FAR and DFARS › FAR Part 52: Solicitation Provisions and Contract Clauses › Subpart 52.2

FAR 52.204-16 Commercial and Government Entity Code Reporting.

The codified text (eCFR, as of 2026-10-02). Under the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul ↗, agencies follow class deviations with new text for many parts while the formal rules go through the Federal Register: check the solicitation and your contract's clauses, which rule.

In plain English

This provision requires offerors to provide a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code with their offer, prominently including it with the name and location address. The CAGE code is required prior to award, but offerors should not delay submitting their offer while waiting to obtain one. It also explains how to obtain a CAGE code, including through SAM registration or directly from the Defense Logistics Agency.

Applies to: Offerors responding to solicitations that include this provision

What it requires

  • Provide your CAGE code with your offer, along with your name and location address, or otherwise include it prominently in your proposal.
  • Ensure the CAGE code is for that name and location address.
  • Insert the word “CAGE” before the number.
  • Do not delay submission of your offer pending receipt of a CAGE code.

Key terms: Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code · NATO CAGE (NCAGE) code · Offeror · System for Award Management (SAM) · DD Form 254

Written by AI from this section's text. A guide, not legal advice: the text below rules.

The text

As prescribed in 4.1804(a), use the following provision:

Commercial and Government Entity Code Reporting (AUG 2020)

(a) Definition. As used in this provision—

Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code means—

(1) An identifier assigned to entities located in the United States or its outlying areas by the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Branch to identify a commercial or government entity by unique location; or

(2) An identifier assigned by a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) or by the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) to entities located outside the United States and its outlying areas that the DLA Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Branch records and maintains in the CAGE master file. This type of code is known as a NATO CAGE (NCAGE) code.

(b) The Offeror shall provide its CAGE code with its offer with its name and location address or otherwise include it prominently in its proposal. The CAGE code must be for that name and location address. Insert the word “CAGE” before the number. The CAGE code is required prior to award.

(c) CAGE codes may be obtained via—

(1) Registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) at www.sam.gov. If the Offeror is located in the United States or its outlying areas and does not already have a CAGE code assigned, the DLA Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Branch will assign a CAGE code as a part of the SAM registration process. SAM registrants located outside the United States and its outlying areas shall obtain a NCAGE code prior to registration in SAM (see paragraph (c)(3) of this provision).

(2) The DLA Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Branch. If registration in SAM is not required for the subject procurement, and the Offeror does not otherwise register in SAM, an Offeror located in the United States or its outlying areas may request that a CAGE code be assigned by submitting a request at https://cage.dla.mil.

(3) The appropriate country codification bureau. Entities located outside the United States and its outlying areas may obtain an NCAGE code by contacting the Codification Bureau in the foreign entity's country if that country is a member of NATO or a sponsored nation. NCAGE codes may be obtained from the NSPA at https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/scage/CageList.aspx if the foreign entity's country is not a member of NATO or a sponsored nation. Points of contact for codification bureaus, as well as additional information on obtaining NCAGE codes, are available at http://www.nato.int/structur/AC/135/main/links/contacts.htm.

(d) Additional guidance for establishing and maintaining CAGE codes is available at https://cage.dla.mil.

(e) When a CAGE code is required for the immediate owner and/or the highest-level owner by Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 52.204-17 or 52.212-3(p), the Offeror shall obtain the respective CAGE code from that entity to supply the CAGE code to the Government.

(f) Do not delay submission of the offer pending receipt of a CAGE code.

(g) If the solicitation includes FAR clause 52.204-2, Security Requirements, a subcontractor requiring access to classified information under a contract shall be identified with a CAGE code on the DD Form 254. The Contractor shall require a subcontractor requiring access to classified information to provide its CAGE code with its name and location address or otherwise include it prominently in the proposal. Each location of subcontractor performance listed on the DD Form 254 is required to reflect a corresponding unique CAGE code for each listed location unless the work is being performed at a Government facility, in which case the agency location code shall be used. The CAGE code must be for that name and location address. Insert the word “CAGE” before the number. The CAGE code is required prior to award.

(End of provision)

Sections it refers to

  • 4.1804 Solicitation provisions and contract clause.
  • 52.204-17 Ownership or Control of Offeror.
  • 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications—Commercial Products and Commercial Services.
  • 52.204-2 Security Requirements.

Sections that refer to it

  • 4.1804 Solicitation provisions and contract clause.
  • 12.301 Solicitation provisions and contract clauses for the acquisition of commercial products and commercial services.
  • 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications—Commercial Products and Commercial Services.

← 52.204-15 Service Contract Reporting Requirements for Indefinite-Delivery Contracts. · 52.204-17 Ownership or Control of Offeror. →

Rule changes for FAR Part 52

Source: eCFR, 48 CFR chapters 1 and 2 (GPO GovInfo bulk data) ↗. Plain words for the terms: glossary.

FAR 52.204-16 Commercial and Government Entity Code Reporting · SpendQuery