# BidNet Direct Government Bids Scraper (`parseforge/governmentbids-scraper`) Actor

Collect public government bid listings from BidNetDirect using direct listing URLs or live search filters such as keywords, status, category, location, publish date, and agency type.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/parseforge/governmentbids-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [ParseForge](https://apify.com/parseforge) (community)
- **Categories:** Business, Automation, Developer tools
- **Features:** Limited permissions
- **Stats:** 107 total users, 22 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 1 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $12.99 / 1,000 result items

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

[![ParseForge](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ParseForge/apify-assets/main/banner-v4.webp)](https://apify.com/parseforge?fpr=vmoqkp)

### BidNet Direct Government Bids Scraper

**Scrape government bids and RFPs from BidNet Direct with keyword, location, agency type, and date filters.** Each row returns the solicitation title, URL, status, publication and closing dates, and optional detail fields. No login or API key. Export to CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML.

**Low minimum charge:** $0.005 to start a run, then you only pay for the results you get.

BidNet Direct lists thousands of open and closed government solicitations across US states, counties, and federal agencies, but manually checking the portal for new opportunities eats hours. This Actor reads the public listing pages directly, applies your filters as it goes, and returns every matching bid in one flat row. Use it to monitor new RFPs, build a bid pipeline, or feed your own database.

| Who uses it | What they scrape BidNet Direct for |
|---|---|
| Government contractors | Find open bids in their industry and location before the deadline |
| Bid consultants | Monitor new RFPs for multiple clients across different agencies |
| Market researchers | Analyze public procurement trends by category, agency, or region |
| Sales teams | Build a list of government buyers actively soliciting services |
| Procurement analysts | Track closed bids to study award patterns and competitor activity |

### What it does

This Actor collects government bid solicitations from BidNet Direct by direct URL or search filters, and returns each one as a flat row with title, URL, status, dates, and optional detail fields.

- 🔎 **Search filters:** keywords (a comma list matches any of them), bid status, category, state, publication date, agency type, and sort order.
- 🔗 **Direct URLs:** paste any BidNet Direct listing page URL and collect from it.
- 📋 **Detail fields:** optionally open each bid page to add AI overview and detail timestamps.
- 📊 **Flat output:** every bid is one row, ready for CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML export.

Results export to CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML, or straight from the API.

### What you can do with BidNet Direct data

**📬 Monitor new RFPs daily.**

A government contractor sets the keyword to their service, bidStatus to open, and publishDate to Last 24 Hours, then schedules the Actor to run every morning and exports new bids to a spreadsheet.

**📍 Find local opportunities.**

A small business owner enters their state and a category to see only open bids in their region, sorted by closing date.

**📊 Analyze closed bid history.**

A market researcher collects closed bids for a category over the past year to study which agencies buy the most and what they pay.

**🏛️ Track federal vs. state spending.**

A procurement analyst runs the Actor with agencyType set to Federal Bids and then State & Local Bids to compare solicitation volume and deadlines.

**🔗 Scrape a specific listing page.**

A consultant pastes the URL of a BidNet Direct search result page into startUrl to collect exactly the bids they already see in the browser.

### Why choose this scraper

|  | What you get |
|---|---|
| **No login or API key** | Reads the public listing pages directly, so you can start scraping in minutes. |
| **Filter before you download** | Keyword, status, category, location, date, and agency type filters reduce noise. |
| **Open and closed bids** | Collect current opportunities or historical awards for analysis. |
| **Optional detail fields** | Enable includeDetails to get AI overview and detail timestamps from each bid page. |
| **Flexible input** | Use a direct URL or let the Actor build the search URL from your filters. |

### How it compares

This Actor offers the same core BidNet Direct scraping as the competitors below, with additional filters for agency type, category codes, and sort options, plus optional detail fields.

| Feature | ParseForge | BidNet Direct Government Bids Scraper | BidNet Direct \[Closed 🔴] Bid Opportunities Scraper | BidNet Direct \[Open ✅] Bid Opportunities Scraper |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keyword search filter | Yes | Yes | Not listed | Not listed |
| Location filter | Yes | Yes | Not listed | Not listed |
| Category code filter | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| Agency type filter | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| Sort options | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| Optional detail fields (AI overview, timestamps) | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| Open and closed bids in one actor | Yes | Yes | Closed only | Open only |

### Configure the run

Drive the Actor from direct BidNet Direct URLs or search filters, and filters run as each listing is read so only matches reach your dataset. The Input tab lists every parameter.

