For more than two decades, a Dun & Bradstreet’s Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number has been required by the federal government as a unique identifier for entities (companies, nonprofits, educational institutions, etc.) that do business with them. Stakeholders seeking to participate in federal affordable housing programs have typically had to register and obtain a DUNS number before registering in the System for Award Management (SAM). On April 4, 2022, this will change, and a DUNS number will no longer be necessary. Instead, a new Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) will be issued by the SAM system. This change eliminates the third-party website from the process, making it easier for companies to register in SAM and update their registration. The data fields required to obtain a UEI (SAM) are not changing from what you need to provide to get a UEI (DUNS). The data fields required are legal business name and address. Some entities may be asked to provide additional business documents to establish their identity. Although the process has changed, stakeholders will still need to register for a SAM.
If you are already registered in SAM, you have already been issued a new UEI and do not need to take further action. During the transition, you will see both the DUNS and the new UEI within the SAM system. In order to view your UEI, the Federal Service Desk has issued this helpful guide.
After April 4, only the new UEI will be referenced, and you will no longer need to go through Dun & Bradstreet for a DUNS number as part of the registration process. Your company will only need to begin the registration through SAM. You can access the system by entering your legal company or entity name and address, where a validation service will provide you with potential matches. Once you confirm a match, the validation is deemed successful, and you will receive your UEI immediately. Note, previously, a complete SAM registration could take up to ten business days (or longer in some cases). This new, one-site process streamlines registration and cuts down on time.