Name: USAspending Federal Awards Search API | Contracts & Grants
Brand: cblu
SKU: api-cblu-usaspending-federal-awards
Availability: InStock
Author: API Market

# USAspending Federal Awards Search API

## Overview

Search every US federal award, contracts, grants, loans, and direct payments, from the official USAspending.gov API (US Treasury). Each record is a clean, flat JSON object: award ID, recipient name and UEI, award amount and outlays, awarding agency and sub-agency, NAICS or PSC code for contracts, CFDA program for grants, place of performance, period of performance, and optionally the recipient's mailing address and business categories.

Live Treasury data, refreshed from FPDS (contracts) and FABS (assistance) within a day or two of the source transaction. No account, no API key on your end, no scraping.

## Features

- **All federal award types in one query**: contracts, contract IDVs, grants, loans, and direct payments
- **Live Treasury data**, refreshed within a day or two of the source transaction
- **Rich filtering**: keyword, recipient, agency, NAICS/PSC/CFDA code, state, date range, and amount
- **Optional recipient enrichment**: mailing address and business categories on request

## Use Cases

- **GovCon competitive intelligence**, who actually won a contract, how much, and for what, the post-award companion to SAM.gov
- **Subcontractor and teaming targeting**, finding primes winning work in your NAICS code and state
- **Grant research**, searching assistance awards by CFDA program, agency, and recipient
- **Market sizing and lead generation**, award volumes by agency, industry code, state, and amount

## Pricing

Access is billed through API.market according to the plan you choose. Because each call runs a live query against USAspending.gov, response time is typically 5 to 30 seconds.

## API Documentation

### Base URL

```text
https://prod.api.market/api/v1/cblu/usaspending-federal-awards
```

### Authentication

Every request must include your API.market key in the `x-api-market-key` header.

```text
x-api-market-key: YOUR_API_MARKET_KEY
```

### Endpoints

#### `POST /acts/sYaBC6i7uDZhFscAE/run-sync-get-dataset-items`

Searches USAspending.gov and returns matching federal award records.

**Request body**

| Field | Type | Description |
| :---- | :--- | :---------- |
| `awardTypes` | `array` | `contracts`, `contract-idvs`, `grants`, `loans`, `direct-payments`, or `other`. Defaults to contracts and grants. |
| `keywords` | `array` | Free-text keywords matched against descriptions and recipients. |
| `recipientSearchText` | `array` | Recipient (awardee) name search, e.g. "Lockheed". |
| `awardingAgency` | `string` | Top-tier awarding agency name, e.g. "Department of Defense". |
| `naicsCodes` | `array` | NAICS industry codes, contracts only. |
| `pscCodes` | `array` | Product or Service codes, contracts only. |
| `cfdaNumbers` | `array` | Assistance Listing (CFDA) program numbers, grants only. |
| `recipientStates` | `array` | Two-letter recipient-location state codes. |
| `placeOfPerformanceStates` | `array` | Two-letter place-of-performance state codes. |
| `timePeriodStart` / `timePeriodEnd` | `string` | Date range on the award action date, `YYYY-MM-DD`. Defaults to the last 365 days. |
| `minAwardAmount` / `maxAwardAmount` | `integer` | Filter by award dollar amount. |
| `includeRecipientAddress` | `boolean` | Enrich every award with the recipient's mailing address and business categories. |
| `maxResults` | `integer` | Maximum award records to return in this call, up to 100. |

At least one narrowing filter is required: keyword, recipient, agency, code, state, `timePeriodStart`, or `minAwardAmount`.

**Example request**

```bash
curl -X POST "https://prod.api.market/api/v1/cblu/usaspending-federal-awards/acts/sYaBC6i7uDZhFscAE/run-sync-get-dataset-items" \
     -H "x-api-market-key: YOUR_API_MARKET_KEY" \
     -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
     -d '{"awardTypes":["contracts"],"keywords":["cybersecurity"],"placeOfPerformanceStates":["VA","MD"],"timePeriodStart":"2026-01-01","minAwardAmount":1000000,"maxResults":25}'
```

**Example response**

```json
[
  {
    "awardId": "47QTCA26D009X",
    "recipientName": "EXAMPLE FEDERAL SYSTEMS LLC",
    "recipientUei": "FYHNA5WC8XD7",
    "awardAmount": 4806373.35,
    "totalOutlays": 1216613.07,
    "awardType": "DEFINITIVE CONTRACT",
    "awardingAgency": "General Services Administration",
    "awardingSubAgency": "Federal Acquisition Service",
    "startDate": "2026-02-15",
    "endDate": "2027-02-14",
    "naics": {
      "code": "541512",
      "description": "COMPUTER SYSTEMS DESIGN SERVICES"
    },
    "psc": {
      "code": "D307",
      "description": "IT AND TELECOM- IT STRATEGY AND ARCHITECTURE"
    },
    "cfdaNumber": null,
    "placeOfPerformanceState": "VA",
    "usaspendingUrl": "https://www.usaspending.gov/award/CONT_AWD_47QTCA26D009X_..."
  }
]
```

## Status Codes

| Code | Meaning |
| :--- | :------ |
| `200` / `201` | Request succeeded, the body is an array of matching award records. |
| `400` | Invalid input, or no narrowing filter was provided. |
| `401` | The API key is missing or not valid. |
| `408` | The query did not finish within the synchronous limit. Narrow the search window or filters and retry. |
| `429` | You have exceeded the request rate or the quota included in your plan. |

## Rate Limits

Rate limits and monthly quotas are set by your API.market plan. Each call is a live query against USAspending.gov and typically takes 5 to 30 seconds, set a client timeout of at least 60 seconds.

## Error Handling

A request with none of the narrowing filters set (keyword, recipient, agency, code, state, `timePeriodStart`, or `minAwardAmount`) returns a `400`. A `408` means the query did not finish inside the synchronous limit, narrow the search window or filters and retry rather than requiring a retry loop.

## FAQ

**Do I need a USAspending.gov or SAM.gov account?**

No. Only your API.market key is required, the underlying USAspending.gov API is public.

**How fresh is the data?**

Contract data refreshes from FPDS and assistance data (grants, loans, direct payments) from FABS, both typically within a day or two of the source transaction being filed.

**What is the default award type and time window if I don't specify one?**

`awardTypes` defaults to contracts and grants, and `timePeriodStart` defaults to 365 days before today if not set.

**Why did my request return a 408?**

A very broad query, for example a wide date range with no keyword, agency, or code filter, can exceed the synchronous time limit. Add a keyword, agency, NAICS/PSC/CFDA code, or state filter to narrow it.

**Can I get the recipient's mailing address?**

Yes, set `includeRecipientAddress: true` to enrich every award with the recipient's mailing address and business categories.

## Contact Us

If you have any questions or need assistance, you can reach out to us through the embedded chat on the bottom right corner of the page or send an email to hello@magicapi.com.

Search US federal contracts, grants, loans & direct payments from the official USAspending.gov Treasury API. Recipient, UEI, amounts, NAICS/PSC/CFDA & agencies.

USAspending Federal Awards Search API | Contracts & Grants

Free