Search Vendors

Search_Vendors returns GovTribe vendor records with identifiers, registration timing, certification tags, and core relationship context used across award and opportunity research.

When To Use

Typical questions this tool answers well:

• Which GovTribe vendor record matches a specific company name, UEI, or known vendor ID?

• Which vendors in a topic area match specific small-business designations or SBA certifications?

• Which vendors are registered in a location, primary NAICS, or PSC footprint?

• Which vendors have recent federal contract or grant award activity?

• What are the top NAICS, PSC, or locations represented by the current vendor result set?

Required Reading

1. Search_Query_Guide: Required before setting free-text query strings when search_mode is used.

2. Search_Mode_Guide: Required before choosing keyword vs semantic retrieval.

3. Date_Filtering_Guide: Required before setting date window filters.

4. Location_Filtering_Guide: Required before setting location filters.

Input Contract

• query: Free-text query string. See Required Reading: Search_Query_Guide.

  • type: string

  • required: no

  • default: n/a

• page: 1-based page index.

  • type: null|number

  • required: no

  • default: 1

• per_page: Rows per page.

  • type: null|number

  • required: no

  • default: 10

• search_mode: Query interpretation mode. See Required Reading: Search_Mode_Guide.

  • type: string

  • required: no

  • default: keyword

  • options: keyword, semantic

• most_recent_federal_contract_award_date_range: Filter by the date of the vendor's most recent federal contract award. See Required Reading: Date_Filtering_Guide.

  • type: object

  • required: no

  • default: n/a

  • shape: { from?: null|string, to?: null|string }

• most_recent_federal_grant_award_date_range: Filter by the date of the vendor's most recent federal grant award. See Required Reading: Date_Filtering_Guide.

  • type: object

  • required: no

  • default: n/a

  • shape: { from?: null|string, to?: null|string }

• registration_date_range: Filter by the date the vendor registered to do business with the federal government. See Required Reading: Date_Filtering_Guide.

  • type: object

  • required: no

  • default: n/a

  • shape: { from?: null|string, to?: null|string }

• registration_expiration_date_range: Filter by the date the vendor registration expires or expired. See Required Reading: Date_Filtering_Guide.

  • type: object

  • required: no

  • default: n/a

  • shape: { from?: null|string, to?: null|string }

• vendor_location_ids: Filter by vendor locations. Use GovTribe location IDs or location text for countries, cities/localities, ZIP or postal codes, states/territories, or counties; matching is US-biased for ambiguous names. See Required Reading: Location_Filtering_Guide.

  • type: array<string>

  • required: no

  • default: n/a

• vendor_location_ids_operator: Choose whether to include or exclude values for Vendor Location IDs or Locations.

  • type: null|string

  • required: no

  • default: in

  • options: in, not_in

• vendor_primary_registered_naics_category_ids: Filter by the vendor's primary registered NAICS categories. Uses NAICS codes and applies the legacy -N suffix transform.

  • type: array<string>

  • required: no

  • default: n/a

• vendor_primary_registered_naics_category_ids_operator: Choose whether to include or exclude values for Vendor Primary Registered NAICS Category Codes.

  • type: null|string

  • required: no

  • default: in

  • options: in, not_in

• vendor_registered_psc_category_ids: Filter by the vendor's registered PSC categories. Uses PSC codes and applies the legacy -P suffix transform.

  • type: array<string>

  • required: no

  • default: n/a

• vendor_registered_psc_category_ids_operator: Choose whether to include or exclude values for Vendor Registered PSC Category Codes.

  • type: null|string

  • required: no

  • default: in

  • options: in, not_in

• sba_certifications: Filter by Small Business Administration (SBA) certifications.

  • type: array<string>

  • required: no

  • default: n/a

  • options: SBA Certified Small Disadvantaged Business, SBA Certified 8A Program Participant, SBA Certified 8A Joint Venture, SBA Certified HUBZone Firm, SBA Certified Women-Owned Small Business, SBA Certified Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business

• sba_certifications_operator: Choose whether to include or exclude values for SBA Certifications.

  • type: null|string

  • required: no

  • default: in

  • options: in, not_in

• business_types: Filter by business type certifications and designations.

