Looking for a Unique Entity ID (SAM)?
Find a company in the Unique Entity ID database
The SAM database is the largest company database in the world. It contains information on more than 440 million companies in over 220 countries.
The SAM database is the largest company database in the world. It contains information on more than 440 million companies in over 220 countries.
This page contains resources to help you obtain your unique entity identifier (SAM). UEI is used as an abbreviation for Unique Entity Identifier.
A UEI number is the authoritative identification number provided by the U.S. government, used to identify businesses awarded federal grants, awards and contracts. It replaces the DUNS number
All of the federal government's Integrated Award Environment (IAE) systems now use UEI numbers instead of DUNS numbers. This means any entity doing business with the federal government — or that has plans to do so in the future — is affected. This change also affects any business seeking federal funding, including small businesses applying for federal grants and federal awards.
If you plan to pursue contracts with the federal government, you will need a UEI. Businesses must obtain a UEI to be eligible to receive federal grants and federal awards, including federal small business grants.
A UEI is not the same as a DUNS number. While the two have a similar purpose — to serve as a unique identifier for businesses — several key differences distinguish the two from one another.
Dun and Bradstreet (D&B), an analytics company, creates DUNS numbers. The DUNS number is not simply an identification number — it is also linked to D&B’s scores and ratings. Lenders may use a business’s DUNS number to pull its credit report, for example, to decide whether to extend the business a loan.
