Commercial and Government Entity code, a unique five-character identifier assigned by the Defense Logistics Information Service (DLIS) to businesses that sell to the Department of Defense and other federal agencies.
CAGE Code stands for Commercial and Government Entity code. It's a unique identifier assigned by the Department of Defense (specifically the Defense Logistics Information Service). Every contractor selling to DoD needs one. The code is five alphanumeric characters (like "A1B2C") and is used to identify your company in DoD databases, contract awards, and supply chain systems. If you want to sell to the Department of Defense, you need a CAGE Code. It's that fundamental.
The practical implication is that CAGE Code is a prerequisite. You can't submit a proposal to DoD without a CAGE Code. You can't be listed as a contractor in the System for Award Management (SAM). Many federal agencies beyond DoD also require CAGE Codes for registration and contracting. The government uses CAGE Codes to track contractors across all their systems, avoiding duplicate entries and ensuring consistent identification. It's not optional; it's mandatory infrastructure for federal contracting.
The good news: getting a CAGE Code is straightforward and free. You request one through the DLIS website, provide basic company information, and it's issued electronically. The process typically takes a few days. The registration is automatic and doesn't require pre-qualification or vetting. However, once you have a CAGE Code, many government systems reference it. If your company information changes (address, ownership, name), you need to update it. Some contractors maintain multiple CAGE Codes if they operate multiple business entities or locations, though this is generally avoided unless you have legitimate separate operating entities. Check your CAGE Code status regularly; inactive codes can be de-registered, requiring re-application.