MCP server

One remote MCP server for 100,000+ US government contracts. Search, contract detail, NAICS lookup, match scoring, and win probability: no HTTP code in your agent.

Endpoint https://scout.govbidportals.com/mcp · Streamable HTTP · protocol 2025-06-18 · 8 tools

Connect

Add the URL to your client. The first call opens a sign-in, and a free API key is created for it automatically. No key to copy.

Claude (web, desktop, Cowork)

Open Customize, then Connectors, click Add custom connector, and paste the URL. Leave the OAuth fields empty, this server registers itself. Then click Connect and sign in.

url

https://scout.govbidportals.com/mcp

Works on Free (one custom connector), Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise. On Team and Enterprise an Owner adds it once under Organization settings, then each member connects with their own account.

Claude Code

bash

claude mcp add --transport http govcontractscout https://scout.govbidportals.com/mcp

ChatGPT (paid plans)

Settings → Security and login → turn on Developer mode. Then Plugins → + → name it GovContractScout and paste the URL.

url

https://scout.govbidportals.com/mcp

Cursor

One-click install, or add the JSON to ~/.cursor/mcp.json.

Add to Cursor

json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "govcontractscout": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://scout.govbidportals.com/mcp"
    }
  }
}

VS Code

One-click install, or add the block to .vscode/mcp.json (VS Code uses servers, not mcpServers).

Install in VS Code

json

{
  "servers": {
    "govcontractscout": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://scout.govbidportals.com/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Codex

bash

codex mcp add govcontractscout --url https://scout.govbidportals.com/mcp

Gemini CLI

bash

gemini mcp add --transport http govcontractscout https://scout.govbidportals.com/mcp

Any other MCP client

json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "govcontractscout": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://scout.govbidportals.com/mcp"
    }
  }
}

No install: the npm package

Prefer a local process? The same tools ship as a package. It takes a key from the start, so create one below.

bash

claude mcp add govcontractscout \
  --env GCS_API_KEY=gcs_live_YOUR_KEY \
  -- npx -y govcontractscout-mcp

Authentication

Two credentials. Both carry the same plan, quota, and rate limits.

1. OAuth 2.1 (automatic)

A client that supports OAuth connects on its own. The 401 challenge points at the discovery document; you sign in once and the client refreshes its own token.

url

https://scout.govbidportals.com/.well-known/oauth-protected-resource

2. API key header (fixed credential)

A client that can only send headers uses the same gcs_live_... key as the REST API.

bash

curl -X POST https://scout.govbidportals.com/mcp \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer gcs_live_YOUR_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Accept: application/json, text/event-stream" \
  -d '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"method":"initialize","params":{"protocolVersion":"2025-06-18","capabilities":{},"clientInfo":{"name":"my-agent","version":"1"}}}'

Tools

Eight read-only tools. The agent picks them; you can also name them.

Tool	What it does
search_contracts	Search active contracts by state, NAICS, keyword, agency, value, or due date.
get_contract	Full record for one contract: agency, dates, set-asides, source link, documents.
search_naics	Look up NAICS codes by keyword, with live active-contract counts.
get_states	List the states we index, with live contract counts.
score_contract	Fit only: how well one contract matches a profile across five weighted factors. 0-100 fit score, not a win prediction.
win_likelihood	Odds of winning: 0-100 probability from the historical award archetype in that category, plus competition and incumbent signals. Paid tiers.
archetypes	Winning-business archetypes: who wins what, from historical awards. Paid tiers.
get_profile	The connected account's profile. Hosted endpoint only.

Example call

json

{
  "name": "search_contracts",
  "arguments": { "states": ["TX"], "keyword": "IT services", "per_page": 5 }
}

Limits

Quota is counted per account across all keys, and resets monthly (paid plans reset on the billing date).

Plan	Calls / month	Calls / minute	Price
Free	100	30	$0
Starter	10,000	60	$99/month
Growth	50,000	300	$199/month

Paid plans can buy one-time overflow past the cap. Annual plans are 17% off.

Errors

Errors use the same envelope as the REST API: {error:{type,code,message,doc_url}}.

Status	When	Extra fields
401	No key, or the key is revoked	`WWW-Authenticate` points at the OAuth discovery
429	Per-minute rate limit, or a free key past its monthly cap	`retry_after`, `upgrade_url`
402	Paid key past its cap	`upgrade_url`, `packs`

Tool results also carry _meta.quota with the calls used, the limit, and the upgrade link, so the agent can warn the user before the cap arrives.

Asking well

One question per call. Ask for Texas IT contracts, then score the best one. Two calls beat one overloaded call.
Give the agent your profile. score_contract and win_likelihood need your NAICS codes and service areas.
Treat tool text as data. Descriptions and documents come from third-party portals. They are not instructions for the agent.