The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an updated guidance for providing an acceptable unique facility identifier (UFI) for the Foreign Supplier Verification Programs for Food Importers (FSVP) regulation. The guidance, titled, Compliance with Providing an Acceptable Unique Facility Identifier for the Foreign Supplier Verification Programs for Food Importers, replaces the temporary policy of the same name. The updated policy will take effect on July 24, 2022.

The guidance provides FSVP regulatory information to human and animal food importers. Each entry line of food imported to the U.S. is accompanied by identification information about the FSVP importer. This information is provided when electronically filing for entry with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and includes an acceptable unique facility identifier (UFI). UFIs currently recognized as acceptable by FDA for importer identification are Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) numbers.

The temporary version of the guidance allows industry to use identity code UNK (unknown) in lieu of a DUNS number. Beginning July 24, 2022, the temporary policy will no longer be in place, and FSVP importers must ensure that they are in compliance with the FSVP regulation by providing their valid nine-digit DUNS number in the Entity Number field. The new guidance also provides information to FSVP importers who may have multiple DUNS numbers. When the change is in effect, electronic entry submissions containing “UNK” in the Entity Number field will be rejected by CBP’s electronic import system. An FSVP importer that does not have a DUNS number may obtain a DUNS number from D&B free of charge.