Unique Item Identification (UID) is a mandate that was issued by the Department of Defense which requires all solicitations, contracts, or delivery orders for tangible items delivered to the government to be marked with a unique identification number if:

1. Unit acquisition cost is over $5,000.00
2. Serially managed
3. Mission essential
4. Controlled inventory
5. A consumable item or material where permanent identification is necessary

A UID is a 2-D data matrix symbol. This matrix is comprised of data which is scanned and interpreted into three parts: CAGE Code, Serial Number, and Part Number. Together these parts make a unique serialized identification number for items which the Department of Defense will use for lifecycle management.

Items, labels, and data plates can be directly marked with a 2-D data matrix code. This matrix can be encoded by laser mark, chemical etch, dot peen, or ink jet. This information is scanned, read, and translated for efficient data tracking.

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