# How to connect Highergov to Hermes Agent (paste one key, 16 tools) > Connect Highergov to Hermes with ClawLink: paste your Highergov key once and 16 tools work from chat. No MCP server to run, nothing stored on your machine. Web version: https://claw-link.dev/hermes/highergov Most guides for giving Hermes Agent Highergov access start with registering your own OAuth app or pasting API keys into env files, then leave the token refresh and tool wiring to you. ClawLink gives Hermes a more practical Highergov setup: pair once in the browser and your always-on Hermes agent can act on Highergov for you, reading and doing real work on your behalf with no auth, token refresh, or tool wiring to build yourself. ## Setup It takes three steps to connect Hermes to Highergov. 1. **Install ClawLink** — add the plugin to Hermes Agent once. 2. **Connect Highergov** — one-click OAuth in the ClawLink dashboard. 3. **Use it from chat** — ask Hermes Agent in plain English. **Paste this into Hermes to set up ClawLink:** > Set up ClawLink for Hermes and tell me when it's ready. > 1. Install the plugin: `hermes plugins install ClawLink-HQ/hermes-plugin --enable` > 2. Start pairing with `hermes clawlink begin`. It prints an approval link, so show me the link and stop, don't wait. > 3. I'll approve it in my browser, then reply "approved". > 4. When I say approved, finish setup: `hermes clawlink finish` > 5. Then run `hermes clawlink test` and tell me whether ClawLink is ready. **Alternative for any agent (no plugin needed):** if the Hermes Agent plugin route isn't available or doesn't work, any AI agent with shell access can use the ClawLink CLI instead: ```bash npx -y @useclawlink/cli login # sign in via browser — no API key to paste npx -y @useclawlink/cli connect highergov # connect Highergov (browser OAuth) npx -y @useclawlink/cli actions highergov # list available actions npx -y @useclawlink/cli run highergov --input '' # execute (add --confirm for writes) ``` ### Install by command The prompt above walks Hermes through this. By hand, it is four commands and a browser approval: ```bash hermes plugins install ClawLink-HQ/hermes-plugin --enable hermes clawlink begin # prints an approval link — open it and approve hermes clawlink finish # after approving in the browser hermes clawlink test ``` Then connect Highergov in the [ClawLink dashboard](https://claw-link.dev/dashboard) — paste your Highergov API key once. Verify the connection by asking Hermes: > Pull the relevant data from Highergov, summarize it in plain English, and point out anything that needs attention. ### Using a different agent? The Hermes plugin is one client of ClawLink's MCP server. Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, or any agent that can run a shell command pairs with the same ClawLink account through the CLI: ```bash npx -y @useclawlink/cli login ``` `login` opens the same browser approval and stores a credential locally. Once Highergov is connected in the dashboard, that agent calls the same 16 Highergov tools over MCP. Full setup for MCP clients and shell agents: [connect apps to any AI agent](https://claw-link.dev/learn/connect-apps-to-any-ai-agent). ## Highergov MCP for Hermes Looking for a Highergov MCP server for Hermes Agent? ClawLink connects Highergov to Hermes Agent and exposes 16 Highergov tools your agent can call over [MCP](https://claw-link.dev/learn/what-is-an-mcp-server), with [hosted auth](https://claw-link.dev/learn/oauth-for-ai-agents) and nothing to run or maintain yourself. Using OpenClaw instead? The [OpenClaw Highergov integration](https://claw-link.dev/openclaw/highergov) works the same way. ## What the Hermes Agent Highergov integration can do 16 Highergov tools are ready for Hermes Agent once the account is connected. ### All 16 Highergov tools for Hermes | Tool | What it does | |---|---| | **Get agencies** `highergov_get_agencies` | Retrieves government agency information from the HigherGov database with pagination support | | **Get contract vehicles** `highergov_get_contract_vehicles` | Retrieve federal multi-award contract vehicles from HigherGov | | **Get contracts** `highergov_get_contracts` | Retrieve federal government contract data from HigherGov | | **Get documents** `highergov_get_documents` | Retrieve document metadata and download URLs for files associated with government | | **Get grant history** `highergov_get_grant_history` | Fetch historical data on grants from the HigherGov API | | **Get grant opportunities** `highergov_get_grant_opportunities` | Retrieve government grant and contract opportunities from HigherGov | | **Get grant programs** `highergov_get_grant_programs` | Retrieve information on grant programs | | **Get naics** `highergov_get_naics` | Retrieve NAICS (North American Industry Classification System) codes with detailed descriptions | | **Get opportunity history** `highergov_get_opportunity_history` | Retrieve historical opportunity data from HigherGov with pagination support | | **Get people** `highergov_get_people` | Retrieves contact information for federal and state/local government personnel from HigherGov | | **Get psc** `highergov_get_psc` | Retrieve information on Product and Service Codes | | **Get pursuits** `highergov_get_pursuits` | Retrieve user-specific pursuits | | **Get sbir opportunities** `highergov_get_sbir_opportunities` | Retrieve SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) opportunities from HigherGov | | **Get sled contract opportunities** `highergov_get_sled_contract_opportunities` | Retrieve state and local (SLED) contract opportunities | | **Get subcontract awards** `highergov_get_subcontract_awards` | Retrieves federal subcontract award data from HigherGov | | **Get subgrant awards** `highergov_get_subgrant_awards` | Retrieves federal subgrant award data from HigherGov | ## Example prompts **Get Agencies** > Pull the relevant data from Highergov, summarize it in plain English, and point out anything that needs attention. **Get Contract Vehicles** > Pull the relevant data from