# USAspending Scraper — US Federal Contracts & Grants (`fetchsmith/us-federal-awards-scraper`) Actor

Search every US federal contract, IDV, grant, loan and direct payment from the official USAspending.gov awards API. 6 award categories, 37 typed output fields incl. recipient UEI/address, NAICS/PSC, CFDA program and place of performance. Filter by agency, keyword, state, date range and amount.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/fetchsmith/us-federal-awards-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [Fetch Smith](https://apify.com/fetchsmith) (community)
- **Categories:** Lead generation, Business
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 0.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

$4.00 / 1,000 result items

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.
Actors are written with capital "A".

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.

- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).

For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.

For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).

# README

## USAspending — US Federal Contracts & Grants Scraper

Search **every US federal award** — contracts, IDVs, grants, direct payments, other financial assistance and loans — straight from the official **USAspending.gov** awards API, and get flat JSON rows you can drop into a CRM, a spreadsheet or a model.

No API key, no login, no proxy: this Actor uses the US government's public open-data API (`api.usaspending.gov`), so the data is authoritative and there is nothing to violate. Awards data covers recipients (companies, universities, state agencies), not individuals.

### What you can do with it

- **Federal-contractor lead lists** — every company that won work from a given agency, with UEI, address and NAICS/PSC codes.
- **Competitor tracking** — pull one recipient's full award history by name keyword and watch amounts, agencies and end dates (recompete timing).
- **Grant prospecting** — filter to grants and cooperative agreements by CFDA/Assistance Listing program and state.
- **Market sizing** — how much a given agency obligated on solar, cyber, AI or any keyword over any window since 2007.
- **Recompete alerts** — sort by end date and find contracts about to expire in your NAICS.

### Input

| Field | Type | Default | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| `awardCategories` | array | `["contracts"]` | `contracts`, `idvs`, `grants`, `direct_payments`, `other_financial_assistance`, `loans`. Pick several — each is fetched separately and merged. |
| `startDate` / `endDate` | string | last 365 days | `YYYY-MM-DD`, filters on award action date. Nothing exists before `2007-10-01`; earlier dates are clamped. |
| `keywords` | array | – | Free text over description, recipient and agency. Multiple keywords are ORed. |
| `agencies` | array | – | **Exact** top-tier agency names, e.g. `Department of Energy`. Abbreviations like `DOE` match nothing. |
| `placeOfPerformanceStates` | array | – | Two-letter USPS codes for where the work happens (`CA`, `TX`). |
| `recipientStates` | array | – | Two-letter USPS codes for the recipient's own address. |
| `minAwardAmount` / `maxAwardAmount` | integer | – | Obligated amount bounds in USD. |
| `sortBy` | string | `awardAmount` | `awardAmount`, `lastModifiedDate`, `startDate`, `recipientName`. |
| `order` | string | `desc` | `desc` or `asc`. |
| `maxResults` | integer | `100` | Total across all selected categories. |
| `maxPagesPerCategory` | integer | `50` | Depth cap, 100 awards per page. |

All filters are ANDed. Awards filtered out are never pushed and never charged.

### Output

One flat row per award:

| Field | Example |
|---|---|
| `awardId` | `89243425FEE000489` |
| `awardUrl` | `https://www.usaspending.gov/award/CONT_AWD_89243425FEE000489_8900_…` |
| `awardCategory` / `awardType` | `contracts` / `BPA CALL` |
| `recipientName`, `recipientUei`, `recipientId` | `ENERGY TECHNOLOGY ALLIANCE LLC`, `WDTLX4NKRKC8` |
| `recipientAddress`, `recipientCity`, `recipientState`, `recipientCountry` | `920 NW BOND ST STE 204`, `BEND`, `OR`, `UNITED STATES` |
| `awardingAgency`, `awardingSubAgency`, `fundingAgency`, `fundingSubAgency` | `Department of Energy` |
| `description` | `SCIENTIFIC, ENGINEERING AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT (SETS) FOR DOE EERE'S SOLAR ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES OFFICE…` |
| `awardAmount`, `totalOutlays` | `7909335.88`, `7909335.88` |
| `loanValue`, `subsidyCost` | loans only — face value and subsidy cost |
| `startDate`, `endDate`, `baseObligationDate`, `lastModifiedDate` | `2025-04-30`, `2026-04-30` |
| `placeOfPerformanceCity/State/Zip/Country` | `GOLDEN`, `CO`, `80401`, `USA` |
| `naicsCode`, `naicsDescription`, `pscCode`, `pscDescription` | `562910`, `REMEDIATION SERVICES`, `R425`, `SUPPORT- PROFESSIONAL: ENGINEERING/TECHNICAL` |
| `cfdaNumbers`, `cfdaProgramTitles` | grants/loans — e.g. `["93.778"]`, `["GRANTS TO STATES FOR MEDICAID"]` |
| `disasterEmergencyFundCodes` | `["Q"]` |

#### Sample row

```json
{
  "awardId": "89243425FEE000489",
  "awardUrl": "https://www.usaspending.gov/award/CONT_AWD_89243425FEE000489_8900_89243423AEE000008_8900",
  "awardCategory": "contracts",
  "awardType": "BPA CALL",
  "recipientName": "ENERGY TECHNOLOGY ALLIANCE LLC",
  "recipientUei": "WDTLX4NKRKC8",
  "recipientCity": "BEND",
  "recipientState": "OR",
  "awardingAgency": "Department of Energy",
  "awardingSubAgency": "Department of Energy",
  "description": "SCIENTIFIC, ENGINEERING AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT (SETS) FOR DOE EERE'S SOLAR ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES OFFICE (SETO)",
  "awardAmount": 7909335.88,
  "totalOutlays": 7909335.88,
  "startDate": "2025-04-30",
  "endDate": "2026-04-30",
  "placeOfPerformanceCity": "GOLDEN",
  "placeOfPerformanceState": "CO",
  "naicsCode": "562910",
  "pscCode": "R425",
  "disasterEmergencyFundCodes": ["Q"]
}
```

### Pricing

Pay per result: **$0.004 per award**, **no Actor-start fee**. You only pay for awards actually written to the dataset.

