How to Use the DOD Contracts (FPDS) MCP in VS Code Copilot

Q: Can VS Code Copilot query historical records with DOD Contracts (FPDS)?

Yes. Copilot uses the searchcontracts tool to query the FPDS Atom feed, pulling historical transaction entries based on your search queries.

Share live DOD transaction feeds with your entire team directly inside VS Code Copilot.

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Connect DOD Contracts (FPDS) MCP to VS Code Copilot

Create your Vinkius account to connect DOD Contracts (FPDS) to VS Code Copilot and route execution through our secure gateway. The platform manages server hosting, runtime updates, and security layers. Configuration requires no manual server provisioning.

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Setup DOD Contracts (FPDS) with VS Code Copilot

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Share FPDS data definitions using VS Code Copilot

Commit your MCP Server configuration directly to your repository using a shared configuration file. Every developer on your team instantly gets access to the `search_contracts` tool. This ensures your entire team uses the exact same federal data baseline. No more mismatched API structures or outdated mock files in your codebase.

Query defense records inside VS Code Copilot Chat

Ask Copilot to analyze military procurement trends without opening a browser. The agent uses the `search_contracts` tool to pull the latest transaction records. It filters by `DEPARTMENT_ID:"9700"` to focus solely on Pentagon awards. You get clean, structured summaries of defense spending directly in your chat panel.

Build enterprise-grade procurement pipelines

Use VS Code Copilot to draft clean, compliant data pipelines that feed on raw government data. The MCP Server provides the live XML structure your pipeline needs to handle. This setup removes the guesswork from handling messy federal feeds. Your developers write code that works on day one.

Setup guide

Set up DOD Contracts (FPDS) MCP in VS Code Copilot

Prerequisites

VS Code 1.99 or later with GitHub Copilot extension
Active Vinkius subscription with a valid endpoint token

1

Open MCP configuration

Open the Command Palette (Cmd+Shift+P / Ctrl+Shift+P) and run "MCP: Add Server". Select HTTP (Streamable) as the server type. VS Code will create .vscode/mcp.json in your workspace.
2

Add the DOD Contracts (FPDS) MCP

Paste the JSON snippet shown on the right into your .vscode/mcp.json. Replace [YOUR_TOKEN_HERE] with your endpoint token from cloud.vinkius.com.
3

Switch to Agent mode

Open Copilot Chat (Cmd+Shift+I / Ctrl+Shift+I) and switch to Agent mode using the dropdown. MCP tools are only available in Agent mode — they do not appear in Edit or Ask modes.
4

Verify the connection

In the Copilot Chat input, type # to list available tools. You should see the DOD Contracts (FPDS) tools listed. Try asking: "List my recent DOD Contracts (FPDS) transactions" and Copilot will invoke them automatically.

.vscode/mcp.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "dod-contracts-fpds-mcp": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp"
    }
  }
}

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Independent Platform Disclaimer: Vinkius is an independent platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, verified by, or otherwise authorized by FPDS. All third-party trademarks, logos, and brand names are the property of their respective owners. Their use on this website is strictly for informational purposes to identify service compatibility and interoperability.

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Common questions about DOD Contracts (FPDS) MCP in VS Code Copilot

Create a config file in your repository root and define the MCP server. Your team members will automatically inherit access to the contract search tool when they pull the code.

Yes. Copilot uses the `search_contracts` tool to query the FPDS Atom feed, pulling historical transaction entries based on your search queries.

Yes. The server runs within a secure environment, ensuring your team's federal procurement searches comply with standard corporate IT requirements.

Instruct your agent to pass the military agency code into the `search_contracts` tool to filter out non-defense records.

The raw XML transaction data and your query parameters are transmitted over an encrypted channel directly to your local VS Code instance. No persistent storage of these federal records occurs on intermediate servers.

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