# usaspending.award_search

**stable** **Advanced**

Search federal contract awards by keyword and calendar year.

`GET /v1/usaspending/award_search`

## What you get

A list of Usaspending results in Onekey's unified shape, in `data` (an array). An empty array is a normal, successful answer and is charged like any other; a source that reports "nothing found" as an error returns a free `404 not_found` instead.

## What it costs

- **Advanced · 5 credits** for a fresh fetch, charged only when it succeeds.
- **Free when served from cache (0.2 credit for a cached response over 100 KB).**
- **Free** if the request is invalid (never charged) or the source fails or reports not found (refunded).

## Parameters

| Name | Type | Required | Default | What it is | Constraints |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `q` | string | yes | (required) | Keyword | max 60 chars; must match `[\w .,'&+-]{2,60}`; trimmed, repeated spaces collapsed |
| `year` | string | no | `2024` | Calendar year | max 4 chars; must match `20\d\d`; trimmed |

## Request

```bash
curl "https://api.onekey.dev/v1/usaspending/award_search?q=software" \
  -H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY"
```

```python
import requests

res = requests.get(
    "https://api.onekey.dev/v1/usaspending/award_search",
    params={"q": "software"},
    headers={"x-api-key": "YOUR_API_KEY"},
)
body = res.json()

if body["success"]:
    print(body["data"])
else:
    print(body["error"]["code"], body["error"]["message"])
```

```javascript
const params = new URLSearchParams({ q: "software" });
const res = await fetch(`https://api.onekey.dev/v1/usaspending/award_search?${params}`, {
  headers: { "x-api-key": "YOUR_API_KEY" },
});
const body = await res.json();

if (body.success) console.log(body.data);
else console.error(body.error.code, body.error.message);
```

## Recorded response

A real Usaspending response, recorded and returned in Onekey's shape. Fields the platform does not provide are `null`.

```json
{
  "success": true,
  "data": [
    {
      "entity": {
        "id": "GSFC0198106DNAS526555",
        "name": "ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITIES FOR RESEARCH IN ASTRONOMY, INC.",
        "description": "THE PRIMARY ACTIVITIES COVERED BY THIS EFFORT INCLUDE THE FINAL SERVICING MISSION AND SUBSEQUENT OPERATIONS THROUGH END-OF-MISSION. THESE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE: A. SCIENCE PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION INCLUDING: MISSION PLANNING SUPPORT, SCIENCE PROGRAM DEFINITION SUPPORT, MANAGEMENT OF THE PROPOSAL SELECTION, TIME ALLOCATION, AND GRANT AWARD COMMITTEE PROCESSES, AND SCIENCE COMMUNITY OUTREACH. B. ROUTINE ",
        "category": "National Aeronautics and Space Administration",
        "createdAt": "1987-09-15T00:00:00Z",
        "date": "2026-10-31T00:00:00Z"
      },
      "ext": {
        "amount": 2533788480
      }
    },
    {
      "entity": {
        "id": "VA11817F1888",
        "name": "DELL FEDERAL SYSTEMS L.P",
        "description": "THE PURPOSE OF THIS ACQUISITION IS TO PROVIDE THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS WITH AN ENTERPRISE AGREEMENT FOR BRAND NAME MICROSOFT SOFTWARE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES.  THIS ENTERPRISE AGREEMENT WILL PROVIDE 1) SUPPORT SERVICES 2) OPERATIONAL SUPPORT AND 3) ADDITIONAL LICENSES OF MICROSOFT PRODUCTS, CURRENT AND PLANNED, TO SUPPORT THE VA ENTERPRISE.  SUBJECT PROCUREMENT WAS COMPETED AMONG MICROSOFT",
        "category": "Department of Veterans Affairs",
        "createdAt": "2017-04-01T00:00:00Z",
        "date": "2022-03-31T00:00:00Z"
      },
      "ext": {
        "amount": 1730532626.58
      }
    }
  ],
  "metadata": {
    "platform": "usaspending",
    "endpoint": "award_search",
    "cached": false,
    "stale": false,
    "age_s": 0,
    "fetched_at": "2026-01-01T12:00:00+00:00",
    "credits_charged": 5,
    "request_id": "7f3a9c2e5b1d4c8fa2e6d0b9c4f18e37"
  },
  "error": null
}
```

## Field mapping

How this endpoint's source fields become Onekey's [unified schema](https://onekey.dev/docs/schema.md). Fields the source lacks come back as `null`.

| Source path | Onekey field | Transform |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `Award ID` | `entity.id` | - |
| `Recipient Name` | `entity.name` | - |
| `Description` | `entity.description` | - |
| `Awarding Agency` | `entity.category` | - |
| `Award Amount` | `ext.amount` | `toNumber` |
| `Start Date` | `entity.createdAt` | `toIsoDate` |
| `End Date` | `entity.date` | `toIsoDate` |

## Caching and freshness

- Fresh for about 2 minutes. Repeat calls in that window are served from cache and are free.
- Between 2 minutes and 15 minutes the cached copy is still served instantly and marked `stale: true` while Onekey refreshes it in the background.
- If the source is down when a refresh is needed, the last copy can be served for up to 1 hour more (marked stale).
- A "not found" is remembered for 1 minute and is free.
- The cache is shared across all customers, which is what keeps repeat calls cheap.

## What can go wrong

| Status | Code | What to do |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 401 | `unauthorized` | Check the `x-api-key` header. |
| 402 | `insufficient_credits` | [Add credits](https://onekey.dev/pricing); your balance must cover the price. |
| 404 | `not_found` | Unknown endpoint path. |
| 422 | `invalid_params` | Fix the parameters using the table above. Free. |
| 429 | `rate_limited` | Wait `Retry-After` seconds, then retry. |
| 502 | `upstream_error` | The source failed. Refunded; retry with backoff. |

See [Errors](https://onekey.dev/docs/errors.md) for the full list and retry guidance.

Status: stable (verified against the live source).