How the UID Registry Assists in the Tracking and Authentication Process

UID marking is an innovative, cost effective solution for asset tracking. With an intention to increase asset visibility and tracability, the U.S. Department of Defense introduced UID identification codes. The core objective is to ensure product traceability and national security.

Since, UID marking is closely related with defense and security, the DOD has laid down strict protocols as compliance parameters. DOD has specified standards for contractors and UID identification label and marking equipment suppliers. This basic standard, MIL STD 130 emphasizes specific requirements that a person or organization must follow in order to remain UID compliant. MIL STD 130 Standards have been designed to ensure authenticity of the identification process. Apart from these basic requirements, UID registration also plays an important role to ensure DoD product security.

The UID registration process deals with an extensive data collection. Information that can be used to track down a product is encoded on the item tags or marks like the part number, the type of product, manufacturing location, serial number, and more. Before product delivery, a contractor or a supplier is required to provide information regarding the following:

• A brief description of the marked item, • A unique item identification approved by DOD, • The type of UID identifier used in the process, • It is necessary to mention issuing agency code and enterprise identifying number if the process uses DoD unique identifier, • A contractor must provide an item’s actual part number or serial number, • Units of measurement (as for label size, front size, and other measurable UID marking factors) should be provided, • A deliverable item must provide a supplier’s contract umber and CAGE code numbers. • A delivered item also should mention unit acquisition cost as provided by the government.

The registration process ensures total authenticity of UID marking. All provided data is captured by a compliant scanner that transmits to a Wide Area Work Flow, or WAWF. This database tracks and manages data for DoD authorities in order to ensure the acquisition of MIL STD 130 products. All the data related to a part or product and is UID identification is processed through the WAWF. As such, data and information belonging to a particular DOD product remains highly secure and easily traceable.

The entire process of UID registration assures the compliance of UID identification codes. As a result, each item gets a unique and specific identification number. This is how UID registration process assists in maintaining item traceability and authenticity for the U.S. Government.