GovTribe MCP for Developers

Connect GovTribe MCP to developer APIs, command-line MCP clients, and MCP Inspector.

Use this guide when you need to connect GovTribe MCP from a developer API, a generic command-line MCP client, Gemini CLI, Claude Code, or MCP Inspector. For hosted app, connector, and agent setup, use Connect GovTribe MCP to ChatGPT, Connect GovTribe MCP to Claude, or Connect GovTribe MCP to Microsoft 365 Copilot. For Codex CLI and the Codex IDE extension, use Connect GovTribe MCP to Codex.

Before you start

You need:

A GovTribe account with access to GovTribe MCP.
GovTribe credits enabled for your account. See Credits if the GovTribe MCP page says credits must be enabled.
A GovTribe MCP API key from the GovTribe MCP account page.
An AI provider account, CLI client, or MCP testing tool that can connect to remote MCP servers.

Keep MCP keys private

A GovTribe MCP API key allows an external client to use GovTribe MCP as your account. Store it in an environment variable or secret manager, and revoke it from the GovTribe MCP page if it is exposed.

The GovTribe MCP server URL is:

https://govtribe.com/mcp

Use the following authorization header when a client asks for custom HTTP headers:

Authorization: Bearer <GOVTRIBE_MCP_API_KEY>

When a provider asks for an authorization token field instead of raw headers, enter the GovTribe MCP API key in that token field.

Connect via API

Use this setup when an AI provider API supports remote MCP servers by URL.

Create a GovTribe MCP API key. Open GovTribe MCP, enable credits if prompted, choose Create Key, enter a name such as OpenAI API or Claude API, and store the key when GovTribe shows it.

Add the GovTribe MCP server to the provider request. Use https://govtribe.com/mcp as the server URL, and use your GovTribe MCP API key as the server authorization token. OpenAI documents remote MCP servers in MCP and Connectors, and Anthropic documents the Messages API MCP connector in MCP connector.

Require tool approval while testing. Start with provider-side tool approval enabled so you can inspect which GovTribe MCP tools the model wants to call before the request runs.

Send a small test prompt. Ask for a low-risk lookup, such as listing available tools or finding one relevant federal contract opportunity. Confirm that the response includes GovTribe source context before expanding the integration.

Move the key into production secrets. Replace any pasted test key with a secret-manager or environment-variable reference before using the integration in a shared app, job, or automation.

OpenAI's Responses API uses an MCP tool definition with a server URL and authorization token. This example shows the request shape; replace the model, prompt, and approval behavior for your application.

{
  "model": "gpt-5",
  "input": "What GovTribe MCP tools are available?",
  "tools": [
    {
      "type": "mcp",
      "server_label": "govtribe",
      "server_url": "https://govtribe.com/mcp",
      "authorization": "$GOVTRIBE_MCP_API_KEY",
      "require_approval": "always"
    }
  ]
}

Anthropic's Messages API uses mcp_servers for server connection details and tools to enable the MCP toolset. Send the current MCP connector beta header with the request:

anthropic-beta: mcp-client-2025-11-20

{
  "model": "claude-sonnet-4-5",
  "max_tokens": 1000,
  "messages": [
    {
      "role": "user",
      "content": "What GovTribe MCP tools are available?"
    }
  ],
  "mcp_servers": [
    {
      "type": "url",
      "url": "https://govtribe.com/mcp",
      "name": "govtribe-mcp",
      "authorization_token": "$GOVTRIBE_MCP_API_KEY"
    }
  ],
  "tools": [
    {
      "type": "mcp_toolset",
      "mcp_server_name": "govtribe-mcp"
    }
  ]
}

Google documents MCP support in the Gemini API SDKs. Use the provider's current MCP client pattern and the GovTribe MCP server URL when your Gemini API workflow supports remote HTTP MCP servers.

Connect via CLI

Use this setup when your CLI client can store a remote MCP server configuration. If you are using Codex, follow Connect GovTribe MCP to Codex instead because Codex shares one MCP configuration between the CLI and IDE extension.

Claude Code

Claude Code is a developer CLI client. It is separate from the Claude web connector covered in Connect GovTribe MCP to Claude.

Create a GovTribe MCP API key. Open GovTribe MCP, choose Create Key, and store the key.