A first run with the defaults:

```json
{
  "startUrl": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.bidnetdirect.com/public/solicitations/open"
    }
  ],
  "maxItems": 10
}
```

A larger pull:

```json
{
  "startUrl": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.bidnetdirect.com/public/solicitations/open"
    }
  ],
  "maxItems": 200
}
```

With search filters instead of a URL. Commas between keywords mean "any of these", and states can be names, two-letter codes or BidNet location IDs:

```json
{
  "keywords": "sidewalk, trip hazard, concrete, ADA",
  "locations": "ohio, california, TX",
  "categories": "construction",
  "bidStatus": "open",
  "publishDate": "WEEK_1",
  "sortOption": "publicationDateDesc",
  "maxItems": 100
}
```

### Pricing

Pay-per-result: **$0.01734 per result** collected. You pay only for the results written to your dataset.

| Results collected | Approximate cost |
|---|---|
| 100 results | $1.73 |
| 1,000 results | $17.34 |
| 10,000 results | $173.40 |

#### Optional extras (from 3 October 2026)

The detail page is optional and priced on its own. It adds the overview, the exact publication and closing times, and for federal notices the SAM.gov record.

| Event | Price | Charged when |
|---|---|---|
| `bid-details` | $0.008 per bid | the detail page loaded |

New Apify accounts start with $5 in free credit.

### Free users

Free-plan runs return up to 10 results as a preview. [Upgrade your Apify plan](https://console.apify.com/sign-up?fpr=vmoqkp) to collect up to 1,000,000 results per run.

### Run it

1. [Create a free Apify account with $5 in credit](https://console.apify.com/sign-up?fpr=vmoqkp).
2. Open the [BidNet Direct Government Bids Scraper](https://apify.com/parseforge/governmentbids-scraper?fpr=vmoqkp).
3. Set your inputs and any filters, then click **Start**.
4. Export the results as CSV, Excel, JSON, or XML from the **Dataset** tab.

Run it programmatically through the [Apify API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2) (`run-sync-get-dataset-items`) or the [ApifyClient](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js) for JavaScript and Python.

### Use with AI agents (MCP)

Give an AI agent live access to BidNet Direct through the Model Context Protocol. Add the Actor to Claude, Cursor, or any MCP client:

```bash
claude mcp add --transport http apify "https://mcp.apify.com?tools=parseforge/governmentbids-scraper"
```

Then prompt it in plain language to run the scraper and read back the results.

### Troubleshooting

**Why am I getting no results?**

Check that your filters are not too restrictive. Try removing categories or locations, or set publishDate to All. Keywords written with spaces and no commas must all appear in the bid, so `road sidewalk repair` is narrower than `road, sidewalk, repair`. If a run with 0 results says no bids match, the search itself returned nothing; if the site could not be reached, the run ends as Failed with the reason.

**Why did the run stop at 10 items?**

Free Apify accounts are limited to 10 items per run as a preview. Upgrade to a paid plan to increase maxItems up to 1,000,000.

**Why are some fields empty in the output?**

Some fields, like AI overview or detail timestamps, are only populated when includeDetails is enabled. Enable that option and rerun.

**Why is the Actor slow when includeDetails is on?**

Opening each bid detail page takes extra time. If you do not need the detail fields, disable includeDetails for faster runs.

**Can I use both startUrl and search filters?**

You can leave both filled in, but only one is used: when any search filter (keywords, categories, locations, publishDate or agencyType) is set, the Actor runs the search and ignores startUrl, and the log says so. To collect a startUrl, clear the search filters. bidStatus and sortOption never override a startUrl.

**Why did I get an error saying BidNet Direct does not recognize a location or category?**

The Actor checks every location and category before searching, because BidNet Direct answers an unknown value with an error page. The message lists the values it could not match. Locations take US state and territory names (`ohio`, `new york`), two-letter codes (`OH`, `NY`) or BidNet location IDs (`229`). Categories take the category name (`construction`) or its BidNet code (`320204`).

