Project-Based Site Owners Must Have DUNS Numbers and Register in CCR

Any owner of a project-based Section 8, Section 202, or Section 811 rental assistance contract is required to obtain a Dun and Bradstreet Numbering System (DUNS) number and must register in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR). According to HUD Notice H 2011-01, issued January 5, 2011, all federal agencies are required to report on the amount of federal assistance provided, as well as the purpose of the assistance and the location of reach recipient. The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006, which requires the creation if a searchable government Web site to provide that information to the public, also requires each reporting entity to provide a unique identifying number. As a result, the Office of Management and Budget has decided to use DUNS numbers.

Project-based Section 8, 202, or 811 project owners receiving funding must also register in the CCR, which collects, validates, stores, and disseminates data in support of agency missions, including federal agency contract and assistance awards, and the electronic payment process. The notice stated that codifying the CCR registration requirement will facilitate applicant and awardee use of a single public Web site, which consolidates data on awards made under various types of federal financial assistance, and ensure the transmission of quality data.

Site owners have 30 days from the issuance of the notice to obtain their DUNS number and must have a valid registration in the CCR within 60 days. They must submit the DUNS number and CCR registration certification to their local HUD office. HUD says it will run the listing of DUNS numbers after the 60-day period against the extract from CCR to ensure compliance.

If an owner does not obtain a DUNS number and CCR registration, HUD may suspend any housing assistance or rental assistance payments.

When applying for a DUNS number, owners will need to supply the following information:

• Legal company name
• Headquarters company name and address
• Trade-style or DBA company name
• Physical address, including city, state, and zip code (plus four code)
• Mailing address
• Telephone number
• Contact name and title
• Number of employees at the company’s physical location
• Employer/Taxpayer Identification Number

To get a DUNS number, owners can use the online form at http://fedgov.dnb.cov/webform; for additional assistance, call (866) 705-5711, then press option 4, Grantee. HUD says that online submittals are usually turned around within one to two business days, and the phone-in process for a DUNS number takes 10 to 15 minutes. For information on registering in the CCR, go to www.ccr.gov.

Note: The notice said that HUD will be modifying the reporting format for TRACS to include the site owner’s DUNS number.