UEI Technical Specifications and API Information

Unique Entity ID Technical Specifications and API Information

Many systems outside of the GSA interface with award data and information, including Unique Entity ID data. Please go to Open.GSA.gov to access API documentation.

The Unique Entity ID Standard

The standard for the Unique Entity ID is published in the Federal Register.

The Unique Entity ID is a 12-character, alphanumeric value that adheres to the following rules:

• The letters “O” and “I” are not used to avoid confusion with zero and one.
• The first character is not zero to avoid cutting off digits that can occur during data imports, for example, when importing data into spreadsheet programs.
• Nine-digit sequences are not used in the identifier to avoid collision with the nine-digit DUNS Number or Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN).
• The first five characters are structured to avoid collision with the Commercial and Government Entity code formatting or CAGE code.
• The Unique Entity ID is not case sensitive.
• The final character is a checksum of the first 11 characters. Checksums are used to detect errors within data.
• The Unique Entity ID does not contain the entity’s Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) Indicator. The EFT Indicator is a separate field in SAM.gov.
  • The “EFT Indicator” in SAM.gov was formally labeled “DUNS+4.”
  • The EFT Indicator in SAM.gov is used to identify additional bank accounts associated with a single SAM.gov registration. The EFT Indicator is a separate field from the Unique Entity ID field in SAM.gov.
  • The EFT Indicator is determined by the entity during registration.
  • The DUNS+4 data provided by entities did not change when the field was re-labeled to “EFT Indicator.”
  • When a Unique Entity ID was assigned to an entity registration in SAM.gov, the existing EFT Indicator data did not change.

Further Questions

Further inquiries may be directed to IAEOutreach@gsa.gov.

Press inquiries should be sent to press@gsa.gov