Connect to ChatGPT

Best for well-rounded contracting research and analysis.

We are currently in the process of submitting GovTribe MCP to the Official ChatGPT app store, which will simplify this process.

Jump To Section:

• ChatGPT – Web

• ChatGPT – Desktop (MacOS, Windows)

See Also

• Copy-Ready Prompts

Option 1: ChatGPT Web

Prerequisites

• A paid ChatGPT account with access to ChatGPT's Developer Mode

Step 1 — Enable Developer Mode

1. Go to Advanced settings.

2. Toggle Developer mode ON.

If you don’t see Developer mode: you may need a workspace admin/owner to enable it for your account or workspace. You will not be able to add a custom MCP without developer mode enabled.

Step 2 — Add GovTribe MCP

1. Go to Settings → Apps.

2. Click + Create App

3. Enter the Name (GovTribe MCP) & the MCP Server URL (https://govtribe.com/mcp)

4. Set authentication to OAuth.

5. Click Create

Step 3 – Sign into GovTribe

1. ChatGPT will prompt you to sign in.

2. Sign in, then press allow.

Step 4 – Publish GovTribe MCP

Click "Publish" and follow the required steps

Step 5 – Start Using GovTribe MCP

You can now select the GovTribe MCP, allowing you to answer questions with GovTribe's live data.

Try out these test prompts:

• “Use the GovTribe connector to find federal contract opportunities with ‘zero trust’ in the title.”

• “Search for federal contract opportunities posted in the last 7 days related to ‘cybersecurity’.”

• “Find vendors related to ‘computer systems design services’ and summarize the top matches.”

Troubleshooting

“Admin approval required” / “Need admin approval”

Your ChatGPT workspace may require an admin/owner to allow Developer mode or connector creation.

I connected, but no tools show up

• Open the connector settings and look for Manage Actions.

• Use Refresh (if available), then explicitly enable actions/tools.

Authentication errors (401/403)

• Confirm you used the GovTribe-provided OAuth credentials for ChatGPT.

• If ChatGPT has a “re-authenticate” option for the connector, run it.

---

Notes / limitations

• Custom MCP connectors are typically web-only (mobile may not support them).

• ChatGPT may show an explicit confirmation step before running write/modify tools.

Option 2: ChatGPT – Desktop (MacOS, Windows)

ChatGPT desktop has support for MCP.

Because the steps are identical, we recommend following our official guide on connecting GovTribe to ChatGPT – Web. Once connected, the MCP will show up on ChatGPT Desktop as well.

---

Advanced Options

If you are a developer, see our guide for connecting GovTribe MCP to OpenAI's API.