National Stock Number Directory
Look up any NSN in the Defense Logistics Agency catalog: what the item is, which CAGE codes are approved to supply it, how the government intends to buy it, and which DIBBS solicitations have asked for it.
How to read a National Stock Number
An NSN identifies one item of supply, and every buyer in the federal government uses the same number for it. The four digits in front are the Federal Supply Class, which says what kind of item it is. The nine digits after are the NIIN, which is what makes it unique. A quote against the wrong NIIN is a quote for a different part.
Two more codes decide whether the work is worth chasing. The Acquisition Method Code says how the government plans to buy the item. The Acquisition Method Suffix Code says whether the technical data allows any qualified supplier to quote, or whether the design is controlled and only approved sources may. Read them together with the approved-source list: one CAGE means an incumbent, and a long list means real competition.
What CLEATUS adds to a part lookup
A catalog tells you what a part is. Winning the award needs the rest: who has supplied it, what DLA paid, which solicitations are open, and whether your capabilities match. CLEATUS links each stock number to the DIBBS record that asked for it and to the contractor profiles behind its approved CAGE codes, so a part is a starting point for capture rather than a dead end.