Is a CAGE code the same as a UEI?

No. A UEI identifies the SAM.gov entity. A CAGE code identifies a facility or location associated with a government supplier.

Which identifier replaced DUNS in SAM.gov?

The UEI replaced DUNS as the government-owned entity identifier across SAM.gov and federal award systems.

Can a procurement record have both CAGE and UEI?

Yes. Many procurement records carry both fields, and matching is strongest when both point to the same registered entity.

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What is the difference between a CAGE code and a UEI?

A UEI identifies the registered entity in SAM.gov; a CAGE code identifies a specific facility or location tied to that entity. UEI is the government-wide entity spine for registrations, awards, and exclusions. CAGE is a five-character DLA code often used in defense and procurement records beside the UEI.

Full name: Commercial and Government Entity Code vs Unique Entity ID

Short explanation

A Unique Entity ID is the 12-character GSA identifier for a registered entity in SAM.gov. A CAGE code is a five-character Commercial and Government Entity code maintained by the Defense Logistics Agency and tied to a location or facility. Procurement data often carries both. For entity resolution, UEI is usually the entity spine, while CAGE helps connect location-specific awards, exclusions, or supplier records to the correct entity.

Related tool: CAGE code lookup

Last updated: 2026-07-11Reviewed by: Fonteum data standards desk — Source-provenance editorial review. Definitions checked against primary federal sources.

How it’s used

SAM.gov registration: the UEI identifies the registered entity, while CAGE records can identify associated contractor locations.
Procurement screening: CAGE-only queries need a source-backed CAGE-to-UEI match before award, exclusion, and FAPIIS records can be joined safely.
Fonteum's procurement screen accepts exactly one UEI or CAGE and reports only confirmed source-key matches, with no name-only guessing.

Frequently asked questions

Is a CAGE code the same as a UEI?: No. A UEI identifies the SAM.gov entity. A CAGE code identifies a facility or location associated with a government supplier.
Which identifier replaced DUNS in SAM.gov?: The UEI replaced DUNS as the government-owned entity identifier across SAM.gov and federal award systems.
Can a procurement record have both CAGE and UEI?: Yes. Many procurement records carry both fields, and matching is strongest when both point to the same registered entity.

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