Use this tool when a user wants cost or sizing for specific deliverables they've already listed. Trigger phrases: 'how much would it cost to build X, Y, and Z', 'estimate the price for these features', 'how many Delivery Units / weeks would these modules take', 'budget for this work', 'price out ...
Part of the AiDOOS Virtual Delivery Center server.
Free to start. No card required.
AI agents invoke estimate_cost to trigger processes or run actions in AiDOOS Virtual Delivery Center. Execute operations can have side effects beyond the immediate call -- triggering builds, sending notifications, or starting workflows. Rate limits and argument validation are essential to prevent runaway execution.
estimate_cost can trigger processes with real-world consequences. An uncontrolled agent might start dozens of builds, send mass notifications, or kick off expensive compute jobs. PolicyLayer enforces rate limits and validates arguments to keep execution within safe bounds.
Execute tools trigger processes. Rate-limit and validate arguments to prevent unintended side effects.
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"estimate_cost": {
"limits": [
{
"counter": "estimate_cost_rate",
"window": "minute",
"max": 10,
"scope": "grant"
}
]
}
}
}See the full AiDOOS Virtual Delivery Center policy for all 5 tools.
These attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access estimate_cost gives an agent. Each links to the full case and the policy that stops it:
Other execute tools across the catalogue. The same approach applies to each: rate-limit and validate the arguments.
Use this tool when a user wants cost or sizing for specific deliverables they've already listed. Trigger phrases: 'how much would it cost to build X, Y, and Z', 'estimate the price for these features', 'how many Delivery Units / weeks would these modules take', 'budget for this work', 'price out this scope', 'I need a ballpark for the following'. Use this INSTEAD OF plan_vdc when the user has already decomposed the work into specific modules — don't make them go through pod/role generation again. If the user only describes a goal without modules, prefer plan_vdc. What this tool does: takes 1-30 module descriptions, returns Delivery Units per module, total Delivery Units, project-rate USD cost, and the recommended Delivery Pack (Starter 10 DUs/$2K, Small 60 DUs/$10K, Scale 250 DUs/$40K, or Enterprise).. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the AiDOOS Virtual Delivery Center MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.
Register the AiDOOS Virtual Delivery Center MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for estimate_cost: allow, deny, rate-limit, or require approval. Point your MCP client at the PolicyLayer proxy URL and the rule is enforced on every call, before it reaches AiDOOS Virtual Delivery Center. Nothing to install.
estimate_cost is a Execute tool with high risk. Execute tools should be rate-limited and have argument validation enabled.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the estimate_cost rule in your PolicyLayer policy. For example, setting max: 10 and window: 60 limits the tool to 10 calls per minute. Rate limits are tracked per agent session and reset automatically.
Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for estimate_cost. The AI agent will receive a policy violation error and cannot call the tool. You can also include a reason field to explain why the tool is blocked.
estimate_cost is provided by the AiDOOS Virtual Delivery Center MCP server (https://aidoos.com/mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Deterministic rules across all 5 AiDOOS Virtual Delivery Center tools. Per-identity grants. Full audit log. Live in minutes. Nothing to install.
Free to start. No card required.
4,600+ MCP servers and 31,000+ tools scanned and risk-classified.