D&B (Dun & Bradstreet)

Business data company that previously assigned DUNS numbers required for federal contracting, now replaced by UEI.

Full Definition

Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) is a commercial data and analytics company that previously assigned Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) numbers to businesses. For decades, the nine-digit DUNS number was the mandatory unique identifier for all entities doing business with the federal government, required for SAM.gov registration, grant applications, and contract awards. In April 2022, the General Services Administration (GSA) transitioned to the Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) system, which is generated and managed directly within SAM.gov at no cost to registrants — eliminating the dependency on a commercial third party. The transition was mandated by the 2020 Federal Acquisition Regulation update. Existing DUNS numbers were automatically mapped to new UEIs, and all historical contract data in FPDS retains the original DUNS references. D&B continues to operate as a commercial business intelligence provider, offering Paydex scores, credit reports, and supplier risk assessments used in the private sector.

Why It Matters

While DUNS numbers are no longer required for new SAM.gov registrations, you will frequently encounter them in older contracts, historical procurement data, and legacy government databases. If you had a DUNS number, your SAM.gov profile was automatically transitioned to a UEI — no action was needed on your part. Some prime contractors and teaming partners may still request your D&B profile or Paydex score during subcontractor evaluations, as these commercial credit ratings indicate financial stability and payment history. If your company existed before April 2022, retain your old DUNS number in your records for reference when researching historical contract data in FPDS or USASpending.gov. New companies registering in SAM.gov today receive only a UEI and CAGE code — no interaction with Dun & Bradstreet is necessary for government contracting purposes.

Example

A newly formed small business registers in SAM.gov for the first time and receives a UEI (e.g., GH7KR4QLMBC3) and CAGE code automatically — no DUNS number is needed. Meanwhile, their teaming partner, an established defense contractor, shares their legacy DUNS number (08-476-3521) to help locate five years of historical contract award data in FPDS. When the small business later researches recompete opportunities, they use the prime's DUNS number to find the original contract and understand the incumbent's performance history.

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