  • type: array<string>

  • required: no

  • default: n/a

  • options: AbilityOne Non Profit Agency, Alaskan Native Corporation Owned Firm, American Indian Owned, Asian-Pacific American Owned, Black American Owned, DOT Certified DBE, Economically Disadvantaged Women Small Owned Business, For Profit Organization, Hispanic American Owned, Indian Economic Enterprise, Indian Small Business Economic Enterprise, Indian Tribe (Federally Recognized), Joint Venture Economically Disadvantaged Women Small Owned Business, Joint Venture Women Owned Small Business, Minority Owned Business, Native American Owned, Native Hawaiian Organization Owned Firm, Non-Profit Organization, Self Certified Small Disadvantaged Business, Service Disabled Veteran Owned Business, Subcontinent Asian (Asian-Indian) American Owned, Tribally Owned Firm, Veteran Owned Business, Woman Owned Business, Woman Owned Small Business

• business_types_operator: Choose whether to include or exclude values for Business Types.

  • type: null|string

  • required: no

  • default: in

  • options: in, not_in

• similar_filter: Find similar to the provided govtribe_type + govtribe_id.

  • type: null|object

  • required: no

  • default: n/a

  • shape: { govtribe_type: string, govtribe_id: string }

• vendor_ids: Include or exclude results by vendors. Use GovTribe IDs or vendor UEIs.

  • type: array<string>

  • required: no

  • default: n/a

• vendor_ids_operator: Choose whether to include or exclude values for Vendor IDs (GovTribe or UEI).

  • type: null|string

  • required: no

  • default: in

  • options: in, not_in

• aggregations: Aggregation keys to compute.

  • type: array<string>

  • required: no

  • default: n/a

  • options: top_sba_certifications_by_doc_count, top_naics_codes_by_doc_count, top_psc_codes_by_doc_count, top_locations_by_doc_count

• sort: Sort configuration.

  • type: object

  • required: no

  • default: n/a

  • shape: { key?: null|string, direction?: null|string }

  • options: key: registrationDate, expirationDate, most_recent_federal_contract_award_model_date, most_recent_federal_grant_award_model_date, sbaCert8aExpirationDate, _score; direction: asc, desc

• fields_to_return: Optional field list for row payloads. If omitted and per_page > 0, rows default to govtribe_id. For per_page: 0 aggregation/meta calls, this field may be omitted. Specify fields_to_return whenever the user asks for fields beyond govtribe_id, and prefer omitting it in pure aggregation workflows.

  • type: array<string>

  • required: no

  • default: n/a

  • options: govtribe_id, govtribe_ai_summary, govtribe_type, govtribe_url, uei, name, division, dba, address, registration_date, registration_expiration_date, structure, sba_certifications, business_types, parent_or_child, awarded_federal_contract_award, awarded_federal_contract_idv, awarded_federal_contract_vehicle, awarded_federal_grant_award, has_federal_contract_prime_awardees, has_federal_grant_prime_awardees, updated_at, parent, naics_category, federal_contract_awards, federal_contract_idvs, federal_contract_sub_awards, federal_grant_awards, federal_grant_sub_awards

Output Contract

• Top-level keys:

  • current_page: Current page number when per_page > 0.

  • data: Array of result rows when per_page > 0.

  • from: First row position in the current page.

  • last_page: Last page number for current filters.

  • path: GovTribe search URL for this result set.

  • per_page: Applied page size.

  • to: Last row position in the current page.

  • total: Total matched row count for current query filters.

  • contains: Dataset label for the returned result set.

  • search_results_id_can_generate_saved_search: Saved-search eligibility flag.

  • search_results_id: Server-side search result identifier.

  • view_search_results_url: URL to open this exact result set.

  • aggregations: Aggregation payload keyed by requested aggregation names when requested.

  • per_page: 0 behavior: response omits data and pagination keys, returning metadata keys above plus aggregations when requested.

