ScoutRail

Scout opportunities

scout_opportunities

Read-only

Find live public tenders, grants, RFPs and buyers for any business, by country/market. Pass a short description of what the business sells or does; optionally scope to market codes like za, uk, us, ng. Returns ranked, live opportunities (tenders, grants, RFPs, procurement notices, prospective buyers and partners), grouped, with a recommended NEXT MOVE. To get updates, call this tool again for the latest answer. If you run a backend with an https endpoint, POST { query, callbackUrl } to https://scoutrail.io/api/subscribe to receive signed webhook updates; conversational agents should just re-call this tool. Examples: {"business":"solar panel installer in Cape Town"}. {"business":"IT security consultancy","markets":["za","uk"]}.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`markets`	No	Optional market codes to scope the search, like za, uk, us, ng
`business`	Yes	What the business does, sells or is looking for (e.g. "hospital cleaning services")

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description
`query`	No
`counts`	Yes
`groups`	Yes
`schema`	Yes
`markets`	No
`pending`	No	True when more results are still being gathered; call again shortly for the complete list.
`enriched`	No
`nextMove`	Yes
`subscribe`	No	How to hear about updates for this query. poll: re-call the tool (what a conversational agent does). push: backends with an https endpoint POST { query, callbackUrl } to push.url for signed webhook updates.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed1 schema field changedSep 29, 2026

addedOutput schema / properties / pending

Added value: +{
+  "description": "True when more results are still being gathered; call again shortly for the complete list.",
+  "type": "boolean"
+}

Changed3 schema fields changedSep 27, 2026

addedOutput schema / properties / groups / items / properties / items / items / description

Added value: +"An opportunity. For full-data callers (MCP, WhatsApp) an unlocked item also carries `outreach`: how to reach the buyer and a drafted message to send."

addedOutput schema / properties / groups / items / properties / items / items / properties

Added value: +{
+  "actions": {
+    "items": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "type": "array"
+  },
+  "buyer": {
+    "type": [
+      "string",
+      "null"
+    ]
+  },
+  "classification": {
+    "type": [
+      "string",
+      "null"
+    ]
+  },
+  "commercial": {},
+  "deadline": {},
+  "evidence": {},
+  "id": {
+    "type": "string"
+  },
+  "links": {
+    "properties": {
+      "original": {
+        "type": "string"
+      }
+    },
+    "type": "object"
+  },
+  "outreach": {
+    "description": "Present on unlocked full-data items only.",
+    "properties": {
+      "contact": {
+        "properties": {
+          "channel": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "value": {
+            "type": "string"
+          }
+        },
+        "type": [
+          "object",
+          "null"
+        ]
+      },
+      "message": {
+        "properties": {
+          "body": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "subject": {
+            "type": "string"
+          }
+        },
+        "type": [
+          "object",
+          "null"
+        ]
+      },
+      "steps": {
+        "items": {
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "type": "array"
+      }
+    },
+    "type": "object"
+  },
+  "title": {
+    "type": "string"
+  },
+  "value": {}
+}

changedOutput schema / properties / schema / const

Previous value: -"scoutrail.answer/1"New value: +"scoutrail.answer/2"

Changed3 schema fields changedSep 27, 2026

removedOutput schema / properties / groups / items / properties / items / items / description

Removed value: -"An opportunity. For full-data callers (MCP, WhatsApp) an unlocked item also carries `outreach`: how to reach the buyer and a drafted message to send."

removedOutput schema / properties / groups / items / properties / items / items / properties

