New federal contractors quickly discover that the government identifies businesses and purchases with a set of codes. They show up in solicitations, registration screens and teaming conversations, often without explanation. Knowing what each one means makes the whole system easier to navigate.
Unique Entity ID (UEI)
The Unique Entity ID is a 12-character alphanumeric identifier assigned to your business through SAM.gov. It is the government’s primary way of identifying an entity across federal award systems. In April 2022, the government stopped using the DUNS number for this purpose and moved to the UEI, which is assigned within SAM.gov at no cost.
You can obtain a UEI without completing a full registration, which some organizations do if they only need to report as a subrecipient. To bid on and receive most prime contracts, however, you will need a full, active registration.
CAGE code
The Commercial and Government Entity code is a five-character identifier assigned by the Defense Logistics Agency’s CAGE program. Although it started as a defense identifier, it is used broadly across government. When you register in SAM.gov, a CAGE code is assigned or validated as part of the process. Each physical location of a business may have its own CAGE code.
NAICS codes
The North American Industry Classification System is a standard used by federal statistical agencies to classify businesses by the type of economic activity they perform. In contracting, NAICS codes matter for two big reasons:
- Contracting officers assign one NAICS code to each solicitation to describe the principal purpose of the work.
- The SBA ties a size standard to each NAICS code, which determines whether your business counts as small for that procurement.
Six-digit NAICS codes are the level used in contracting. You list the codes that describe your work in your SAM registration, and you can list more than one.
Product and Service Codes (PSCs)
Product and Service Codes describe what the government is buying, rather than what kind of business you are. They are used in federal procurement data to categorize purchases. Searching award data by PSC can be a helpful way to find out which agencies buy your type of product or service and how often.
How the identifiers fit together
Think of it this way. The UEI and CAGE code identify who you are. NAICS codes describe the industries you work in and anchor your size status. PSCs describe what the government buys. A single contract award record typically connects all of them: the awardee’s UEI, the solicitation’s NAICS code, and the purchase’s PSC.
Use your identifiers consistently on capability statements, proposals and teaming documents. Prime contractors and agency staff often look you up by UEI or CAGE code, and inconsistencies can raise questions. Keep a one-page reference sheet listing your legal name, UEI, CAGE code, NAICS codes and size status, and update it whenever your registration changes. Current definitions and tools are available at sam.gov and sba.gov.