### FAQ

**Why can't I mix contracts and grants in one search on USAspending's own site?**
You can here. The underlying API rejects a request whose `award_type_codes` span two groups (`must only contain types from one group`), so this Actor runs one query per category you select and merges the results into a single dataset, deduplicated by the award's stable internal id.

**Why did my search return zero awards?**
The filters are ANDed. A keyword plus a state plus a minimum amount over a short window is often genuinely empty — drop one filter first. The other common cause is an agency name that isn't the exact top-tier spelling (`Department of Energy`, not `DOE`).

**How far back does the data go?**
`2007-10-01`. The API refuses earlier start dates, so this Actor clamps them instead of failing.

**Are loan amounts in `awardAmount`?**
No. Loans report `loanValue` (face value) and `subsidyCost` instead of an obligated amount — that is how the API models them, and both fields are passed through unchanged.

**Why does `startDate` on a row show a date decades before my search window?**
`startDate`/`endDate` filter on the award's *action date* (when it was last modified), not on `startDate`'s own value. A long-running contract (e.g. a national-lab management contract) can have a 1978 period-of-performance start and still match a 2025-2026 filter window because it was modified this year — `lastModifiedDate` is what actually falls inside your range. Sort by `lastModifiedDate` instead of `startDate` if you want the most recently active awards first.

**Is this the same as SAM.gov?**
No. SAM.gov lists pre-award *opportunities* you can bid on; USAspending lists *awards already made*. This Actor covers awards — who won, how much, which agency, and when the work ends.

**Does it need a proxy?**
No. Plain HTTPS to a public government API, so runs are fast and cheap.

**How does this compare to other USAspending scrapers?**
Checked the real `pricingInfos` and depth of the top competitors on Apify Store (2026-09-10). Pricing is bimodal: the two highest-traction players — `parseforge` (25 users, the most of any competitor) at $0.012/result + $0.16 start, and `benthepythondev` (17 users, 292 runs/30d, the most active) at $0.005/result + start — are both pricier than our $0.004/result with no start fee. Two lower-traction entrants (`copious_atoll`, 10 users; `themineworks`, 3 users) charge $0.001/result, cheaper than us on price alone — but `themineworks`' own listing advertises "18 Fields"; this Actor returns **37 typed fields across 6 award categories** (contracts, IDVs, grants, direct payments, other financial assistance, loans), each category with its own correct field mapping (loans carry `loanValue`/`subsidyCost`, not `awardAmount`) rather than one generic shape stretched across every award kind.

Source code: https://github.com/Fetchsmith/fetchsmith/tree/main/actors/us-federal-awards-scraper

# Actor input Schema

## `awardCategories` (type: `array`):

Which kinds of federal awards to pull. Each category is fetched with its own query (the API refuses to mix contract and grant codes in one request), then merged into one dataset.

## `startDate` (type: `string`):

Earliest award action date, YYYY-MM-DD. Defaults to one year ago. The API has no data before 2007-10-01, so earlier dates are clamped.

## `endDate` (type: `string`):

Latest award action date, YYYY-MM-DD. Defaults to today.

## `keywords` (type: `array`):

Free-text search across award description, recipient and agency. Multiple keywords are ORed by the API.

## `agencies` (type: `array`):

Exact top-tier awarding agency names as USAspending spells them, e.g. "Department of Energy", "Department of Defense", "National Aeronautics and Space Administration". Abbreviations do not match.

## `placeOfPerformanceStates` (type: `array`):

Two-letter USPS state codes for where the work is performed, e.g. CA, TX.

## `recipientStates` (type: `array`):

Two-letter USPS state codes for the recipient's own address, e.g. NY, VA.

## `minAwardAmount` (type: `integer`):

Only return awards at or above this obligated amount.

## `maxAwardAmount` (type: `integer`):

Only return awards at or below this obligated amount.

## `sortBy` (type: `string`):

Ordering of results within each category. Loans are sorted by loan value / issued date, which are their equivalents of amount / start date.

## `order` (type: `string`):

Whether the sort field runs high-to-low (descending, e.g. biggest awards first) or low-to-high.

## `maxResults` (type: `integer`):

Stop after this many awards in total (across all selected categories). You are only charged for awards actually returned.

## `maxPagesPerCategory` (type: `integer`):

Safety cap on how deep to paginate each category (100 awards per page).

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "awardCategories": [
    "contracts"
  ],
  "startDate": "2026-01-01",
  "endDate": "2026-09-10",
  "keywords": [
    "solar energy"
  ],
  "agencies": [
    "Department of Energy"
  ],
  "placeOfPerformanceStates": [
    "CA"
  ],
  "sortBy": "awardAmount",
  "order": "desc",
  "maxResults": 100,
  "maxPagesPerCategory": 50
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `dataset` (type: `string`):

No description

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("fetchsmith/us-federal-awards-scraper").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("fetchsmith/us-federal-awards-scraper").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{}' |
apify call fetchsmith/us-federal-awards-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,fetchsmith/us-federal-awards-scraper"
        }
    }
}

```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/YjwD7Y4NigFFjaLMP/builds/wQPLpJp7RqHw4XE1V/openapi.json