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Tag: DUNS

Life after DUNS

If you have done any work, within the past 60 years with the Federal Government, then you have probably heard of the Data Universal Number System or DUNS. It is the data format that identifies organizations doing business with the government.

GSA, who administers the program, awarded a new contract in 2018 to Ernst & Young to dispense new organization identifiers. The new Unique Entity IDs (UEIs) will replace the current DUNS numbers. Ernst & Young will also manage the transition. (Nextgov October 13, 2021)

GSA is working with agencies to test the old and the new numbers prior to the final cutover, planned for April 2022. However, before the switch from DUNS numbers to UEIs takes place, GSA through the Integrated Award Environment program would like to work with some testers to ensure smooth sailing before the final cutover. (ibid)

According to Interact.gov, “volunteers get scripts which walk through various Unique Entity ID (SAM.gov) functions, such as requesting and receiving a Unique Entity ID (SAM.gov) or how to deal with error scenarios. Each test script takes about 20 minutes or less. You test at your own pace and send us your feedback.” This is extremely necessary because the DUNS is a nine-number string and the UEI is a 12-digit alphanumeric code. (ibid)

The program office recently released new help resources through the Federal Service Desk under a dropdown option under FAQ. It is also accessible through a large green button icon on the fsd.gov homepage. (ibid)

This large-scale modernization touches every single entity that does business with the federal government. GSA is hopeful their call for superusers will enable a smooth transition.

Questions about the UEI and how you might get ahead of the curve and get yours? Give us a call.

 

 

A new day, a new number

After nearly 50 years as the official entity verification number, The Dun & Bradstreet DUNS is being replaced by the Ernst & Young, Unique Entity ID or UEI. Although the original transition was planned for December 2020, it has been moved to April 4, 2022. The additional time allows for agencies to test systems using both numbers ahead of the final cutover. (Nextgov July 29, 2021)

The DUNS identifier is comprised of nine numbers. The UEI is a 12 digit alphanumeric code. The character number change requires every federal agency as well as every private contractor/vendor doing government business, to recode their systems to accept the new UEI number. (ibid)

The GSA Interact site recently confirmed that all organizations with a DUNS have been assigned a UEI. The Interact post explains that contractors and grantees previously registered on SAM have “already been assigned a Unique Entity Identity ID”. Users should go to their entity registration record to view their new identifier. Users, such as sub-awardees, may request a UEI on SAM.gov, beginning October of 2021. (ibid)

GSA told contractors, “in preparation for the full transition to the Unique Entity ID, you should prepare any of your own internal systems to accept the new identifier and to stop using the DUNS number for federal awards processes by April 2022. Federal agencies will begin to migrate to the Unique Entity ID between now and April 2022. Pay special attention to instructions they provide regarding the use of the new identifier.” (ibid)

Questions concerning your DUNS number or your UEI? Give us a call.

DUNS Isn’t Done, Yet

The government is extending the transition time from DUNS Number to UEI (unique entity identifier.) OMB is directing the transition to take place by April 2022. Additionally, GSA is contracting with Dun & Bradstreet (the creator of DUNS numbers) to make sure the transition period is a smooth one. (GSA Interact, October 26, 2020)

Going forward, vendors will request their identifier from within SAM.gov, there will be no third party involvement. SAM.gov will generate the unique entity ID or UEI for each new vendor during registration. Active SAM.gov registrants will have their UEI assigned and viewable. There is no further action required of currently registered vendors, at this time. (ibid)

Need assistance with SAM.gov or registering for your UEI? Give us a call.

Emergency Relief for GSA Schedule Holders

GSA is instituting a 60-day extension to SAM.gov registrations with an expiration date between March 19 and May 17, 2020, to provide relief for those required to re-register during this time frame. (GSA Interact, March 24, 2020)

For example, if your entity registration is set to expire on April 1, 2020, you are granted an automatic extension to May 31, 2020. No action is required, other than to get re-registered by your new extension due date. (ibid)

GSA plans to process the extensions gradually to lessen the impact on their interfacing systems. Therefore, the entity administrators who are affected by the extension will receive an email with the subject line: “60-day SAM.gov Extension Granted for [Entity Name/DUNS/CAGE]. (ibid)

Once the records are extended, the revised expiration dates will be included in the SAM entity management extracts. (ibid)

Unclear if you are one of the 61,298 entities impacted by the extension? Give us a call.

You Are an Unique Entity!

You’ve heard (ad nauseum, probably) about replacing your DUNS number with the unique entity identifier (UEI) by  December 2020. Contractors will request and be assigned the new identifiers through SAM.gov. (To learn more about the transition, click here.) (GSA Interact, December 10, 2019)

Contractor award data, including UEI data, interfaces with many systems outside of the government interface. To assist contractors as well as other agencies, GSA published a first and second set of UEI/EVS specifications. For instance, Group 1 includes:

  • beta.SAM Entity Management. APE has updated schemas for a second version of the API. The second version allows  systems to pull information automatically. Differences between versions are marked as v1 (current version) or v2 (future version). Specs may be found here.
  • New EVS and UEI changes will not be updated to SAM Entity Management Web Services. Users of this web service should migrate to beta.SAM Entity Management API to retrieve UEI and new EVS information. 
  • The SAM public RESTful API will not be updated to incorporate UEI or new EVS changes. Users of RESTful API should migrate to beta.SAM Entity Management API to retrieve new EVS and UEI information.

Group 2 includes:

  • The beta.SAM Exclusions. API has updated schemas for version 2, which allows interfacing systems to pull information about the exclusions automatically.  Differences between the versions are marked as v1 for the current version and v2 for the future version. Specs may be found here.
  • The SAM Exclusions Search Web Services will not be updated to incorporate UEI or new EVS changes. Users of this web service should move to the beta.SAM Exclusions API in order to retrieve UEI and new EVS information concerning exclusions via interface.

The public will continue to receive UEI/EVS specifications as they are updated. IAE will release its testing plan by 30 December 2019. Additionally, IAE will complete the issuance of updated technical specifications interfacing systems. Contractors should start developing plans to allow for the interface changes and begin development for testing with IAE. (ibid)

Users with questions specific to interface testing should contact newsamtesting@gsa.gov. Users with questions specific to the SAM-generated UEI or entity validation services should contact entityvalidation@gsa.gov. (ibid)