Glossary
UEI
A UEI is a unique alphanumeric code assigned to identify entities doing business with the U.S. federal government.
Also known as
Definition
The Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) is a 12-character alphanumeric code used to distinctly identify organizations, businesses, or individuals that receive federal contracts, grants, or other awards. The UEI replaced the DUNS number as the official entity identifier for federal procurement and assistance as of April 2022. It is issued and managed by the federal government through the System for Award Management (SAM). The UEI is required for all entities registering to do business with federal agencies.
Why it matters
The UEI enables accurate tracking, analysis, and reporting of federal contract actions to specific entities across multiple systems and datasets. It helps prevent duplicate records and supports transparency in federal spending. For procurement analysts, the UEI is essential for linking contract data, conducting vendor research, and aggregating award histories. Consistent use of the UEI improves data quality and comparability in market research and compliance monitoring.
How it appears in FPDS
In FPDS data, the UEI appears as a standard field associated with both the awardee and parent entities on contract records. Users will see UEI values in search results, data exports, and entity profiles, often replacing or supplementing legacy DUNS numbers. Analysts use the UEI to filter, group, or join contract records by vendor.
Common misunderstanding
A common misunderstanding is that the DUNS number and UEI are interchangeable or that both are still required; however, the UEI fully replaced the DUNS number for federal procurement identification. Some users also confuse the UEI with tax identification numbers, which serve different purposes.
Example
A company called Acme Solutions registers in SAM.gov and is assigned the UEI 'ABC123DEF456'. All of Acme's federal contract awards in FPDS will reference this UEI, allowing analysts to track Acme's entire federal contract history regardless of name changes or address updates.
Use in FPDS Query
Analysts can use the UEI field in FPDS queries to retrieve all contract actions associated with a specific entity, aggregate award totals, or compare vendor activity across agencies. Filtering by UEI ensures precise results even when vendor names vary.
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Related terms
Updated: Mar 17, 2026