Companies, US or non-US, need to go through a validation process which proves their uniqueness and actual existence if they are looking to bid on federal contracts. Until April 2022, companies needed to turn to the third party provider, Dun & Bradstreet, to obtain a unique identifier, the DUNS Number. The DUNS Number is no longer valid and has been replaced by the Unique Entity ID.
The Unique Entity ID is now the single, authoritative identifier for companies interested in doing business with the US government. It is a specific value which is assigned, mandated, and owned by the US federal government. In contrast to the DUNS Number, the Unique Entity ID is assigned directly through SAM.gov, which is the official platform for US federal contracts.
The switch to the Unique Entity ID affects two factors: the definition of a company being a unique entity and the process of having the uniqueness of the company validated. The definition of ‘uniqueness’ as it pertains to a company, or ‘entity’, has not changed. What is different is that companies no longer need to turn to a third party provider, Dun & Bradstreet, which streamlines the identification and validation process and makes it easier to do business with the US government.
How to obtain a Unique Entity ID
Swiss companies which want to bid on federal contracts and need a Unique Entity ID can follow three basic scenarios to obtain this. Please note that prior to this, all Swiss companies need to have a NCAGE code.
If Swiss companies are already registered on SAM.gov, they have already been assigned a Unique Entity ID. The factsheet provides instructions on how to view or find a specific Unique Entity ID.
Companies that don’t want to bid directly on US federal contracts and only conduct certain transactions with the US federal government can obtain a Unique Entity ID without registering on SAM.gov. To obtain this ID, Swiss companies need to provide their NCAGE code and an independent provider will validate the Swiss companies’ unique existence on SAM.gov.
Swiss businesses interested in directly bidding on US federal contracts need to follow a two-step process on SAM.gov. First, Swiss companies need to create a Unique Entity ID and then need to register their entity. The businesses can then also decide whether they want to bid on contracts and apply for financial assistance (“All Awards Registration”) or if they only want to apply for financial assistance, grants or loans (“Financial Assistance Award”). Please note that this process can take up to 10 days and that some US systems need up to 24 hours to recognize a company’s information.
Please note that the factsheet lists the basic steps which companies need to follow to obtain a Unique Entity ID and is not comprehensive. The Swiss Business Hub USA would be glad to facilitate introductions on the US side if you have any specific technical questions regarding obtaining a Unique Entity ID. Otherwise, we encourage Swiss companies to reach out to the Federal Service Desk or to the GSA Interact Community for further information materials and technical questions.
