# How to connect Highergov to OpenClaw (paste one key, 16 tools) > Connect Highergov to OpenClaw 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/openclaw/highergov The usual route to Highergov access for OpenClaw is an MCP server you configure and keep running, plus your own OAuth app or API keys. ClawLink gives OpenClaw a more practical Highergov setup: install one ClawHub skill, connect Highergov in the browser, and OpenClaw can call real Highergov actions from any chat surface with no auth, token refresh, or tool wiring to build yourself. ## Setup It takes three steps to connect OpenClaw to Highergov. 1. **Install ClawLink** — add the plugin to OpenClaw once. 2. **Connect Highergov** — one-click OAuth in the ClawLink dashboard. 3. **Use it from chat** — ask OpenClaw in plain English. **Paste this into OpenClaw to set up ClawLink:** > I want to connect my apps to OpenClaw through ClawLink. > Please install the ClawLink plugin from ClawHub and enable it: `openclaw plugins install clawhub:clawlink-plugin` > When it is installed, tell me and stop. After I reply, give me the ClawLink pairing link. Setup notes, if you need them: https://claw-link.dev/skill.md **Alternative for any agent (no plugin needed):** if the OpenClaw 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 setup prompt above does all of this in one paste. By hand, it is one install command plus a browser approval: ```bash openclaw plugins install clawhub:clawlink-plugin ``` Then ask OpenClaw to set up ClawLink. It starts browser pairing and prints an approval link — open it, approve the device, return to the chat, and say `done`. Finally, connect Highergov in the [ClawLink dashboard](https://claw-link.dev/dashboard) — paste your Highergov API key once. Verify the connection by asking OpenClaw: > Pull the relevant data from Highergov, summarize it in plain English, and point out anything that needs attention. ### Using a different agent? The OpenClaw 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 OpenClaw Looking for a Highergov MCP server for OpenClaw? ClawLink connects Highergov to OpenClaw 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 Hermes instead? The [Hermes Highergov integration](https://claw-link.dev/hermes/highergov) works the same way. ## What the OpenClaw Highergov integration can do 16 Highergov tools are ready for OpenClaw once the account is connected. ### All 16 Highergov tools for OpenClaw | 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 OpenClaw. 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 OpenClaw 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. ### OpenClaw installed the Highergov skill but can't call the tools The ClawHub skill teaches OpenClaw about Highergov, but the calls run through the ClawLink plugin and your connected account. Make sure Highergov is connected in the dashboard, then start a fresh chat so OpenClaw reloads the tool catalog. If OpenClaw runs as a persistent gateway, restart it so the new tools register. ### 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 OpenClaw Highergov integration? Yes. ClawLink is the fastest way to connect OpenClaw to Highergov: link your Highergov account once in the browser and OpenClaw can call the Highergov API through 16 ready-made tools — no custom code or token handling. ### How do I add Highergov to OpenClaw with ClawLink? Paste the setup prompt from this page into OpenClaw. It installs the ClawLink Highergov skill from ClawHub, then you click Connect in the dashboard to authorize Highergov. OpenClaw calls the tools 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 OpenClaw? About two minutes. Sign in, click Connect next to Highergov in the dashboard, authenticate, and OpenClaw 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 OpenClaw. That is fine if you want to build and maintain the integration yourself. Most teams just want Highergov working from chat. ### OpenClaw installed the Highergov skill but can't call the tools The ClawHub skill teaches OpenClaw about Highergov, but the calls run through the ClawLink plugin and your connected account. Make sure Highergov is connected in the dashboard, then start a fresh chat so OpenClaw reloads the tool catalog. If OpenClaw runs as a persistent gateway, restart it so the new tools register. ## Related - [OpenClaw PostHog integration](https://claw-link.dev/openclaw/posthog) — Track user behavior and feature flags - [Connect DataforSEO](https://claw-link.dev/openclaw/dataforseo) — SEO data APIs for keywords, SERP, and site audits - [OpenClaw Metabase integration](https://claw-link.dev/openclaw/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.