IAE News and Updates
Guide for State and Local Governments Applying for Federal Financial Assistance [PDF - 84 KB]
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The Unique Entity ID from SAM.gov is now the authoritative identifier for those doing business with the federal government. The DUNS Number is no longer valid for federal award identification.
All of the Integrated Award Environment (IAE) systems—SAM.gov, eSRS, FSRS, FPDS, FAPIIS, and CPARS—as well as all other GSA systems, are now only using the Unique Entity ID to identify entities.
The Unique Entity ID is generated in SAM.gov. If you are registered in SAM.gov (active or not), you already have a Unique Entity ID. It is viewable at SAM.gov. If you are new to SAM.gov and will be registering for the first time, you will get your Unique Entity ID (SAM) during registration.
Here is a summary of what you need to know:
Here are frequently asked questions about Unique Entity ID and entity validation.
Keep reading for more detail based on the type of work you do in SAM.gov.
Entities update their entity information for federal award purposes through their SAM.gov Workspace. You need to validate your entity information in SAM.gov when renewing your registration or changing your legal business name or address. Learn how to update your entity information here.
Entities who are prime awardees reporting on subawardees in FSRS should use the subawardee’s Unique Entity ID. You can search SAM.gov for another entity’s information.
Those new to SAM.gov can register their entity or just get a Unique Entity ID by signing in to SAM.gov and creating a new entity. If you want to bid directly on contracts or grants from the federal government, choose an All Awards or Financial Assistance registration type. If you are a subawardee who just needs a Unique Entity ID for subaward reporting, choose Unique Entity ID only.
Remember, the Unique Entity ID in SAM.gov does not affect CAGE codes.
Federal entities registering in SAM.gov for the first time get a Unique Entity ID during the registration process. Make updates your federal entity information at SAM.gov.
To search for an entity in SAM.gov, you can use the entity’s legal business name, CAGE code, or Unique Entity ID. You can not use the DUNS Number to search entities or exclusions.
SAM.gov APIs and extracts use the Unique Entity ID. If they contain the fields for DUNS Numbers, the fields are empty.
If you discover your saved searches or contract data ad hoc reports aren’t returning information as expected, make sure you replace the DUNS Number fields with Unique Entity ID fields.
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Don’t have a Unique Entity ID yet? Here’s how to get one.
Learn more about the Unique Entity ID here.
Guide for State and Local Governments Applying for Federal Financial Assistance [PDF - 84 KB]
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A unique number for businesses and required in order to do business with the federal government. By April of 2022, GSA is expected to automatically assign entities registered in SAM a unique entity identifier.