# SAM.gov Opportunities Scraper - Federal Solicitations (`maydit/sam-gov-opportunities-scraper`) Actor

Search SAM.gov contract opportunities via the official API. Keyword and posted-date filters. Requires a free api.data.gov key.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/maydit/sam-gov-opportunities-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [Brandt May](https://apify.com/maydit) (community)
- **Categories:** Lead generation, Other
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $1.20 / 1,000 results

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.
Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have.

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

## What's an Apify Actor?

An Actor is a serverless cloud program that runs on the Apify platform. It has two run modes.
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.

Apify vocabulary and the platform model are defined once, in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md.

## 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.

Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run.

For examples already wired to this Actor's own input schema, see the [API](#api) section below.

Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`).

# README

## SAM.gov Opportunities Scraper - Federal Solicitations

> Search **SAM.gov** contract opportunities through the official **Get Opportunities Public API**. A **free** Public API Key is required from **SAM.gov Account Details** (api.data.gov signup keys are not accepted).

### What it does

Queries `https://api.sam.gov/opportunities/v2/search` and returns one row per notice: notice id, title, solicitation number, department path, posted date, type, and UI link.

### What YOU must register (free)

| Item | Where | How to wire on Apify |
|---|---|---|
| **SAM.gov Public API Key** | SAM.gov -> Account Details -> Public API Key (re-enter password). **Not** an api.data.gov signup key — those return empty HTTP 404 on api.sam.gov. | `input.apiKey` (secret) **or** owner env `SAM_API_KEY` / `DATA_GOV_API_KEY` |

**There is no keyless fallback.** Without a key the official API returns 401/404. This Actor does **not** scrape sam.gov HTML (ToS). Personal keys are rate-limited (often ~10 req/day).

### Soft-fail behavior (default)

Without `apiKey` (and without those env vars), `softFail=true` (default):

- Writes **one diagnostic dataset row** with a clear `note` + register URL
- Sets `SUMMARY.error = missing_api_key`, `SUMMARY.failedSources.sam_gov`, and `SUMMARY.keyHelp`
- Run status is **SUCCEEDED** (soft-fail) so scaffolding / daily tests stay green
- Set `softFail=false` to **throw** instead

### Input

- **apiKey** (secret) - required for live opportunities
- **keyword** - default `software`
- **postedFrom / postedTo** - `MM/DD/YYYY`; default last ~30 days
- **maxResults** / **maxRunSeconds** / **softFail**

### Limitations

- Official API only - no HTML scraping.
- Daily request caps are low for personal keys; cache and paginate carefully.

# Actor input Schema

## `apiKey` (type: `string`):

FREE Public API Key from SAM.gov -> Account Details (re-enter password to view). Required for live rows. api.data.gov signup keys are NOT accepted (empty HTTP 404). Store as a secret. Env fallbacks: SAM\_API\_KEY, DATA\_GOV\_API\_KEY. No keyless fallback.

## `keyword` (type: `string`):

Opportunity keyword. Default: software

## `postedFrom` (type: `string`):

SAM postedFrom date. Default: roughly last 30 days.

## `postedTo` (type: `string`):

SAM postedTo date. Default: today.

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

Maximum SAM.gov opportunity notices to return.

## `maxRunSeconds` (type: `integer`):

Hard wall-clock budget for the run in seconds.

## `softFail` (type: `boolean`):

When true (default), missing key writes one diagnostic row + SUMMARY.keyHelp instead of only throwing. Set false to fail hard.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "keyword": "software",
  "maxResults": 20,
  "maxRunSeconds": 240,
  "softFail": true
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

One row per SAM.gov opportunity notice.

## `summary` (type: `string`):

Totals and diagnostics.

# 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 = {
    "keyword": "software"
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("maydit/sam-gov-opportunities-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 = { "keyword": "software" }

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("maydit/sam-gov-opportunities-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 '{
  "keyword": "software"
}' |
apify call maydit/sam-gov-opportunities-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,maydit/sam-gov-opportunities-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/bo8zSAWddsTuzk5H8/builds/GTsLDlP7N9tGduuMn/openapi.json