REI Systems supported GSA in the launch of Unique Entity Identifiers (UEI) to replace the proprietary Dun & Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS). GSA sought an alternative to that proprietary government-wide solution to deliver more functionality and significant operational savings. The REI Team implemented the open source UEI capability within the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) and the overall Integrated Award Environment (IAE).
The new UEI numbers, used by nearly eighty data systems across the government, help to streamline the entity (any organization doing business with the government) identification and validation process.
The REI Team used the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) process to develop the UEI solution in the IAE and manage the transition from DUNS to UEI. REI’s efforts in support of the UEI transition included:
- Developing a UEI data structure and automated generation service
- Designing and implementing a registration process that includes federal and nonfederal workflows
- Migrating data from DUNS to the UEI-based system, a massive undertaking
- Implementing a solution to support GSA’s entity validation provider
- Developing a user-centric interface, eliminating the need for users to go to multiple sites and interact with a third party directly
REI Vice President Samidha Manu reflected: “We are thrilled that GSA’s transition from DUNS to UEI has been successful, helping GSA realize millions of dollars in cost savings in the future. All IAE systems—SAM.gov, FPDS, eSRS, FSRS, CPARS, and FAPIIS—are operational and demonstrating stable performance. Tens of thousands of users have successfully requested their Unique Entity ID following the new process.”
REI’s CEO Shyam Salona noted: “This was one of the most complex, government-wide transitions in a decade. The stakes were high because these systems are used by every agency in government and are visible to corporations, media, and state/local governments across the United States. I’m proud of how REI’s Team collaborated with GSA to plan and implement this transition.”
