Last updated: March 9, 2023
Article
Getting Started with UEIs
In order to receive a grant, we must be sure we are awarding to the correct organization. Since 2009, the federal government has used an organization's DUNS® number to do this. The DUNS® number serves as the unique way to identify an applicant, grantee, or sub-grantee to the federal government. After April 4, 2022, we can no longer accept these numbers as the key identifer. We will use a new, 12-character alphanumeric identifier called the Unique Entity ID (UEI).
| If you are a(n)… | then you should… | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Have a SAM.gov account | Create a UEI in SAM.gov | Register with SAM.gov using UEI | |
| Applicant for a grant | ♦ | ♦ | ♦ |
| Current grantee | ♦ | ♦ | ♦ |
| Current sub-grantee (see important note below) | ♦ | ♦ | |
What is a Unique Entity ID (UEI)?
The Unique Entity ID (UEI) will replace the current system of DUNS® numbers that identify an organization to the federal government for grant and contracts. The Unique Entity ID will be issued by and managed by the System for Award Management (SAM.gov). There is no charge to obtain, maintain, or view an organization's UEI.If you need help or have questions, contact the Federal Service Desk for assistance.
Applicants and current grantees and sub-grantees must use their Unique Entity IDs (UEIs) on applications and grant reporting forms. The new UEI issued by the System for Award Management displays as part of your SAM.gov registration. Institutions that previously relied on a DUNS+4 number to differentiate campuses or facilities must create a new UEI for each location if they do not want to consolidate to a single UEI.
If you need help or have questions, contact the Federal Service Desk for assistance.
Applicants
An applicant is an organization that is submitting an application for funding directly to the National Park Service for funding under one of our grant programs. Applicants need to provide a UEI in order to complete and submit an application.To apply for a grant, you will need to register with SAM.gov using your new UEI and sign any required assertions, representations, or certifications.
Prime Grantees
A prime grantee has a direct grant agreement with the National Park Service. Prime grantees should log into SAM.gov and note the UEI they have been issued.If your grant includes actual or planned sub-grants, you will need to collect the UEI of subgrantees for sub-grants exceeding the FSRS reporting threshold (currently $30,000) in order to complete and manage required reporting. Again, the UEI will be used not only to identify you to NPS via SAM.gov, but also by you to identify sub-grantees in FSRS.
Sub-grantees (Sub-recipients)
A sub-grantee has a grant agreement with an organization that has received a grant from the National Park Service.As of November 2021, our understanding is that only sub-grantees that will be reported to FSRS will need a UEI. Reporting in FSRS is required for sub-grants greater than or equal to $30,000.00. Sub-grantees are not responsible for reporting in FSRS, this responsibility rests with the prime grantee; however, after April 4, 2022, prime grantees will need to use sub-grantees’ UEIs in FSRS.
Actions Required
Sub-grantees with projects greater than or equal to $30,000.00, current grantees, and applicants for grants should create or verify their existing account with SAM.gov. Each user will need to have his or her own account that is tied to the entity that is registered in SAM.gov. An entity means the organization receiving a grant or sub-grant. This could be a nonprofit, a division of state government, a tribal government, for example.Again, step number one is to create a user account for you as the user. You will later tie this account to an organization (entity), if necessary. Once at least one user for an organization has an account, then proceed to the next steps, below. There is no charge to obtain, maintain, or view an organization’s UEI or for any other action in SAM.gov.
If your organization is already registered in SAM.gov, you have been assigned a UEI.
- Log in to SAM.gov to view and note the UEI.
- Create account in SAM.gov
- “Claim” UEI in SAM.gov
If your organization is not registered in SAM.gov and you do not have a DUNS® number, then:
- Apply for a DUNS® number
- Receive DUNS® number
- Create account in SAM.gov
- Create UEI in SAM.gov
- Select “Get Started” from Entity Management widget in SAM.gov homepage
- Select “Get Unique Entity ID”
- Enter current DUNS® number, legal business name, and physical address
- SAM.gov will display matching organizations to data you entered
- Confirm the correct entity
- Certify that you are authorized to make transactions on behalf of the entity
- SAM.gov will then display your new Unique Entity ID
- You may now register your organization with SAM.gov, if required