The Dun & Bradstreet D-U-N-S number has long been the GSA’s official Unique Entity Identifier, but it is being replaced in December 2020. In its place will be a new Unique Entity ID, generated in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov). This new, as yet unnamed Unique Entity Identifier will be twelve characters long. The definition of uniqueness will not be changing. Uniqueness will continue to be based on an entity being a separate legal entity and/or associated with a separate physical address.
The process to get a Unique Entity Identifier will be changing. Under the D-U-N-S number system, entities must request a D-U-N-S number from Dun & Bradstreet, and have it assigned, before they can register in SAM.gov and do business with the government. They must also register any changes in their name or address with Dun & Bradstreet. Under the new system, entities will be assigned their Unique Entity Identifier when they register with SAM.gov, and all changes of name or address will be part of the SAM.gov system. In addition, the validation of entity uniqueness will no longer be performed by Dun & Bradstreet, instead, this function will be performed by Ernst & Young.
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