The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →To find federal contract awards, use SAM.gov: open Contracting → Contract Awards, sign in, then search by an identifier or keyword and narrow results with filters such as agency or legal business name. The public-facing FPDS search has moved to SAM.gov; its former ezSearch was decommissioned on February 24, 2026.
Where to search FPDS contract awards now
Use SAM.gov’s Contract Award Data page as the current entry point. GSA says that “All public-facing functionality of FPDS has been fully transitioned to Sam.gov.” FPDS.gov visitors are redirected to SAM.gov, so the legacy FPDS-branded public search is no longer the current search experience.
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In SAM.gov, go to Contracting and choose Contract Awards. The older ezSearch was decommissioned on February 24, 2026. If you see older instructions pointing to ezSearch or a public FPDS.gov search, use the SAM.gov route instead.
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- Sign in to SAM.gov. SAM.gov requires an account to view public Contract Awards search results. Its guidance says no specific role is needed for this public search.
- Open Contracting → Contract Awards. Start with a known identifier—such as a solicitation or notice number, PIID, or another award keyword—if you have one.
- Choose a search style. The search help describes Any Words, All Words, and Exact Phrase. Use an exact phrase for a distinctive name or phrase; use all words when every term should match, and any words when broader results are useful.
- Apply filters. Narrow by agency or legal business name, among other available criteria. Search guidance also describes filtering award data by awardee, set-aside, and other criteria.
- Open and verify candidate records. Check the actual award record and relevant field definitions before drawing conclusions from a result. SAM.gov characterizes award search as mostly used for policy and trend analysis, and does not promise that every procurement-related record or every field appears in every result.
The Contract Data guidance also describes a Search Editor for building query-like conditions and predefined search parameters. These are useful when a simple keyword query is too broad or you need to express multiple conditions more precisely.
Searching by contractor
Enter the contractor’s legal business name where available, then refine by agency or other relevant filters. A company’s familiar trade name may not be the legal business name used in a record, so if a search returns no match, try a distinctive portion of the name or a known award identifier and inspect likely records.
Searching by agency or identifier
If you know the agency, use its filter to reduce unrelated matches. If you know a PIID, solicitation, or notice identifier, search that specific value first; identifiers are generally more discriminating than broad terms such as a product category or company name.
Which SAM.gov route fits your task?
| Task | Use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Look up one award | SAM.gov Contract Awards search | Keyword or identifier search with filters such as agency and legal business name. |
| Review a set of awards or download records | SAM.gov DataBank | Provides reporting and download-oriented workflows. |
| Run repeatable or programmatic queries | Contract Awards API documentation on Open.gsa.gov | SAM.gov describes direct/on-demand queries, granular search, JSON/CSV formats, and richer data. |
| Manage agency award records | Manage Contract Awards portal | A separate agency workflow; federal users access it using legacy FPDS credentials. |
SAM.gov’s Contracting page links the award search, DataBank, API route, and management portal. These are distinct workflows: use public search for individual lookups, DataBank for reports and downloads, and the API for software integrations.
What the award data covers—and what it does not guarantee
SAM.gov’s Contract Data page describes contract data as detailed information on contract actions that federal agencies are required to report, with an estimated value of $10,000 or more. Separately, its transition page describes public search results as covering unclassified contract actions exceeding the micro-purchase threshold and modifications that change previously reported data, regardless of dollar value. These are different official descriptions of reporting and search coverage; do not treat them as interchangeable guarantees that every procurement-related record is present.
For market comparisons, confirm the record’s contents and field definitions rather than assuming all records have the same fields or represent the full universe of procurement activity. SAM.gov and the Federal Service Desk retain legacy FPDS data dictionaries and help resources through links on the transition page.
Using the API or maintaining an existing integration
For automated access, follow the current Contract Awards API instructions linked from Open.gsa.gov. SAM.gov describes the API as supporting direct, on-demand queries, granular search, JSON/CSV formats, and richer data. Check the current API-key instructions there before implementing or changing a client.
The FPDS ATOM Feed was announced for retirement later in FY 2026. Because that timing is subject to change, verify the current notice on the SAM.gov transition announcement before depending on the feed or migrating an existing integration. The announcement is not a substitute for checking its present status.
Common search problems and fixes
- You cannot see search results: Sign in to SAM.gov; an account is required for public Contract Awards search results. No special role is stated as necessary for this public view.
- A contractor-name search returns too much: Use the legal business name filter, add the agency, or search a known identifier. Try a more distinctive phrase rather than a broad industry term.
- A search returns no obvious match: Try Any Words or a shorter distinctive phrase, check spelling, and test a known PIID, solicitation, or notice number if available. Names in records may not match the everyday brand name.
- You need a download rather than a one-record lookup: Use DataBank’s reporting and download workflow instead of treating the search page as a bulk export tool.
- Your integration uses the ATOM Feed: Check the current SAM.gov retirement notice and move to the documented Contract Awards API if appropriate; verify current key requirements and feed status first.
- A result seems incomplete: Review the individual record and field definitions. Official coverage descriptions do not establish that every related procurement record or every data field is present.
Or skip the browser setup
If you need a clean screenshot of the SAM.gov page or an award record for documentation, you can use ScreenshotNeo. It is a screenshot API and MCP server; it can accept consent banners and remove known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture. Bot checks, blank pages, and failed loads are not billed, and AI agents can take screenshots through its MCP server.
For example, capture the SAM.gov Contracting page with one GET request (replace the target URL with the page you want):
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curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://sam.gov/contracting -o shot.webpSee the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for request options. The free plan includes 1,000 screenshots a month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000. Sign up for 1,000 free screenshots a month—no card required.
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