SAM.gov Unique Entity ID (UEI)

Any entity can request a UEI on SAM.gov without completing a full registration, which is enough to report as a subawardee. To bid on and receive most federal contracts, though, you need an active SAM registration, which FAR subpart 4.11 requires; during registration you also get a CAGE code and complete your representations and certifications.

Registration must be renewed every year. A lapsed registration can make you ineligible for award at the moment it matters, so renew well ahead of the expiration date.

The usual errors are a legal name or address that does not match the UEI record, a registration that expired during the evaluation, and using an old DUNS number on forms. Check the UEI, CAGE code and expiration date on every proposal cover page and standard form.

Some state and local governments now ask for the UEI too, especially on federally funded projects, while most keep their own vendor registration.

Your SAM.gov registration also holds the representations and certifications that most solicitations incorporate by reference, so an out-of-date entry can create a false certification in every offer you submit. Review it when anything changes: ownership, size, address, banking details, or a new certification such as SDVOSB or WOSB. Assign one person to own the registration, set a reminder well before the annual expiration, and keep the confirmation of each renewal with your company records.