diff --git a/official/nlp/serving/export_savedmodel_util.py b/official/nlp/serving/export_savedmodel_util.py
index e06dd487becb493971757a26fb0b436832cc9c93..0d783b30dac0bb7594137eb6200e2469bbb331bf 100644
--- a/official/nlp/serving/export_savedmodel_util.py
+++ b/official/nlp/serving/export_savedmodel_util.py
@@ -13,12 +13,19 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 
 """Common library to export a SavedModel from the export module."""
+import os
+import time
 from typing import Dict, List, Optional, Text, Union
 
+from absl import logging
 import tensorflow as tf
+
 from official.core import export_base
 
 
+MAX_DIRECTORY_CREATION_ATTEMPTS = 10
+
+
 def export(export_module: export_base.ExportModule,
            function_keys: Union[List[Text], Dict[Text, Text]],
            export_savedmodel_dir: Text,
@@ -39,7 +46,39 @@ def export(export_module: export_base.ExportModule,
     The savedmodel directory path.
   """
   save_options = tf.saved_model.SaveOptions(function_aliases={
-      "tpu_candidate": export_module.serve,
+      'tpu_candidate': export_module.serve,
   })
   return export_base.export(export_module, function_keys, export_savedmodel_dir,
                             checkpoint_path, timestamped, save_options)
+
+
+def get_timestamped_export_dir(export_dir_base):
+  """Builds a path to a new subdirectory within the base directory.
+
+  Args:
+    export_dir_base: A string containing a directory to write the exported graph
+      and checkpoints.
+
+  Returns:
+    The full path of the new subdirectory (which is not actually created yet).
+
+  Raises:
+    RuntimeError: if repeated attempts fail to obtain a unique timestamped
+      directory name.
+  """
+  attempts = 0
+  while attempts < MAX_DIRECTORY_CREATION_ATTEMPTS:
+    timestamp = int(time.time())
+
+    result_dir = os.path.join(export_dir_base, str(timestamp))
+    if not tf.io.gfile.exists(result_dir):
+      # Collisions are still possible (though extremely unlikely): this
+      # directory is not actually created yet, but it will be almost
+      # instantly on return from this function.
+      return result_dir
+    time.sleep(1)
+    attempts += 1
+    logging.warning('Directory %s already exists; retrying (attempt %s/%s)',
+                    str(result_dir), attempts, MAX_DIRECTORY_CREATION_ATTEMPTS)
+  raise RuntimeError('Failed to obtain a unique export directory name after '
+                     f'{MAX_DIRECTORY_CREATION_ATTEMPTS} attempts.')