Add GovTribe MCP to Claude Code. Run the command for your shell and replace your_actual_api_key_here with the key you created.

Restart or refresh Claude Code. Start a new Claude Code session after adding the MCP server so the client can discover GovTribe tools.

Test a small request. Ask Claude Code to list available GovTribe MCP tools or find one federal contract opportunity before using the connection for larger workflows.

Bash or zsh example:

API_KEY="your_actual_api_key_here"

claude mcp add-json govtribe "$(cat <<EOF
{
  "type": "http",
  "url": "https://govtribe.com/mcp",
  "headers": {
    "Authorization": "Bearer ${API_KEY}"
  }
}
EOF
)"

Gemini CLI

Install Gemini CLI. Install the CLI and confirm it is available.

Create a GovTribe MCP API key. Open GovTribe MCP, choose Create Key, and store the key in an environment variable such as GOVTRIBE_MCP_API_KEY.

Add GovTribe MCP to Gemini settings. Open ~/.gemini/settings.json and add a govtribe MCP server that uses the GovTribe MCP URL and authorization header. Gemini CLI documents httpUrl, custom headers, timeout, and trust settings in MCP servers.

Start Gemini CLI and test the connection. Ask for a small GovTribe lookup and approve tool calls when prompted.

Install and verify Gemini CLI:

npm install -g @google/gemini-cli
gemini --version

Example ~/.gemini/settings.json entry:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "govtribe": {
      "httpUrl": "https://govtribe.com/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer ${GOVTRIBE_MCP_API_KEY}"
      },
      "timeout": 30000
    }
  }
}

MCP Inspector

Use MCP Inspector to verify the GovTribe MCP server, inspect available tools, and run controlled test calls before connecting a production client.

Create a GovTribe MCP API key. Open GovTribe MCP, choose Create Key, and store the key.

Run MCP Inspector. Start Inspector with the GovTribe MCP server URL.

Add authentication. In Inspector, open Authentication, add a custom header named Authorization, and set the value to Bearer <GOVTRIBE_MCP_API_KEY>.

Connect to GovTribe MCP. Choose Connect and confirm Inspector shows a connected status.

List and test tools. Open Tools, choose List Tools, and run a small tool call with controlled arguments.

Run Inspector:

npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector \
  --transport http \
  --server-url https://govtribe.com/mcp

Tool support

GovTribe MCP currently exposes tools. Prompts, resources, and other MCP features may not appear in clients that separate those capabilities.

Troubleshooting

Issue	What to check
The client cannot connect	Confirm the server URL is `https://govtribe.com/mcp` and that the client supports remote HTTP MCP servers.
The client returns an authentication error	Confirm the GovTribe MCP API key is active, has not expired, and is sent as either the provider's authorization token or `Authorization: Bearer <GOVTRIBE_MCP_API_KEY>`.
The client does not list tools	Confirm credits are enabled, restart the client after changing MCP configuration, and test the same key in MCP Inspector.
Codex does not list GovTribe tools	Confirm `GOVTRIBE_MCP_API_KEY` is available in the shell that launches Codex, run `codex mcp list`, then use `/mcp` in Codex to verify the server is connected.
Tool calls run without confirmation	Check the client or provider approval settings. Disable trusted or auto-approval modes until the workflow is tested.
Gemini on the web does not show custom MCP setup	Gemini web does not currently support custom MCP configuration. Use supported Gemini API SDK or Gemini CLI workflows instead.

GovTribe MCP: Manage GovTribe MCP access, API keys, credits, and supported AI tools.
Connect GovTribe MCP to Codex: Add GovTribe MCP to Codex CLI and the Codex IDE extension.
Connect GovTribe MCP to ChatGPT: Connect the GovTribe app inside ChatGPT.
Connect GovTribe MCP to Claude: Connect GovTribe as a remote Claude connector.
Connect GovTribe MCP to Microsoft 365 Copilot: Add GovTribe from the Microsoft 365 Copilot Agent Store.
Credits: Enable credit-powered features, review balances, buy credit packs, configure auto-refill, and audit usage.
Update your AI application after a GovTribe MCP update: Refresh connected AI applications after GovTribe MCP adds or changes tools.
GovCon workflows with MCP: Copy registered GovTribe MCP prompt templates for connected MCP clients.

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