### FAQ

| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Do I need a BidNet Direct account or API key? | No. The Actor reads the public listing pages on BidNet Direct, so no login or API key is required. |
| Can I scrape both open and closed bids? | Yes. Set bidStatus to Open Bids or Closed Bids, or run the Actor twice with different settings. |
| How do I filter by location? | Use the locations field with comma-separated US states or territories, written as names (`florida, texas`), two-letter codes (`FL, TX`) or BidNet location IDs (`73, 277`). |
| How do I filter by category? | Enter one or more of BidNet Direct's categories, comma-separated, by name (`construction, utilities`) or by code (`320204, 320179`). |
| How do several keywords combine? | Separate keywords with commas to get bids that match any of them, for example `sidewalk, trip hazard, concrete`. Words inside one keyword, like `trip hazard`, must all appear. |
| Can I sort the results? | Yes. Use sortOption to order by publication date, closing date, solicitation title, or location, in ascending or descending order. |
| What does includeDetails do? | When enabled, the Actor opens each bid detail page and adds public fields such as AI overview and detail timestamps to the output. |
| How many bids can I scrape? | Free Apify users are limited to 10 bids per run. Paid users can set maxItems up to 1,000,000. |
| Can I use a direct URL instead of search filters? | Yes. Paste any BidNet Direct listing page URL into startUrl and leave the search filters empty. If a search filter is set, the filters are used instead. |
| What export formats are supported? | You can export the results to CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML from the Apify dataset. |
| Does this Actor handle pagination? | Yes, it follows pagination on the listing pages until it reaches maxItems or no more results. |
| Can I schedule this Actor to run automatically? | Yes, you can schedule it in Apify to run daily, hourly, or on a custom cron schedule. |
| Is this Actor affiliated with BidNet Direct? | No, this is an independent scraper built by ParseForge. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by BidNet Direct. |

### Related actors

Browse the full [ParseForge collection](https://apify.com/parseforge?fpr=vmoqkp) for more scrapers.

🆘 **Need help?** Email parseforge@protonmail.com with your run ID, your input, and what you expected.

⚠️ **Disclaimer.** This Actor is unofficial and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by BidNet Direct. It collects only publicly available data. You are responsible for using the collected data in compliance with the source's terms of service and applicable data-protection laws, including GDPR, CCPA, and PIPL. Do not use it to collect personal data unlawfully.

# Actor input Schema

## `startUrl` (type: `array`):

BidNet Direct listing URLs to collect from. National listing pages are followed across pages up to Maximum bids. If any search filter below is set (keywords, categories, location, published date or agency type), the filters are used and these URLs are ignored.

## `maxItems` (type: `integer`):

Free users: Limited to 10. Paid users: Optional, max 1,000,000.

## `keywords` (type: `string`):

Search by keyword or bid title. Separate several keywords with commas to get bids that match any of them, for example: sidewalk, trip hazard, concrete. When set, Start URL above is ignored.

## `bidStatus` (type: `string`):

Choose whether to collect open bids or closed bids.

## `categories` (type: `string`):

Optional comma-separated categories, by name or BidNet code, for example: construction, utilities or 320204, 320179.

## `locations` (type: `string`):

Optional comma-separated US states or territories, as names, two-letter codes or BidNet location IDs, for example: ohio, california or OH, CA or 229, 43.

## `publishDate` (type: `string`):

Limit results by recent publication date.

## `agencyType` (type: `string`):

Filter by the BidNetDirect agency group shown in the listing search UI.

## `sortOption` (type: `string`):

Choose the same ordering options available in the BidNetDirect listing page.

## `includeDetails` (type: `boolean`):

When enabled, the actor opens each bid detail page and adds public detail fields such as AI overview and detail timestamps.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "startUrl": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.bidnetdirect.com/public/solicitations/open"
    }
  ],
  "maxItems": 10
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `overview` (type: `string`):

Overview table with the main bid fields and the error column last.

# 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 = {
    "startUrl": [
        {
            "url": "https://www.bidnetdirect.com/public/solicitations/open"
        }
    ],
    "maxItems": 10
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("parseforge/governmentbids-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 = {
    "startUrl": [{ "url": "https://www.bidnetdirect.com/public/solicitations/open" }],
    "maxItems": 10,
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("parseforge/governmentbids-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 '{
  "startUrl": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.bidnetdirect.com/public/solicitations/open"
    }
  ],
  "maxItems": 10
}' |
apify call parseforge/governmentbids-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,parseforge/governmentbids-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/odyjVfvJ7RtZWgjfF/builds/Q4Gl7fNnABwhiz0gb/openapi.json