# search_vendors

Search any theme's data index by free-text query across vendor name, domain, integrations, plan notes, and capabilities (e.g. 'hipaa restaurant', 'google ads zapier'). Works for every theme — hub sections and catalog topics alike (set section to the theme slug from list_sections). Returns full provenanced vendor records (each plan carries source url + accessedAt). Empty query returns all vendors in the theme.

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `search_vendors`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/com-frontdeskreview-front-desk-review-data/search-vendors

## Facts

- Tool: `search_vendors`
- Server: The Front Desk Review (`https://mcp.frontdeskreview.com/mcp`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-frontdeskreview-front-desk-review-data.md
- Homepage: https://github.com/AlexandDunk/frontdesk-data
- Risk category: Read (Low risk)
- Registry record: grade F, identity unverified
- Server auth posture: open
- Server rate-limited: no
- Parameters: 2
- Recommended policy verdict: Allowed

## Parameters

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `query` | string | no |  |
| `section` | string | no | Theme slug to query (default "ai-receptionists"). A theme is any of the 271 pricing topics this index covers: the deep hub sections (e.g. ai-receptionists) plus |

Parameters from the server's own tool schema.

## Example call (MCP tools/call, JSON-RPC 2.0)

```json
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "name": "search_vendors",
    "arguments": {}
  }
}
```

## Why search_vendors is rated Low

This is a read-only search/query operation across a vendor database. It retrieves and returns information based on free-text search criteria but does not create, modify, delete, or execute any operations. The blast radius of misuse is minimal — an agent could only over-query or retrieve broad datasets, with no ability to alter or harm underlying data.

From the tool's own definition: "Tool performs 'Search' and 'Returns full provenanced vendor records' — retrieves data without modification. No language indicating side effects, state changes, or destructive operations."

Risk signals: Bulk/mass operation — affects multiple targets

## Use case

AI agents call search_vendors to retrieve information from The Front Desk Review without modifying anything. It is typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.

## Recommended policy (PolicyLayer)

Verdict: **Allowed**. Enforced by the PolicyLayer MCP gateway (https://policylayer.com/mcp-gateway) before a call reaches The Front Desk Review:

```json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "search_vendors": {}
  }
}
```

## Other tools on The Front Desk Review (18)

- `compare` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-frontdeskreview-front-desk-review-data/compare.md
- `compare_products` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-frontdeskreview-front-desk-review-data/compare-products.md
- `find_best` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-frontdeskreview-front-desk-review-data/find-best.md
- `find_products` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-frontdeskreview-front-desk-review-data/find-products.md
- `get_benchmark` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-frontdeskreview-front-desk-review-data/get-benchmark.md
- `get_cost_decoder` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-frontdeskreview-front-desk-review-data/get-cost-decoder.md
- `get_independent_test_coverage` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-frontdeskreview-front-desk-review-data/get-independent-test-coverage.md
- `get_normalized_pricing` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-frontdeskreview-front-desk-review-data/get-normalized-pricing.md
- `get_price_history` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-frontdeskreview-front-desk-review-data/get-price-history.md
- `list_cost_decoders` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-frontdeskreview-front-desk-review-data/list-cost-decoders.md
- `list_coverage` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-frontdeskreview-front-desk-review-data/list-coverage.md
- `list_product_categories` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-frontdeskreview-front-desk-review-data/list-product-categories.md
- `list_sections` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-frontdeskreview-front-desk-review-data/list-sections.md
- `most_volatile_in_category` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-frontdeskreview-front-desk-review-data/most-volatile-in-category.md
- `price_movers` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-frontdeskreview-front-desk-review-data/price-movers.md
- `search_products` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-frontdeskreview-front-desk-review-data/search-products.md
- `volatility_for_entity` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-frontdeskreview-front-desk-review-data/volatility-for-entity.md
- `whats_changed` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-frontdeskreview-front-desk-review-data/whats-changed.md

## For agents

This record is a snapshot. Live verdicts and the full registry:

- Check every server in your MCP config at once: `npx -y policylayer stack`
- Vet a server before you add it: install the mcp-precheck skill — `npx skills add https://policylayer.com` (skill text: https://policylayer.com/skill.md)
- Query the registry over MCP: endpoint `https://api.policylayer.com/mcp` — tools `check_mcp_server`, `check_mcp_stack`, `check_tool`, `search_registry`, `get_change_events`

---

Source: the PolicyLayer MCP registry — one continuously verified record per MCP server. Full record: https://policylayer.com/registry?q=com-frontdeskreview-front-desk-review-data · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/com-frontdeskreview-front-desk-review-data