• Row keys:

  • govtribe_id

  • govtribe_ai_summary

  • govtribe_type

  • govtribe_url

  • uei

  • name

  • division

  • dba

  • address

  • registration_date

  • registration_expiration_date

  • structure

  • sba_certifications

  • business_types

  • parent_or_child

  • awarded_federal_contract_award

  • awarded_federal_contract_idv

  • awarded_federal_contract_vehicle

  • awarded_federal_grant_award

  • has_federal_contract_prime_awardees

  • has_federal_grant_prime_awardees

  • updated_at

  • parent

  • naics_category

  • federal_contract_awards

  • federal_contract_idvs

  • federal_contract_sub_awards

  • federal_grant_awards

  • federal_grant_sub_awards

• Relationship retrieval map:

  • federal_contract_awards

    • resource_type: federal_contract_award

    • tool: Search_Federal_Contract_Awards

    • filter: federal_contract_award_ids

    • nested_keys: govtribe_id, govtribe_type, govtribe_url, name

  • federal_contract_idvs

    • resource_type: federal_contract_idv

    • tool: Search_Federal_Contract_IDVs

    • filter: federal_contract_i_d_v_ids

    • nested_keys: govtribe_id, govtribe_type, govtribe_url, name

  • federal_contract_sub_awards

    • resource_type: federal_contract_sub_award

    • tool: Search_Federal_Contract_Sub_Awards

    • filter: federal_contract_sub_award_ids

    • nested_keys: govtribe_id, govtribe_type, govtribe_url, name

  • federal_grant_awards

    • resource_type: federal_grant_award

    • tool: Search_Federal_Grant_Awards

    • filter: federal_grant_award_ids

    • nested_keys: govtribe_id, govtribe_type, govtribe_url, name

  • federal_grant_sub_awards

    • resource_type: federal_grant_sub_award

    • tool: Search_Federal_Grant_Sub_Awards

    • filter: federal_grant_sub_award_ids

    • nested_keys: govtribe_id, govtribe_type, govtribe_url, name

  • naics_category

    • resource_type: naics_category

    • tool: Search_Naics_Categories

    • filter: naics_category_ids

    • nested_keys: govtribe_id, govtribe_type, govtribe_url, name

  • parent

    • resource_type: vendor

    • tool: Search_Vendors

    • filter: vendor_ids

    • nested_keys: govtribe_id, govtribe_type, name, uei, govtribe_url

Usage Patterns

Pattern A: Resolve a specific vendor by exact name/phrase before downstream award lookups. Tool: Search_Vendors

{
  "query": "\"BLN LLC\"",
  "search_mode": "keyword",
  "fields_to_return": [
    "govtribe_id"
  ],
  "page": 1,
  "per_page": 5,
  "sort": {
    "key": "registrationDate",
    "direction": "desc"
  }
}

Pattern B: Find small-business vendors in a topic area using certification filters. Tool: Search_Vendors

{
  "query": "cybersecurity services for federal agencies",
  "search_mode": "semantic",
  "fields_to_return": [
    "govtribe_id"
  ],
  "business_types": [
    "Woman Owned Small Business",
    "Service Disabled Veteran Owned Business"
  ],
  "business_types_operator": "in",
  "most_recent_federal_contract_award_date_range": {
    "from": "now-3y/d",
    "to": null
  },
  "page": 1,
  "per_page": 25,
  "sba_certifications": [
    "SBA Certified HUBZone Firm"
  ],
  "sba_certifications_operator": "in",
  "sort": {
    "key": "most_recent_federal_contract_award_model_date",
    "direction": "desc"
  }
}

Pattern C: Aggregation-only market profile for NAICS/PSC/location distributions. Tool: Search_Vendors

{
  "query": "",
  "search_mode": "keyword",
  "aggregations": [
    "top_naics_codes_by_doc_count",
    "top_psc_codes_by_doc_count",
    "top_locations_by_doc_count"
  ],
  "most_recent_federal_contract_award_date_range": {
    "from": "now-2y/d",
    "to": null
  },
  "page": 1,
  "per_page": 0
}

Pattern D: Similar-vendor discovery from a known vendor record. Tool: Search_Vendors

{
  "query": "",
  "search_mode": "semantic",
  "fields_to_return": [
    "govtribe_id"
  ],
  "page": 1,
  "per_page": 20,
  "similar_filter": {
    "govtribe_type": "vendor",
    "govtribe_id": "<VENDOR_ID>"
  }
}

Pattern E: Vendors with registrations expiring soon, ordered by expiration. Tool: Search_Vendors

{
  "query": "",
  "search_mode": "keyword",
  "fields_to_return": [
    "govtribe_id"
  ],
  "page": 1,
  "per_page": 25,
  "registration_expiration_date_range": {
    "from": "now/d",
    "to": "now+90d/d"
  },
  "sort": {
    "key": "expirationDate",
    "direction": "asc"
  }
}