The process to obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and initial SAM.gov registration, as well as maintain the annual registration is entirely FREE.  EXIM offers assistance to our customers with this process as a service at no charge.

About SAM.gov and the Unique Entity Identifier

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced that all firms seeking federal financial assistance (FFA) from the U.S. Government are required to obtain an active SAM.gov registration including the issuance of a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).  For GSA, the 12-digit UEI number replaces the 9-digit DUNS number provided by Dun & Bradstreet which were previously used by the agency to uniquely identify organizations receiving FFA.  The only method of getting a free UEI number is directly through the official government website SAM.gov (SAM is abbreviated for System for Award Management).

Unique Entity Identifier Q&A

Who needs a UEI and active SAM.gov registration at EXIM?

  • Insurance products – the insured needs a UEI and active gov registration
  • For Working Capital Guarantees – the guaranteed lender needs a UEI and active gov registration
  • For Loan Guarantees – the guaranteed lender/facility agent needs a UEI and active SAM.gov registration
  • For Direct Loans – the borrower, or special purpose vehicle (SPV) or special purpose company (SPC), needs a UEI and active gov registration

What do I need to know before I apply for a UEI and active SAM.gov registration?

It is the customer’s responsibility to visit the SAM.gov website (https://sam.gov), create and maintain a user account, and apply for a UEI and SAM.gov registration.  Registration is for Federal Financial Assistance Award only.

The name and address associated with your account should match your EXIM transaction(s). The UEI and SAM.gov registration is unique to an entity at a specific address.

Review the EXIM Bank Client Workbook to understand the required information for obtaining a UEI and completing the registration process.

What’s the application process to obtain a UEI and SAM.gov registration?

The following is an overview of the process for U.S. and Non-U.S. entities.

  • First – Login.gov
    • The first time SAM.gov is accessed, the user must select “Sign In” and they will be taken to the Login.gov account page and “Create an account”.
    • Login.gov (https://login.gov/) allows an individual to create login credentials (email, password, and 2-factor authentication method) that they can use to sign into multiple U.S. government websites such as SAM.gov and the Federal Service Desk (FSD.gov)
    • Once back in SAM.gov, the user profile needs to be completed
    • The person who will be acting as your Entity Administrator is the one who should create these login credentials.
    • Do not proceed until you complete this step.
  • Next – UEI and SAM.gov 
    • You must have completed the previous step to get a SAM.gov login and have a profile.
    • Though it is possible to request a Unique Entity ID without doing the full SAM.gov registration, EXIM applicants/participants are required to do the full registration.
    • After selecting “Get Started” from the home page, select “Create New Entity” on the next page
    • What is your goal?
      • “I want to do business”… “Directly with the U.S. federal government”
      • “Select the answer the best fits your intentions today:” – “Apply for federal financial assistance”
    • Who required your entity to be in SAM.GOV?”
      • Federal government
      • 083 – EXPORT-IMPORT BANK OF THE U.S.
    • Choose an Option
      • Select “Financial Assistance”
    • If your business intends to bid on federal government contracts to provide goods and/or services, you must Select “All Awards”
    • Since the registration involves multiple steps/screens, it is ok to save work in progress and come back to complete it in another session. Your registration data entry is completed when you “Submit”.
    • When you have an Active registration (UEI and annual registration expiration date), please email the information to UEIAssistance@exim.gov so we may record it in your EXIM account record.
  • Finally – Annual Recertification
    • The Entity Administrator is responsible for ensuring the accuracy of an entity registration in SAM. An entity registration must be renewed every 365 days in order to remain active and will expire if it is not updated in a timely manner.  An expired registration may affect the ability to do business with the Federal government.

Can I see my Entity Status in SAM.gov?

The Entity Administrator can select “Workspace” in the menu bar (next to “Sign Out”) and the various UEI/Registration statuses are shown.  These are shown as widgets/bubbles and a “1” indicates the entity status.

