The IUID Registry (aka UID Registry) is the repository for all items owned by the Department of Defense which it has chosen to be identified by a Unique Item Identifier (UII). This designation is given to items that are of high value (over $5000), serially managed, or considered as controlled or mission critical. The designation also applies to items that the DoD simply feels require permanent identification for any other reason.
Most defense contractors, interaction with the IUID Registry is limited to simply including the UIIs of items requiring UID Part Marking on Receiving Reports and Combos submitted to Wide Area Workflow. WAWF takes care of registering UID items automatically upon acceptance of shipments by the Government.
Defense contractors may need to communicate directly with the IUID Registry to submit embedded UID-marked items. While it is possible to submit embedded items as part of WAWF Receiving Reports and Combos, there is a limit to the number of such items, and they cannot be embedded any deeper than first level. The IUID Registry supports (and the DFARS allows) direct registration of embedded items through Flat-File and/or XML transactions. Some defense contractors find this method superior for registration of all their embedded items while continuing to register end-items through WAWF.
Government-Furnished Property (GFP)
Servicing UID-marked GFP items is the primary reason most defense contractors will need to interact with the IUID Registry. Contractors receiving custody of UID-marked items from the Government are required to acknowledge custody of them when received. This is enforced by WAWF when the items are sent back to the Government, or on to another contract, which requires the use of a WAWF Reparable Receiving Report (RRR). The RRR differs from a standard Receiving Report (DD250) in that WAWF recognizes IUID items as being returned to the Government rather than being sold for the first time. So rather than adding such items to the IUID Registry, their custody is simply transferred from the servicing contractor to the receiving activity, which is generally the Ship-To DODAAC. Use of the RRR requires that the IUID items acknowledged as being in the custody of the contractor in the IUID Registry. Use of a standard RR to avoid the custody acknowledgment Registry step will fail when WAWF tries to add the items to the Registry. It is also a violation of the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulations (DFARS). While servicing IUID items the contractor may discover the need to update certain of their Registry attributes, such as their status as Special Tooling or Special Test Equipment (ST/STE). Some items may lack UID markings and/or not be in the IUID Registry. IUID items may be added to the Registry via direct IUID Registry Flat-Files (or XML) transactions, but only for acquisition contracts prior to FY2017. The part number of some items may change during maintenance to reflect a software or equipment upgrade. The Construct 2 UII of such items should not be changed to reflect the revised part number. Once assigned to an item, the UII is forever. Instead, a Current Part Number (CPN) is assigned to item, and a CPN barcode attached. This information must be provided to the IUID Registry in a direct IUID Registry (Flat-File/XML) transaction. |
Direct Registration of UID End-Items
In the early days of the DoD’s UID initiative many UID-mandated items were either not marked, or marked but not registered. There were two methods that contractors could use to submit UIIs to the IUID Registry through the use of XML or Flat-File transactions to catch up on registrations. In 2015, the DFARS were changed to require that all new acquisition items be registered only through WAWF, making direct UID Registry submission obsolete. This change ensured that UID data would always appear on WAWF Receiving Reports and Combos, providing visibility of that to the acceptance process. Starting with FY2017 contracts, a loophole allowing direct registration of UIDs via XML and Flat-File transactions was eliminated. The exception is for service contracts, which include provisions requiring inclusion of items that previously escaped marking or registration. |