This page will help you get started accessing bid and RFP data with the Column API.
RFP Notices
RFP notices, or Request for Proposal notices, are a legally required process for local governments when seeking bids or proposals for goods, services, or construction projects. These notices are typically published in a local newspaper or on a government website and provide information about the project, the timeline for submission of proposals, and the requirements for submitting a proposal.
RFP notices aim to ensure that the local government is transparent in its procurement process and that all qualified vendors have an equal opportunity to compete for the project. By publishing RFP notices, local governments can ensure that the selection of a vendor is based on merit rather than favoritism or corruption.
Additionally, RFP notices provide local governments with a way to gather information about the market and potential vendors, which can help them make more informed decisions about the procurement process. As such, RFP notices are an important part of the legal requirements for local governments and play a critical role in ensuring that the procurement process is fair and transparent.
Limited Access
By default Column's API only exposes a limited set of bid and RFP notices. To get more access, reach out to [email protected]
Extracting RFP Data from Text or PDFs
If you have Request for Proposal (RFP) data that is in text or PDF format, you can use the entity extraction algorithms of Column to convert that information into structured text. Entity extraction is a process that involves extracting specific pieces of information, such as names, dates, and addresses, from unstructured text data and organizing them into a structured format, such as a table or spreadsheet. By using Column's entity extraction algorithms, you can quickly and easily extract important information from your RFP data and convert it into a more usable and accessible format.
curl --request POST \
--url http://utility.column.us/v1/bids/extract \
--header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
--data '{
"text": "Request for Proposal #2022/2023-01 The Okeechobee County School Board will receive sealed bids for: Title of Project: Comprehensive Roof Inspection and Consulting Services Owner: Okeechobee County School Board 700 SW 2nd Avenue Okeechobee, FL 34974 Bid Opening: Place: Okeechobee County School Board Operations Office 938 NW 34th Street Okeechobee, FL 34972 Time: Date: 3:00pm Wednesday, January 20, 2023 A Non-Mandatory Pre-Bid Meeting can be scheduled upon written request prior to January 11, 2023 to: [email protected]. Project description: This is a (RFP) Request for Proposal #2022/2023-01 for roofing inspections and consultation. Documents: All work shall be done in accordance with the plans, specifications, bidding and contract documents relative thereto as prepared by the Okeechobee County School Board. Documents may be secured by contacting: Jeff Diefendorf Director of Operations 938 NW 34th Street Okeechobee, FL 34972 Phone: 863-462-5083 Fax: 863-462-5166 [email protected] or by visiting www.okee.k12.fl.us/operations Okeechobee County School Board By: Mr. Ken Kenworthy, Superintendent December 14, 21, & 28, 2022 574095 LON 12/14,21,28/2022"
}'
Accessing RFP Notices
Access is currently segmented by state. For example, to access notices in California, you would use the endpoint https://api.column.us/v1/california/bids
Access follows standard REST guidelines as outlined below.
Listing records
curl --request GET \
--url 'https://api.column.us/v1/colorado/bids' \
--header 'Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN'
Paginating Responses
Column’s API supports pagination by offset as well as by cursor.
Paginating by offset
# use the page parameter to get the next batch of results
curl --request GET \
--url 'https://api.column.us/v1/colorado/bids?page=1' \
--header 'Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN'
Paginating by cursor
# use the starting_after parameter to get results after the document with ID 12345
curl --request GET \
--url 'https://api.column.us/v1/colorado/bids?starting_after=12345' \
--header 'Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN'
# use the ending_before parameter to get results before the document with ID 12345
curl --request GET \
--url 'https://api.column.us/v1/colorado/bids?ending_before=12345' \
--header 'Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN'
Getting the details of a record
curl --request GET \
--url 'https://api.column.us/v1/colorado/bids/1' \
--header 'Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN'
Filtering records with query parameters
curl --request GET \
--url 'https://api.column.us/v1/colorado/bids?county=Douglas%20County' \
--header 'Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN'
Running text search against record contents
Fields available for text search are detailed in the schema below with column “searchable.”
curl --request GET \
--url 'https://api.column.us/v1/colorado/bids?search=RFP' \
--header 'Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN'
Understanding API Responses
Successful API calls will return a JSON object with relevant data inside of a data field. When listing data, results will be in an array. When running a detail requests, the field will directly contain a JSON object. Here is a sample response of a detail call to the public notices table.
{
"id": "2697",
"paperName": "Vacaville Reporter",
"county": "Solano County",
"state": "CA",
"sanitizedText": "NOTICE TO BID NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT The Vacaville Unified School District\nwill receive bids for the furnishing of specialty & seasonal produce products\n(RFP#22-23-006) and paper products (RFP#22-23-007) for schools of Vacaville\nUnified School District, Student Nutrition Department. Bid packets can be\ndownloaded online at www.vacavilleusd.org under Student Nutrition Department.\nSealed proposals must be submitted to the Student Nutrition Office, located at\nVacaville Unified School District Educational Service Center, 401 Nut Tree Road,\nVacaville, CA, 95687. Submit proposals prior to November 30, 2022 at 10:00 A.M.\nwith a time and date stamp by the front desk upon arrival. Bid opening at 10:15\nA.M.",
"date": "1668470400000",
"extractedEntities": [
{
"bidNumber": [
"RFP#22-23-006",
"RFP#22-23-007"
],
"title": "Furnishing of Specialty & Seasonal Produce Products and Paper Products",
"agencyName": "The Vacaville Unified School District",
"agencyWebsite": "www.vacavilleusd.org",
"dueDate": {
"rawDateText": "November 30, 2022 at 10:00 A.M.",
"standardized": "11/30/2022, 10:00:00"
}
}
]
}
Bulk Data Delivery
For questions surrounding bulk data delivery or notice data in multiple states please contact [email protected] with the headline “Accessing Bulk Data.”