  • Active Registration – A UEI has been assigned and the registration process has been completed, and the expiration date is one year after the date the registration was submitted
  • ID Assigned – A UEI has been assigned, but the registration process has not been started
  • Inactive Registration – A UEI has been assigned and there was an active registration, but it has expired and must be renewed
  • Pending ID Assignment – The entity is in the Entity Validation process and a Federal Service Desk (FSD) incident is being reviewed
  • Work in Progress Registration – The registration process has been started but additional information must be provided
  • Submitted Registration – All the required registration information has been entered and the final validations are being done

My UEI has been assigned.  Do I need to do anything else?

You must complete the SAM.gov Registration Process (registration for Federal Financial Assistance Award only).

To complete the registration process after your UEI is assigned, proceed with the following steps:

  • In your SAM.gov workspace, select “ID Assigned”. Click on the “1” in the “ID Assigned” widget/bubble.
  • Select “Register” from the entity’s actions menu (the three vertical dots) in your Entity’s workspace.
  • Complete the required sections of the registration Select “Submit”.

Once the registration application is submitted, it can take up to 10 business days for your registration to become active. An email will be sent to confirm an active registration.  You can also track the status of your registration by clicking “Check Entity Status” on the SAM.gov home page.  You will be required to enter your UEI to obtain your status.

I submitted my SAM.gov registration.  What happens next?  

Once the registration is submitted, the SAM.gov system will perform two additional validations:  IRS verification and CAGE Code validation (for “All Awards” only).  After those validations are completed, the SAM registration will be activated. 

It can take up to ten business days from submission for a company’s registration to be activated.  To check registration status, log into SAM.gov and click on “Check Entity Status” on the SAM.gov homepage. 

If the registration is stopped by the IRS and/or CAGE code validations:

  • For an IRS discrepancy, the validation is checking to ensure that the taxpayer EIN, company name and address provided in the “IRS Consent” section of the registration matches the taxpayer EIN, company name and address provided on your recent tax returns. You will have to return to SAM.gov to update your “Work In Progress” registration and change the information to match exactly what is listed on your company’s most recent tax return.
  • For CAGE code discrepancies, the SAM.gov system is verifying that the company name and address provided on your SAM registration matches the address listed with the Department of Defense Logistics Agency (DLA). You might receive an email from the CAGE system with a request for information or validation. It is essential that you act on this email within 3 calendar days. For questions related to this situation, please contact (877) 352-2255.  You may be required to return to SAM.gov to update your “Work In Progress” registration.

Does my UEI and/or SAM.gov registration expire?

An assigned UEI does not expire. A SAM.gov registration is valid for 1 year after the registration submission date. A UEI without an Active SAM.gov registration is not acceptable to do business with EXIM.

You can view your entity’s registration activation and expiration dates through the SAM.gov website.

The Entity Administrator will receive emails from SAM.gov at 60 days, 30 days, and 15 days prior to the expiration date reminding them to select to renew your registration. Renewal is an active process; the entity administrator must login to their SAM.gov account, select “Renew Entity”, and follow the steps to submit your renewal request.

As of September 2023, EXIM will also send reminder emails to the primary policy/guarantee contact at 45 days, 20 days, and 10 days prior to the expiration date.

I have a UEI but my SAM.gov registration is expired.  What should I do?

If you are the Entity Administrator, log in to your SAM.gov account and select the “Inactive Registration” in your workspace. Click on the “1” in the “Inactive Registration” widget/bubble.

Select “Update” from the entity’s actions menu (the three vertical dots) in your Entity’s Workspace.

Provide the required information to re-validate and re-register your Entity.

If you are not the Entity Administrator for your company’s SAM.gov account, you will need to coordinate with the Entity Administrator to gain access to get the registration reactivated.

I cannot identify our company’s Entity Administrator.  What should I do?

