Samgov

Sam Set Aside Opportunities

sam_set_aside_opportunities

Read-onlyIdempotent

Find federal contract opportunities reserved for a specific class of small business — total or partial small business, 8(a), women-owned (WOSB/EDWOSB), HUBZone, service-disabled veteran-owned (SDVOSB), veteran-owned, Indian small business economic enterprise and Buy Indian. Answers "what HUBZone contracts are open", "recent 8(a) set-asides", "women-owned small business opportunities in NAICS 541512". Reads SAM.gov's public daily Contract Opportunities extract, so it costs no API key and works on the plain code (SBA, HZC, SDVOSBC, 8A, WOSB) or on the ordinary phrasing ("HUBZone", "women-owned", "8(a)", "service-disabled veteran"). Returns titles, solicitation numbers, deadlines, agencies and NAICS, with a mirror field reporting how fresh the snapshot is.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description
`limit`	No	Number of results to return (1-100, default 10)
`naics`	No	Optional NAICS code filter
`_apiKey`	No	Optional — omit it. This search answers keyless from the local snapshot of SAM.gov's public Contract Opportunities extract; a key is needed only to reach postings newer than that snapshot.
`keyword`	No	Optional keyword to narrow results
`set_aside`	Yes	Set-aside type (required). Either the SAM.gov code — SBA (total small business), SBP (partial), 8A, 8AN (8(a) sole source), WOSB, EDWOSB, HZC (HUBZone), HZS (HUBZone sole source), SDVOSBC, SDVOSBS, VSA (veteran-owned), ISBEE, IEE, BICiv — or the ordinary phrasing ("small business", "HUBZone", "women-owned", "8(a)", "service-disabled veteran"), which is resolved to the code for you.

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description
`limit`	Yes	Number of results returned in this request
`opportunities`	Yes
`total_records`	Yes	Total number of matching set-aside opportunities
`set_aside_type`	Yes	Set-aside type being searched

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed3 schema fields changedSep 1, 2026

changedInput schema / examples

Previous value: -[
-  {
-    "_apiKey": "your-samgov-api-key",
-    "keyword": "construction",
-    "limit": 25,
-    "set_aside": "SDVOSB"
-  },
-  {
-    "_apiKey": "your-samgov-api-key",
-    "set_aside": "HUBZone"
-  }
-]New value: +[
+  {
+    "keyword": "construction",
+    "limit": 25,
+    "set_aside": "SDVOSB"
+  },
+  {
+    "set_aside": "HUBZone"
+  }
+]

changedInput schema / properties / _apiKey / description

Previous value: -"SAM.gov API key"New value: +"Optional — omit it. This search answers keyless from the local snapshot of SAM.gov's public Contract Opportunities extract; a key is needed only to reach postings newer than that snapshot."

changedInput schema / required

Previous value: -[
-  "set_aside",
-  "_apiKey"
-]New value: +[
+  "set_aside"
+]

Changed1 schema field changedSep 1, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / set_aside / description

Previous value: -"Set-aside type (required): SBA (Small Business), SDVOSB (Service-Disabled Veteran), HUBZone, 8AN (8(a)), WOSB (Women-Owned), EDWOSB (Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned)"New value: +"Set-aside type (required). Either the SAM.gov code — SBA (total small business), SBP (partial), 8A, 8AN (8(a) sole source), WOSB, EDWOSB, HZC (HUBZone), HZS (HUBZone sole source), SDVOSBC, SDVOSBS, VSA (veteran-owned), ISBEE, IEE, BICiv — or the ordinary phrasing (\"small business\", \"HUBZone\", \"women-owned\", \"8(a)\", \"service-disabled veteran\"), which is resolved to the code for you."

Changed1 schema field changedMay 8, 2026

changedOutput schema / (root)

Previous value: -nullNew value: +{
+  "properties": {
+    "limit": {
+      "description": "Number of results returned in this request",
+      "type": "number"
+    },
+    "opportunities": {
+      "items": {
+        "properties": {
+          "active": {
+            "description": "Active status indicator",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "classification_code": {
+            "description": "Classification code",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "department": {
+            "description": "Procuring department/agency",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "naics_code": {
+            "description": "Primary NAICS code",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "office": {
+            "description": "Procuring office name",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "posted_date": {
+            "description": "Date opportunity was posted",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "response_deadline": {
+            "description": "Proposal response deadline",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "set_aside": {
+            "description": "Small business set-aside type",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "solicitation_number": {
+            "description": "Unique solicitation identifier",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "sub_tier": {
+            "description": "Sub-tier agency code",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "title": {
+            "description": "Opportunity title",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "type": {
+            "description": "Procurement type",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          },
+          "ui_link": {
+            "description": "URL to opportunity details on SAM.gov",
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ]
+          }
+        },
+        "type": "object"
+      },
+      "type": "array"
+    },
+    "set_aside_type": {
+      "description": "Set-aside type being searched",
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "total_records": {
+      "description": "Total number of matching set-aside opportunities",
+      "type": "number"
+    }
+  },
+  "required": [
+    "set_aside_type",
+    "total_records",
+    "limit",
+    "opportunities"
+  ],
+  "type": "object"
+}

Changed1 schema field changedMay 6, 2026

addedInput schema / examples

Added value: +[
+  {
+    "_apiKey": "your-samgov-api-key",
+    "keyword": "construction",
+    "limit": 25,
+    "set_aside": "SDVOSB"
+  },
+  {
+    "_apiKey": "your-samgov-api-key",
+    "set_aside": "HUBZone"
+  }
+]

First observedApr 22, 2026

TDQS

A4.4/5.0

Behavior5/5

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

Annotations already declare readOnly/openWorld/idempotent/non-destructive, so the bar is to add context beyond that. The description adds the data source (public daily SAM.gov Contract Opportunities extract), no-API-key behavior, the ability to interpret plain phrasing or codes, and the `mirror` freshness field — all genuinely useful behavioral disclosures not captured by annotations.

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

Conciseness4/5

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

The description is dense but not bloated: it front-loads the core function, then gives query examples, data-source rationale, accepted input forms, and return fields. Minor redundancy with the schema's parameter descriptions prevents a 5.

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

Completeness5/5

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

Given the rich output schema, annotations, and complete parameter descriptions, the prose covers everything an agent needs to invoke correctly: required set_aside, optional filters, keyless operation, snapshot freshness, and return contents. Nothing structurally important is missing.

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?

Schema description coverage is 100%, so the schema already documents all five parameters thoroughly. The description reinforces the set_aside flexibility (codes vs. ordinary phrasing) but adds little beyond what the schema's set_aside property already states. Baseline 3 is appropriate.

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

Purpose5/5

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

The description states a specific verb ('Find'), a precise resource ('federal contract opportunities reserved for a specific class of small business'), and enumerates the set-aside categories. It also names example questions it answers, which disambiguates it from broader sibling tools like sam_search_opportunities and sam_get_opportunity.

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

Usage Guidelines4/5

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

The description makes clear it is the right tool for set-aside-specific queries and emphasizes it works keylessly from a local SAM.gov snapshot, which differentiates it from live/API-backed siblings. It does not explicitly say 'when not to use' or name alternatives, but the context is strong enough for an agent to route correctly.

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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