Low Risk

usaspending_get_award

Fetch full details of a federal award by its generated unique award ID. Returns contract or assistance award data including recipient info, agency hierarchy, period of performance, place of performance, funding account linkages (account_obligations_by_defc), parent IDV information, and subaward c...

Part of the Usaspending Mcp Server server.

usaspending_get_award is read-only, but an agent in a loop can still rack up calls and cost. PolicyLayer caps every call before it runs. Live in minutes.

SECURE USASPENDING MCP SERVER →

Free to start. No card required.

AI agents call usaspending_get_award to retrieve information from Usaspending Mcp Server without modifying any data. This is common in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows where the agent needs context before taking action. Because read operations don't change state, they are generally safe to allow without restrictions -- but you may still want rate limits to control API costs.

Even though usaspending_get_award only reads data, uncontrolled read access can leak sensitive information or rack up API costs. An agent caught in a retry loop could make thousands of calls per minute. A rate limit gives you a safety net without blocking legitimate use.

Read-only tools are safe to allow by default. No rate limit needed unless you want to control costs.

policy.json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "usaspending_get_award": {}
  }
}

See the full Usaspending Mcp Server policy for all 14 tools.

Get this rule live on your own Usaspending Mcp Server server in minutes. PolicyLayer enforces it on every call, before it runs.

ENFORCE ON MY USASPENDING MCP SERVER →

View all 14 tools →

These attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access usaspending_get_award gives an agent. Each links to the full case and the policy that stops it:

Browse the full MCP Attack Database →

Every attack above starts with a tool call. PolicyLayer checks each one against your policy first, so usaspending_get_award only ever does what you allow.

SECURE USASPENDING MCP SERVER →

Other read tools across the catalogue. The same approach applies to each: allow, with a rate cap to control cost.

What does the usaspending_get_award tool do? +

Fetch full details of a federal award by its generated unique award ID. Returns contract or assistance award data including recipient info, agency hierarchy, period of performance, place of performance, funding account linkages (account_obligations_by_defc), parent IDV information, and subaward count. Use generated_internal_id values from usaspending_search_awards as input. Recipient hashes can be passed to usaspending_get_recipient; NAICS codes can be used in usaspending_search_awards filters.. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Usaspending Mcp Server MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on usaspending_get_award? +

Register the Usaspending Mcp Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for usaspending_get_award: 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 Usaspending Mcp Server. Nothing to install.

What risk level is usaspending_get_award? +

usaspending_get_award is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.

Can I rate-limit usaspending_get_award? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the usaspending_get_award 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.

How do I block usaspending_get_award completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for usaspending_get_award. 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.

What MCP server provides usaspending_get_award? +

usaspending_get_award is provided by the Usaspending Mcp Server MCP server (@cyanheads/usaspending-mcp-server). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

Enforce policy on every Usaspending Mcp Server tool call.

Deterministic rules across all 14 Usaspending Mcp Server 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.

// GET IN TOUCH

Have a question or want to learn more? Send us a message.

Message sent.

We'll get back to you soon.