• RECIPIENT
  • FLOW
  • HISTORY
  • HUMAN

How to investigate contractor subawards with your AI

Connect to USAspending to follow the money trail from federal agencies to the subcontractors actually doing the work.

Ask AI about this page

Short answer

How can I track federal subawards using AI?

Your AI pulls recipient data and follows the flow of funds through subaward connections. You can drill down into specific transaction histories to see exactly where money lands. This breakdown shows you how to map those connections.

The outcomes

What you can uncover

The AI handles the data heavy lifting so you can focus on the investigation.

RECIPIENT

Identify primary recipients

The AI finds the main organizations receiving federal funds. You get a clear list of entities holding primary contracts.

FLOW

Map subaward links

Your agent identifies the secondary recipients tied to a primary award. This reveals the full chain of funding.

HISTORY

Audit transaction details

The AI pulls specific payment records for any given subaward. You see the exact amounts and dates of fund transfers.

HUMAN

Verify suspicious patterns

The AI flags unusual funding jumps or rapid subaward cycles. You step in to investigate the actual intent behind the movement.

The workflow

What your AI does when the data arrives.

The AI moves through the federal spending hierarchy to build a complete picture of a contract.

  1. Locate the primary entity

    The AI searches for the main organization or agency holding the federal award.

    list_recipients

  2. Identify the subawardees

    Once the primary recipient is found, the AI finds all connected sub-entities.

    get_subawards

  3. Pull specific recipient info

    The AI gathers detailed profile data for any specific entity in the chain.

    get_recipient

  4. Extract payment records

    The AI retrieves the granular transaction history for the identified subawards.

    get_transactions

Try it

Copy these to start.

Use these prompts to begin your investigation.

Starting points

Replace the names in these prompts with the specific agencies or companies you are looking for.

USAspending Connector

You're all set. Choose your MCP client and follow the setup instructions.

Connector linkhttps://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_SGqOxUwCS5vSVfgBiSV43hzg4gnIzYvjeGWqLvnr/mcp

Claude Desktop

Follow the steps below to connect in seconds.

  1. 1In Claude Desktop, open Settings → Connectors.
  2. 2Click “Add custom connector” and paste the connector link above as the remote MCP server URL.
  3. 3Click Add and start a new chat — USAspending capabilities are ready to use.
Configuration · claude_desktop_config.jsonCopy
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "usaspending-federal-spending-mcp": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_SGqOxUwCS5vSVfgBiSV43hzg4gnIzYvjeGWqLvnr/mcp"
    }
  }
}
Copy into chat04

  • Find all primary recipients for the Department of Energy in 2023.

  • Who are the subawardees for the primary recipient 'General Dynamics'?

  • Show me the transaction history for the subaward tied to 'Tech Solutions Inc'.

  • List all subawards associated with the recipient ID 12345.

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Start here

Connect USAspending once, then ask.

One connection gives your AI access to the full federal spending dataset. You can then start asking questions immediately in your preferred client.

Connect USAspending to your AI

FAQ

How this task behaves

  • 01

    Can the AI change federal spending records?

    No. The AI only reads data from USAspending; it cannot modify or delete any federal records.

  • 02

    Can the AI perform the final audit?

    No. The AI identifies patterns and pulls the data, but the human must perform the actual audit and make decisions.

  • 03

    Does the AI need a login for USAspending?

    No. The Connector handles the connection to the public data source automatically.

  • 04

    Can I find specific transaction amounts?

    Yes. The AI can pull specific transaction histories for subawards.

  • 05

    Can the AI find subawards for any agency?

    Yes, as long as that data is part of the federal spending records available through the tool.

  • More questions about USAspending? The Connector page answers them. See everything the USAspending Connector can do

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