@pipeworx/samgov

Connect: https://gateway.pipeworx.io/samgov/mcp · Install: one-click buttons

Tools: 4

The U.S. General Services Administration’s System for Award Management. The authoritative source for federal contract opportunities, entity (vendor) registrations, set-aside designations, exclusion records (debarments), and assistance listings. Required reading for anyone selling to the federal government.

Why this matters for AI agents

Three distinct surfaces:

1. Contract opportunities (RFPs, RFQs, sources sought, etc.) — what the federal government is currently buying. → sam_search_opportunities({keyword}). For one specific solicitation: sam_get_opportunity({solicitation_number}).

2. Entity records — registered vendors with CAGE codes, UEIs, NAICS codes, certifications. → sam_entity_search({business_name}).

3. Set-aside opportunities — small business, veteran-owned, women-owned, HUBZone, etc. → sam_set_aside_opportunities({set_aside}).

Pair with USAspending (post-award contract data) and the govcon_contractor_profile compound for full agent flows.

Auth

SAM.gov requires a free API key from https://sam.gov/data-services. Pass via _apiKey. Production keys have generous limits; testing keys (no signup) are heavily throttled.

Use cases that work well

• “What’s the federal government buying for cybersecurity?” → sam_search_opportunities({keyword: "cybersecurity"}) → active RFPs.
• “Find SBIR/STTR small-business set-asides for AI.” → sam_set_aside_opportunities({set_aside: "SBIR"}) filtered by description.
• “Is X registered with the federal government?” → sam_entity_search({business_name: "X"}) → CAGE/UEI plus NAICS coverage.
• “Are they on the exclusion list?” → exclusion search via the same tool, filtered.

Common pitfalls

• Solicitation lifecycle states. “Active,” “Archived,” “Awarded,” “Cancelled” — opportunities move between states. Filter to “Active” for current-action items.
• NAICS code matters. Companies register under specific NAICS codes; SAM.gov restricts which contracts they can compete for. An agent doing competitive intelligence needs to read NAICS, not just company name.
• UEI replaced DUNS. Since April 2022, SAM.gov uses Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) instead of DUNS numbers. Old data references DUNS; new data uses UEI. The sam_entity_search returns both for cross-referencing.
• Query language is keyword-based, not full-text. Searches match titles + key fields; long descriptive queries return fewer results than focused ones. Start narrow.
• Set-aside filtering. Common set-aside codes: SBA (Small Business), 8A (8(a) program), WOSB (Women-Owned), SDVOSBC (Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned), HZC (HUBZone), SBIR (SBIR/STTR). Wrong code = empty result, not error.
• Geography is loose. “Place of performance” is the contracting location, not the awarding agency’s location.

Tools

• sam_search_opportunities — Search active federal contract opportunities by keyword, NAICS code (e.g., “541512”), set-aside type, posting date range, and procurement type. Returns titles, solicitation numbers, deadlines, and age
• sam_get_opportunity — Get full details for a federal contract opportunity by solicitation number. Returns description, contact info, deadlines, attachments, NAICS codes, and set-aside status.
• sam_entity_search — Search registered federal contractors by business name or UEI. Returns UEI, CAGE code, address, NAICS codes, small business status, and certifications.
• sam_set_aside_opportunities — Find federal contracts reserved for small businesses (women-owned, HUBZone, service-disabled veteran-owned, etc.). Returns titles, deadlines, and agencies.