Optimize Your Saved Search Criteria

If you're receiving too many matches from bidsUSA:

• Filter out records that don't identify a specific state or region.
  If bidsUSA can't identify a specific state or region for a RFP, it will still include it in your search results based on your search terms. This is done to ensure that you don't miss opportunities. You should note that RFPs from SAM.gov frequently do not identify a specific state or region. If you're receiving too many results that indicate that the "state/region could not be determined", you can update your saved search criteria to override this default behavior:
  1. Log in to bidsUSA.
  2. In the Control Center, click the "Update your saved search criteria including search terms and states" link.
  3. On the "Test & Select Search Terms" screen, click the "Continue to Step 2" button.
  4. On the "Select states" screen, ensure that the checkbox "Only find bid solicitations that identify a specific state or region" is checked and then click the "Continue to Step 3" button.
  5. On the "Complete & Submit Account Details" screen, click the "Submit" button to save your changes.

• Use spaces, rather than commas, between words.

  You can use spaces between words to find records containing all of the words specified. For example, computer printer returns records that contain the words computer and printer. This is different than computer, printer which returns records that contain the word computer or printer.

  You should note that bidsUSA uses a process known as stemming which reduces keywords to their stem, root or base form when conducting searches. Stemming allows you to conduct searches that return highly relevant matches that would otherwise be missed. bidsUSA offers three variations of stemming: Heavy, Medium and Light. For more information on stemming see Stemming.

• Use double quotation marks (") with a single word.
  You can place a word in double quotation marks to find only exact matches, excluding stemmed variations of the word. For example, "printer" returns records that contain the word printer with no variations such as print, printers or printing.

• Use search phrases.
  You can place multiple words (phrases) in double quotation marks to find only exact matches of the phrase, excluding stemmed variations of any of the words. For example, "engineering service" returns records that contain only the exact phrase engineering service with no variations such as engineer services or engineering services.

• Use <NOT>.
  You can use <NOT> to find records containing the word preceding it and excluding records containing the word following it. For example, computer <NOT> printer returns records that contain the word computer but not the word printer.

• Use <NOT> with parentheses.
  You can use <NOT> with parentheses to find records containing words enclosed in parentheses preceding <NOT> and excluding records containing the word following <NOT>. For example, (construction, engineering) <NOT> renovation returns records that contain the words construction or engineering but not the word renovation or variations of the word renovation (depends on stemming).

• Use multiple <NOT> with parentheses.
  You can use <NOT> with parentheses to find records containing words enclosed in parentheses preceding <NOT> and excluding records containing the words enclosed in parentheses following <NOT>. For example, (construction, engineering) <NOT> (renovation, services) returns records that contain the words construction or engineering but not the word renovation or services or variations of the words renovation or services (depends on stemming).

• Use <CASE>.
  You can use <CASE> to find records containing the word in the exact case (lowercase or uppercase) as specified. This can be particularly useful when searching for acronyms. For example, <CASE>GIS returns only records that contain the acronym GIS in uppercase (not lowercase gis). Note that <CASE> operates on the entire string. For example, <CASE>GIS Data returns different results than <CASE>GIS data. You may want to consider a construct such as <CASE>GIS data<NOT><CASE>gis to get the desired results.

If you decide to make changes, remember to log in to bidsUSA to update your saved search terms.

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If you're receiving too few matches from bidsUSA:

• Use single words separated by commas.
  You must use commas to separate your search terms otherwise all of the words must be present in a record to be considered a match. For example photocopier, computer, printer returns records that contain the word photocopier, or computer, or printer. This is different than photocopier computer printer which returns only records that contain the words photocopier and computer and printer.

• Include records that don't identify a specific state or region.
  You can do this by updating your saved search criteria:
  1. Log in to bidsUSA.
  2. In the Control Center, click the "Update your saved search criteria including search terms and states" link.
  3. On the "Test & Select Search Terms" screen, click the "Continue to Step 2" button.
  4. On the "Select states" screen, ensure that the checkbox "Only find bid solicitations that identify a specific state or region" is not checked and then click the "Continue to Step 3" button.
  5. On the "Complete & Submit Account Details" screen, click the "Submit" button to save your changes.

  If you decide to make changes, remember to log in to bidsUSA to update your saved search terms.

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If you're receiving confusing matches from bidsUSA or need more information please see:

• Examples for Searching Effectively.