UEI and SAM Support

UEI Support Guide for SRSA Grantees

To access Small, Rural School Achievement (SRSA) grant funds, each grantee local educational agency (LEA) must have a unique entity identifier (UEI) that is registered in the System for Award Management’s online platform, SAM.gov. UEI registrations in SAM.gov expire on an annual basis and it is the responsibility of each grantee LEA to access their SAM.gov account and complete the renewal process. An LEA must maintain an active UEI registration in order to access any awarded grant funds. In order to complete the UEI renewal process, you must have the “Entity Administrator” role assigned to your SAM.gov account. If this role is assigned to a previous employee no longer with your LEA, you will need to follow additional steps to become the new Entity Administrator in SAM.gov. The Entity Administrator is the only individual who may complete the annual renewal process for your LEA’s UEI registration.

Start with Step 1 in the guide below and identify which of the following scenarios best fits your LEA’s current UEI status and follow all steps under the applicable scenario. If your LEA does not have a UEI, proceed to Step 4, which will walk you through the process to request a new UEI. If you have issues completing the steps below, utilize the resources in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section of this document.

Step 1: Verify if your LEA has a registered UEI
- Learn more about the difference between “signing up” for a UEI and registering a UEI in SAM.gov here.
- Check the registration of your UEI in the SAM.gov Status Tracker.
  - - If your LEA has obtained a UEI but it is not yet registered in SAM.gov, proceed to Step 2. In this situation, that it will say “ID Assigned” when you view your LEA’s UEI in SAM.gov.
    - If your LEA’s UEI is registered but inactive, proceed to Step 3.
    - If your LEA’s UEI has an active registration in SAM.gov through August 2023, there are no next steps. Maintain your UEI’s registration annually.
    - If your LEA does not have a UEI in SAM.gov, proceed to Step 4.
Step 2: Register your LEA’s UEI in SAM.gov
- If your LEA has obtained a UEI but not registered it in SAM.gov, watch this video and then follow these steps to register the UEI in SAM.gov.
- If your previous SAM.gov account holder is no longer with the LEA, you may need to follow additional steps to gain “Entity Administrator” status, which allows you to make changes to your LEA’s UEI. You must have entity administrator access in order to register or renew your UEI’s registration.
Step 3: Renew your LEA’s UEI registration in SAM.gov
- If your LEA’s UEI has an inactive or expired registration in SAM.gov, go to your Entity Management Workspace (available from the Entity Registration page under the “Already Registered?” box on the right side of the page) to renew your entity registration. Use the following FAQ guides as needed to renew your SAM.gov registration.
  - - Watch this video for an overview of entity registration and management.
    - How to become the new entity administrator for your entity: if your previous SAM.gov account holder is no longer with the LEA, you may need to follow these additional steps become the “entity administrator,” which allows you to make changes to your LEA’s UEI. For more information on role requests and assignments in SAM.gov, see this support video.
Step 4: Obtain and register a UEI in SAM.gov
- If your LEA does not have a UEI in SAM.gov, create a new registration by going to SAM.gov and clicking on the “Get Started” link under the “Register Your Entity…” heading in SAM.gov. LEAs must complete the “Register Entity” registration option and NOT the “Get a Unique Entity ID” option. The “Get a Unique Entity ID” option, which is not a full registration, is only available to entities for reporting purposes. View this guide and watch this video for more information on registering the UEI.
- Once you receive confirmation that your UEI was successfully registered, complete the SRSA application or email your UEI to REAP@ed.gov. Include your LEA’s name and application tracking number in the email if possible.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The above instructions are not working for me—what do I do next?

If you need additional support in registering a UEI in SAM.gov, please refer to the Federal Service Desk (FSD). You can use the FSD search feature or, once you login, the live chat or create an incident features. If you create an incident ticket, FSD will communicate with you via email. Note that this communication is time sensitive and you should respond as soon as possible.

I cannot validate my entity information in SAM—what do I do next?

An LEA is defined in section 8101(30) of the ESEA as a public board of education or other public authority legally constituted within a State for either administrative control or direction of, or to perform a service function for, public elementary schools or secondary schools in a city, county, township, school district, or other political subdivision of a State, or of or for a combination of school districts or counties that is recognized in a State as an administrative agency for its public elementary schools or secondary schools.

- See this guide for an explanation of the process, as well as FAQs and how to handle entity validation issues. We also recommend reviewing the Seven Common Reasons Entity Validation Documents Get Rejected, which includes the following examples:
  - You didn’t include the specific request you’re making in the text box of your ticket
  - You attached the correct document, like a bank statement, but it’s too old
  - You attached documents demonstrating your physical address using a P.O. box
  - You attached poor quality documents.
- SRSA grantees often have validation issues due to the “date of incorporation.” If your LEA used the above guide and cannot provide the necessary documentation, we recommend reaching out to your REAP State Coordinator for support in acquiring necessary documentation.
- Resource: The U.S. General Services Administration’s Integrated Award Environment (IAE) hosted an online stakeholder forum regarding entity validation. You can now download the presentation slide deck and view a recording of the program.

I need to change the name and/or address associated with the UEI—what do I do next?

Follow these steps to update your LEA’s information. NOTE: you will need to upload documentation to verify your entity’s name and/or address.

Next steps after updating entity’s legal business name at SAM.gov: if you updated your LEA’s name during the updating process, you must follow these additional steps.

My LEA recently changed its UEI and received a new number—what do I do next?

After receiving confirmation that your new UEI was created, ensure that the UEI is then registered in SAM.gov by following these steps.
Then, email your UEI number to REAP@ed.gov. Include your LEA’s name and application tracking number in the email.

Multiple UEIs were created in the process of trying to update my LEA’s UEI—what do I do next?

To delete a work in progress (WIP) registration and continue a renewal/update if validation fails, follow these steps.

Why am I being asked for my driver’s license and other personal information?

Identity proofing is the process of verifying that you are who you say you are and is required for entity administrator access. For SAM.gov, it involves supplying identifying information about yourself to login.gov. Login.gov will use the information to check your identity. You will be asked to provide your Social Security Number (SSN) and upload a photograph of your state-issued ID so that login.gov can verify that information against Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) records. You must also provide your phone number, which is validated against your known phone bill to verify your address. Your address can also be verified by U.S. mail as a backup method.