Glossary term
Unique Entity ID (UEI)
A 12-character alphanumeric identifier assigned to every entity registered in SAM.gov — replaced DUNS in April 2022.
The Unique Entity ID (UEI) is the federal government's primary business identifier, generated by SAM.gov and used across all contracting, grants, and assistance systems. The UEI replaced the Dun & Bradstreet DUNS Number in April 2022. You receive your UEI as part of SAM.gov entity validation — there is no separate application. The UEI must appear on every federal proposal and contract.
Categories
- registration
- sam.gov
Related terms
- SAM.govThe System for Award Management — the official U.S. government website where businesses register to do business with federal agencies.
- CAGE CodeCommercial and Government Entity code — a five-character identifier assigned by the Defense Logistics Agency to uniquely identify suppliers.
- Entity ValidationThe SAM.gov process confirming a business's legal name and physical address before registration completes.