diff --git a/tools/rapids-datetime-string b/tools/rapids-datetime-string
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..129b40d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/rapids-datetime-string
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+#
+# rapids-datetime-string
+#
+# Ensure the expected date-time environment variables used in
+# package building are set.
+#
+# Example usage:
+#
+#   source rapids-datetime-string
+#
+if [ "${CI:-false}" = "false" ]; then
+  # for local builds, just compute right here
+  RAPIDS_DATETIME_STRING="$(date -u +'%y%m%d%H%M%S')"
+  export RAPIDS_DATETIME_STRING
+else
+  if [ -z "${RAPIDS_DATETIME_STRING:-}" ]; then
+    rapids-echo-stderr "Expected environment variable 'RAPIDS_DATETIME_STRING' to be set and non-empty."
+    exit 1
+  fi
+fi