR 52.204-10) — each with an at-a-glance quick-facts card showing the official site and operating agency, a when-you-touch-it list, a key-features table, an SDVOSB-specific angle, watch-outs, FAQPage, Article, Dataset, and BreadcrumbList structured data, primary-source citations, and cross-links into the glossary, how-to guides, forms, clauses, FAQ, and the set-aside eligibility, size-standard, win-probability, price-to-win, and subcontracting calculators.