SAM.gov requires an entity administrator to handle the maintenance of a company’s registration. If the entity administrator is unknown or no longer with the company, a notarized letter is required to update the assignment of the entity administrator. Select this GSAFSD Tier 0 Knowledge Base - How can I become the new administrator for our entity registration? to navigate to FSD.gov for the steps required to request an update to the entity administrator’s designation. The necessary form to complete is also included with the link provided above.  Template 1 – Single Entity will meet the needs of most EXIM customers.

My policy is up for renewal.  Do I need a UEI and active SAM.gov registration?

Yes. You must maintain an active SAM.gov registration through the life of your transaction with EXIM.

I need to amend my transaction.  Do I need a UEI and active SAM.gov registration?

Yes. You must maintain an active SAM.gov registration through the life of your transaction with EXIM.

What is the Federal Service Desk (FSD)?

It is a website for those who make, receive, and manage federal awards.  It provides support for government-wide systems required by federal policy.

For EXIM customer purposes, this site is where you can track any FSD tickets that are generated as part of obtaining a UEI or managing your SAM.gov registration.  The login credentials for accessing FSD.gov are the same as those used to log in to SAM.gov. 

FSD tickets will be created for two reasons:

  • To validate your entity if matching information is not found in the Entity Validation Database. This requires the uploading of documentation to show your entity’s legal name at the physical address you entered and/or the date and state of your entity’s incorporation.
  • To request the designation of a new Entity Administrator.   

What do I do if I have a pending Federal Service Desk (FSD) ticket?

You will receive email updates, such as notifications about what the issue is, how to resolve it, and when it is resolved. For more information, refer to the FSD.gov gsafsd_kb_category - GSA Federal Service Desk Service Portal

Who do I call if I need further assistance with my FSD ticket?

The FSD Help Desk number is (866) 606-8220. When you reach the FSD Help Desk, you will be asked to provide the email address and/or phone number associated with your user account. Be sure to have this information available.

Another way to obtain status of your ticket is to log into FSD.gov, select “My Incidents” in the upper right-hand corner and view the status of your ticket.

I received an email that my FSD ticket has been resolved.  Now what do I do?

The FSD ticket resolution does not update your entity’s information. You must login to SAM.gov and restart from the step where the ticket was issued. See below for common touchpoints where ticket resolution occurs:

  • Entity Verification has been completed – Log in to SAM.gov and select “Get Started” to reinitiate the UEI assignment/registration process.
  • Entity Administrator assignment has been completed – Log in to SAM.gov and select the “Inactive Registration” in your workspace. Click on the “1” in the “Inactive Registration” widget/bubble. Select “Update” from the entity’s actions menu (the three vertical dots) in your Entity’s Workspace.  Provide the required information to re-validate and re-register your Entity.

Are there companies who provide SAM.gov registration services assistance? 

If you are located in the U.S. and its outlying areas, you can get FREE support from your local Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC), an official resource for government contracting assistance.  Go to http://www.aptac-us.org/ to find your closes PTAC.

There are vendors who provide support for obtaining the UEI and initial registration, as well as the annual registration renewal for a fee.  Please see the Client Workbook/Resources to Help section. 

I would like to make an appointment with a member of the EXIM UEI Assistance Support Team.  How do I do that?

Please click on one of the calendar links below to schedule a day and time:

The UEI Assistance Support Team works with EXIM customers by utilizing the Microsoft Teams Screen Share functionality and “sitting with” the customer as they go through the SAM.gov process together.

Do I still need a DUNS Number?  

Yes.  A DUNS number is required for the underwriting credit check.

While in SAM.gov and working  on my UEI/SAM.gov registration  I was presented with a screen and/or pop-up that concerned me.   What should I do?   

If you can, take a screen shot and then contact the UEI Assistance Support Team.  Or, schedule an appointment and have a member of the team sitting with you as you repeat the steps.

I don’t see my questions answered here.  Who do I contact for additional information?

Please contact the EXIM UEI Assistance Support Team:

  • Email: UEIAssistance@exim.gov
  • Phone: (800) 565-3946 / (202) 565-3946 / TDD (202) 565-3377 – Option #4
  • Appointment: See previous FAQ