State agencies must adhere to federal identification standards to ensure compliance with grant application and Single Audit requirements. All applicants for federal assistance are required to include a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) on both paper and electronic applications. The UEI is a 12-character alphanumeric value generated by the System for Award Management (SAM.gov). Applications submitted without a valid, active UEI are subject to immediate rejection by federal awarding agencies.

It is critical that agencies utilize the correct and consistent UEI throughout the entire lifecycle of a grant. The UEI serves as the primary key for tracking grant activity across the following stages:

• Initial application and award issuance.
• Payment requests and federal drawdowns.
• Financial and programmatic reporting.
• The annual Single Audit.

Inconsistent identifier usage can lead to significant delays in federal reimbursements, reporting discrepancies, and potential audit findings. For detailed procedures regarding the application process and the reporting of State expenditures, agencies should refer to Budget Bulletin L-0200.

Guide to Financial Operations

REV. 02/25/2026