Highergov, summarize it in plain English, and point out anything that needs attention. **Get Contracts** > Pull the relevant data from Highergov, summarize it in plain English, and point out anything that needs attention. **Get Documents** > Pull the relevant data from Highergov, summarize it in plain English, and point out anything that needs attention. ## ClawLink vs. building it yourself The alternative to ClawLink is usually manual API key setup plus your own token handling, permission troubleshooting, and tool plumbing for Hermes Agent. That is fine if you want to build and maintain the integration yourself. Most teams just want Highergov working from chat. | | Manual | ClawLink | |---|---|---| | **Credential handling** | Collect, validate, store, and rotate the Highergov API key yourself, then make sure every tool call uses the right account. | Users complete the hosted ClawLink setup once and the connected Highergov account becomes available to the agent without you building credential management. | | **Ongoing maintenance** | You own refresh logic, permission debugging, environment config, and every provider-specific edge case for Highergov. | ClawLink handles the repetitive integration plumbing so your team can focus on the workflow instead of the infrastructure. | | **Agent usability** | You still need to expose the right Highergov actions to the runtime in a format your agent can reliably use. | 16 tools for Highergov are already exposed through ClawLink, so the agent can read and act from chat immediately. | ## ClawLink vs. Composio Composio also exposes Highergov to AI agents. It is developer infrastructure: Python and TypeScript SDKs, an MCP server, and a catalog past 1,000 apps, aimed at teams shipping agent products. ClawLink is built for Hermes Agent users instead. You install the plugin once, connect Highergov in the browser, and the 16 tools above work from chat. There is no SDK and no config file, and the Highergov key you paste at setup is stored server-side rather than kept in your environment. Choosing between them? Read the full [Composio alternatives](https://claw-link.dev/hub/composio-alternatives) comparison. ### Hermes paired but still can't use Highergov Pairing is a two-step handshake: run `hermes clawlink begin`, approve the link in your browser, then run `hermes clawlink finish`. If you ran finish before approving, or the approval link expired, run `hermes clawlink begin` again to get a fresh link. Confirm the plugin was installed with `--enable`, then verify with `hermes clawlink test`. ### Connection succeeds but no tools appear Reconnect Highergov from the dashboard, then start a fresh chat if the runtime still has the old tool catalog loaded. ### "Tool schema not loaded yet" error when calling Highergov tools Highergov tool schemas load on demand the first time a tool runs and are cached after that, so this error usually clears on its own: wait a few seconds and retry the same request. If every Highergov call keeps failing with it in a fresh chat, reconnect from the dashboard, and contact support if it still persists — that pattern points to a configuration problem on our side, not something you can fix by reconnecting again. ### Highergov returns 403 or "permission denied" on one action while others work Two usual causes. The connected account may not have access to the specific workspace, inbox, store, or project in the request — check that first. If access looks right, the agent may have sent a placeholder value (like "YOUR_ID" or an example id from documentation) instead of a real one: ask it to run a list or search tool first, then retry the action with a real id from those results. Most failures at this stage are one of these two, not ClawLink bugs. ### API key setup works but results look incomplete Double-check that the API key for Highergov has the right scopes or account access. A valid key can still be too limited for some reads or writes. ### Is there a Hermes Agent Highergov integration? Yes. ClawLink is the fastest way to connect Hermes to Highergov: link your Highergov account once in the browser and Hermes Agent can call the Highergov API through 16 ready-made tools — no custom code or token handling. ### How do I connect Highergov to Hermes with ClawLink? Install the plugin with `hermes plugins install ClawLink-HQ/hermes-plugin --enable`, then pair once: run `hermes clawlink begin`, approve the link in your browser, and run `hermes clawlink finish`. Connect Highergov in the dashboard and Hermes can use it from the next message — no config files, and the Highergov key you paste is stored server-side instead of in your environment. ### How long does it take to connect Highergov to Hermes Agent? About two minutes. Sign in, click Connect next to Highergov in the dashboard, authenticate, and Hermes Agent can use it from the next chat message. ### Why use ClawLink instead of wiring Highergov up myself? The alternative to ClawLink is usually manual API key setup plus your own token handling, permission troubleshooting, and tool plumbing for Hermes Agent. That is fine if you want to build and maintain the integration yourself. Most teams just want Highergov working from chat. ### Hermes paired but still can't use Highergov Pairing is a two-step handshake: run `hermes clawlink begin`, approve the link in your browser, then run `hermes clawlink finish`. If you ran finish before approving, or the approval link expired, run `hermes clawlink begin` again to get a fresh link. Confirm the plugin was installed with `--enable`, then verify with `hermes clawlink test`. ## Related - [Hermes PostHog integration](https://claw-link.dev/hermes/posthog) — Track user behavior and feature flags - [DataforSEO](https://claw-link.dev/hermes/dataforseo) — SEO data APIs for keywords, SERP, and site audits - [Metabase tools](https://claw-link.dev/hermes/metabase) — Metabase is an open-source business intelligence tool that lets you ask questions about your data and visualize answers as charts, graphs, and dashboards.