Government Contracting — Entity Identifiers

A five-character alphanumeric identifier assigned by the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) to entities doing business with the federal government. CAGE codes are used worldwide to identify companies in defense and government supply chains, enabling standardized tracking across procurement, logistics, and contract administration systems.

A nine-digit number assigned by Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) to uniquely identify business entities worldwide. While DUNS numbers were historically the primary entity identifier for federal contracting, the government transitioned to the Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) in April 2022. DUNS numbers remain relevant for legacy contract references and commercial credit reporting.

A 12-character alphanumeric identifier generated by SAM.gov that replaced the DUNS number as the official entity identifier for federal awards in April 2022. The UEI is government-owned and managed, eliminating the dependency on a commercial data provider. Every entity registered in SAM.gov receives a UEI as part of the registration process.

A nine-digit number assigned by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to business entities for tax reporting purposes. The EIN serves as the federal tax ID for corporations, partnerships, LLCs, and other business entities. In government contracting, the EIN/TIN is used to verify tax compliance, process payments, and link entities across federal financial systems.

The international equivalent of the U.S. CAGE code, assigned to entities outside the United States through the NATO Codification System. NCAGE codes enable foreign companies to participate in U.S. defense procurement, NATO cooperative programs, and Foreign Military Sales (FMS). The codes are managed by national codification bureaus in each NATO member nation and partner countries.

A CAGE code specifically associated with a manufacturer of products supplied to the government, used primarily in the Federal Cataloging System and technical data packages. Manufacturer's CAGE codes link companies to the National Stock Numbers (NSNs) of items they produce, enabling the government to identify approved sources for replacement parts, repairs, and reprocurement across the federal supply system.

SAM.gov is the official U.S. government system for entity registration, serving as the authoritative source for contractor information across all federal agencies. Registration in SAM.gov is mandatory for any entity seeking federal contracts, grants, or other financial assistance. The system consolidates what were previously separate registrations in CCR, ORCA, and EPLS.

The Central Contractor Registration was the predecessor system to SAM.gov for contractor registration, operational from 1998 until its consolidation into SAM.gov in 2012. CCR collected contractor information including DUNS numbers, banking data, NAICS codes, and socioeconomic certifications. Understanding CCR is relevant for interpreting legacy contract documents and historical procurement data.

The process by which a business self-certifies its applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes during SAM.gov registration. NAICS codes determine which contracts a company can compete for as a small business, since size standards are set at the NAICS level. Accurate self-certification is critical because misrepresentation can result in False Claims Act liability.

A comprehensive business credit and information profile maintained by Dun & Bradstreet, including financial strength indicators, payment history, and business background. While the government no longer requires DUNS numbers for new registrations, D&B profiles remain influential in contractor responsibility determinations, as contracting officers may review commercial credit data when assessing a company's financial capability to perform.