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BidProwl

by com.bidprowl
OverviewDiscussionsAdmin

Search live government auctions

search_listings

Search 90,000+ live US government surplus auction listings from 27 official sources. Supports keyword, category, state, ZIP-radius, and price filters.

Input Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
zipNoCenter a radius search on this ZIP
pageNo
sortNoDefault: relevance (best match) when a query is given, otherwise ending_soon
limitNoResults per page, default 25
queryNoKeyword search, e.g. 'forklift'. Model numbers match across spellings (f150, F-150, F 150) and common brand short forms are included (CAT, JD, Chevy, VW, IH).
stateNo2-letter US state code
categoryNo
radius_milesNo
price_max_usdNo

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Changed3 schema fields changed
    • changedInput schema / properties / query / description
      Previous value: -"Keyword search, e.g. 'forklift'"New value: +"Keyword search, e.g. 'forklift'. Model numbers match across spellings (f150, F-150, F 150) and common brand short forms are included (CAT, JD, Chevy, VW, IH)."
    • addedInput schema / properties / sort / description
      Added value: +"Default: relevance (best match) when a query is given, otherwise ending_soon"
    • changedInput schema / properties / sort / enum
      Previous value: -[
-  "ending_soon",
-  "newest",
-  "price_low",
-  "price_high",
-  "most_bids",
-  "best_deals"
-]New value: +[
+  "relevance",
+  "ending_soon",
+  "newest",
+  "price_low",
+  "price_high",
+  "most_bids",
+  "best_deals"
+]
  2. First observed

TDQS

A3.5/5.0
Behavior3/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

With no annotations, the description carries the full burden. It usefully discloses the corpus size and source breadth, but says nothing about result shape, freshness, bid/price fields, rate limits, or whether expired listings appear — gaps an agent must discover by calling it.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Two dense sentences with the scope and filter axes front-loaded and no filler. Every sentence earns its place.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness3/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given 9 parameters, no annotations, and no output schema, the description should say more about what a result record contains and how paging behaves. Corpus size and source count are helpful, but the definition remains thin for a primary search entry point.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

The description enumerates the supported filter axes (keyword, category, state, ZIP-radius, price), mapping to 5 of 9 parameters, while the schema already documents query matching and sort defaults at 56% coverage. It adds little beyond the schema and does not compensate for the undocumented params (page, radius_miles bounds, min-price absence).

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose4/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

States a specific verb and resource ('Search ... live US government surplus auction listings') plus concrete scope: 90,000+ listings across 27 official sources. The word 'live' implicitly separates it from the sold-history siblings (sold_comps, get_sold_history), but no sibling is named explicitly, so it stops short of a 5.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines3/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Usage is only implied: an agent can infer this is for active auctions and that sold_comps/get_sold_history cover completed sales. There is no explicit when-to-use, when-not-to-use, or named alternative, and no note on whether this tool returns comps data at all.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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