Removed value: -{
-  "actions": {
-    "items": {
-      "type": "string"
-    },
-    "type": "array"
-  },
-  "buyer": {
-    "type": [
-      "string",
-      "null"
-    ]
-  },
-  "classification": {
-    "type": [
-      "string",
-      "null"
-    ]
-  },
-  "commercial": {},
-  "deadline": {},
-  "evidence": {},
-  "id": {
-    "type": "string"
-  },
-  "links": {
-    "properties": {
-      "original": {
-        "type": "string"
-      }
-    },
-    "type": "object"
-  },
-  "outreach": {
-    "description": "Present on unlocked full-data items only.",
-    "properties": {
-      "contact": {
-        "properties": {
-          "channel": {
-            "type": "string"
-          },
-          "value": {
-            "type": "string"
-          }
-        },
-        "type": [
-          "object",
-          "null"
-        ]
-      },
-      "message": {
-        "properties": {
-          "body": {
-            "type": "string"
-          },
-          "subject": {
-            "type": "string"
-          }
-        },
-        "type": [
-          "object",
-          "null"
-        ]
-      },
-      "steps": {
-        "items": {
-          "type": "string"
-        },
-        "type": "array"
-      }
-    },
-    "type": "object"
-  },
-  "title": {
-    "type": "string"
-  },
-  "value": {}
-}

changedOutput schema / properties / schema / const

Previous value: -"scoutrail.answer/2"New value: +"scoutrail.answer/1"

Changed3 schema fields changedSep 27, 2026

addedOutput schema / properties / groups / items / properties / items / items / description

Added value: +"An opportunity. For full-data callers (MCP, WhatsApp) an unlocked item also carries `outreach`: how to reach the buyer and a drafted message to send."

addedOutput schema / properties / groups / items / properties / items / items / properties

Added value: +{
+  "actions": {
+    "items": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "type": "array"
+  },
+  "buyer": {
+    "type": [
+      "string",
+      "null"
+    ]
+  },
+  "classification": {
+    "type": [
+      "string",
+      "null"
+    ]
+  },
+  "commercial": {},
+  "deadline": {},
+  "evidence": {},
+  "id": {
+    "type": "string"
+  },
+  "links": {
+    "properties": {
+      "original": {
+        "type": "string"
+      }
+    },
+    "type": "object"
+  },
+  "outreach": {
+    "description": "Present on unlocked full-data items only.",
+    "properties": {
+      "contact": {
+        "properties": {
+          "channel": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "value": {
+            "type": "string"
+          }
+        },
+        "type": [
+          "object",
+          "null"
+        ]
+      },
+      "message": {
+        "properties": {
+          "body": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "subject": {
+            "type": "string"
+          }
+        },
+        "type": [
+          "object",
+          "null"
+        ]
+      },
+      "steps": {
+        "items": {
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "type": "array"
+      }
+    },
+    "type": "object"
+  },
+  "title": {
+    "type": "string"
+  },
+  "value": {}
+}

changedOutput schema / properties / schema / const

Previous value: -"scoutrail.answer/1"New value: +"scoutrail.answer/2"

First observedSep 22, 2026

TDQS

A4.1/5.0

Behavior4/5

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true, destructiveHint=false and openWorldHint=true, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds genuinely useful behavior beyond that: the output is ranked and grouped with a recommended NEXT MOVE, freshness comes from re-invocation, and there is a signed-webhook subscription path for backend agents. That is solid extra context, though it omits things like rate limits or result caps.

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?

It is front-loaded with the purpose, then usage, then the webhook detail, then examples. Each sentence carries information, though the webhook/backend paragraph is a mild digression for a conversational agent that the description itself says should just re-call the tool.

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?

An output schema exists, yet the description still summarizes the return shape (ranked, grouped, with a NEXT MOVE), and covers scoping, refresh behavior, and an integration path. For an open-world search tool with an existing output schema, nothing an agent needs in order to call it correctly is missing.

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

Parameters4/5

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

Schema coverage is 100% with only two parameters, so the baseline is 3. The description goes slightly beyond by supplying worked examples ({"business":"IT security consultancy","markets":["za","uk"]}) that demonstrate the business/markets relationship and the market-code format, which the schema does not illustrate.

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?

The description states a specific verb and resource set: 'Find live public tenders, grants, RFPs and buyers for any business, by country/market.' An agent immediately understands the retrieval task. It does not explicitly contrast with the sibling list_markets, so it falls just 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 Guidelines4/5

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

It tells the agent how to invoke it ('Pass a short description of what the business sells or does; optionally scope to market codes') and what to do for updates (re-call the tool, or POST to the subscribe endpoint for backend agents). There is no explicit when-not-to-use or a named alternative, so it is clear context rather than full routing guidance.

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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