> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.userogue.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Searching for Companies

> Learn how to search for government contractors and select companies for analysis

# Searching for Companies

The Intelligence Center allows you to search the complete USASpending database for any company doing business with the federal government. This guide covers how to search effectively and select companies for analysis.

## Basic Search

### Step 1: Access the Search

1. Navigate to **Intelligence Center** from the main menu
2. You'll see a search bar at the top of the page
3. Enter a company name in the search field
4. Click **Search** or press Enter

### Step 2: Review Results

Search results display in a table format with the following information:

* **Company Name**: Official registered name
* **UEI**: Unique Entity Identifier (required for federal contracts)
* **DUNS**: Data Universal Numbering System (legacy identifier)
* **Business Type**: Recipient level (e.g., prime contractor, small business)

<Note>
  Companies without a UEI are automatically filtered out since contract data cannot be retrieved without a valid UEI.
</Note>

## Search Tips

### Be Specific

The more specific your search term, the better your results:

* ✅ **Good**: "Lockheed Martin Corporation"
* ✅ **Good**: "SAIC"
* ❌ **Too Broad**: "consulting"
* ❌ **Too Broad**: "technology"

### Use Full Company Names

Search for the complete legal name when possible:

* ✅ "General Dynamics Information Technology"
* ⚠️ "GDIT" (may work but less reliable)

### Try Variations

If you don't find results, try variations:

* Full name vs. acronym
* With or without "Inc", "LLC", "Corporation"
* Parent company vs. subsidiary

## Selecting Companies

### Single Company Selection

To view contracts for one company:

1. **Search** for the company
2. **Click the checkbox** next to the company name
3. Click **View Selected** or the company name
4. Contract data loads in the main view

### Multi-Company Selection

To compare multiple companies:

1. **Search** for the first company
2. **Click the checkbox** to select it
3. **Search** for additional companies (your first selection remains)
4. **Click checkboxes** for additional companies
5. Click **View Selected** to see all contracts merged together

<Tip>
  You can select up to 10 companies at once for comparison. All their contracts will be merged into a single unified list.
</Tip>

## Managing Selections

### Visual Indicators

Selected companies are shown:

* **Green checkmark** icon next to selected rows
* **Highlighted row** in the search results table
* **Badge pills** at the top showing selected companies

### Removing Selections

To remove a company from your selection:

* Click the **X** on the company badge at the top, or
* **Uncheck** the checkbox in the search results

### Starting Over

To clear all selections and start fresh:

* Click the **X** on each company badge, or
* Uncheck all checkboxes in the search results

## Understanding the Results

### UEI Requirements

Only companies with a valid UEI (Unique Entity Identifier) can be selected. The UEI is:

* Required for all federal contracts since April 2022
* A 12-character alphanumeric identifier
* Assigned by SAM.gov registration

<Warning>
  If your search returns companies but none can be selected, they may not have valid UEIs. Try searching for a different company or a more recent government contractor.
</Warning>

### Result Filtering

The system automatically filters search results:

* Companies **with** UEI → ✅ Selectable
* Companies **without** UEI → ⚠️ Filtered out

You'll see a notification if companies were filtered:

```
Found 8 result(s) for "Acme" (3 filtered out without UEI)
```

## Common Search Scenarios

### Finding a Specific Competitor

**Goal**: Research a known competitor's government contracts

1. Search for the competitor's exact company name
2. Select them from the results
3. Review their complete contract history

### Comparing Multiple Competitors

**Goal**: Analyze 3-5 competitors for an opportunity

1. Search for the first competitor
2. Select them (checkbox)
3. Search for the second competitor
4. Select them (first selection remains)
5. Repeat for all competitors
6. Click "View Selected" to see merged contracts

### Identifying Similar Companies

**Goal**: Find companies in the same market space

1. Search for a general term (e.g., "IT services")
2. Review the list of matching companies
3. Select several similar companies
4. Compare their contract portfolios

### Finding Subsidiaries

**Goal**: Find all subsidiaries of a parent company

1. Search for the parent company name
2. Select it
3. Note the UEI in the results
4. Search for variations including the parent name
5. Select additional entities that appear related

## URL State Persistence

### Sharing Your Search

Selected companies are saved in the URL, allowing you to:

* **Bookmark** your research for later
* **Share** the link with team members
* **Return** to the same selection after leaving the page

The URL format looks like:

```
/intel?companies=Company1:UEI1,Company2:UEI2
```

### Accessing Shared Links

When someone shares an Intelligence Center link with you:

1. Click the link
2. Selected companies load automatically
3. Contract data appears immediately
4. You can modify the selection or add more companies

<Tip>
  URL persistence works even if you refresh the page or close and reopen your browser. Your selections are preserved until you manually change them.
</Tip>

## Search Limitations

### What You Can Search For

* ✅ Company legal names
* ✅ Common business names
* ✅ Acronyms (if well-known)
* ✅ Parent company names

### What You Cannot Search For

* ❌ UEI numbers directly
* ❌ DUNS numbers
* ❌ Contract numbers
* ❌ Agency names

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="No results found">
    **Try these solutions:**

    * Check your spelling
    * Try the full company name instead of acronym
    * Search for parent company instead of subsidiary
    * Remove "Inc", "LLC", or "Corporation" from search
    * Try a shorter version of the name
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Results show but can't be selected">
    **Possible reasons:**

    * Companies don't have valid UEIs
    * Try searching for similar companies
    * Look for parent company or subsidiaries
    * Search for more recent contractors (post-2022)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Search is slow">
    **This is normal for:**

    * Very broad search terms (many results)
    * First search after page load (API initialization)
    * Network connectivity issues

    **Try:**

    * Using more specific company names
    * Waiting a few seconds and trying again
    * Checking your internet connection
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Previous selections disappeared">
    **Possible causes:**

    * You cleared your browser cache
    * You're in incognito/private mode
    * You manually cleared selections

    **Solution:**

    * Search and reselect companies
    * Use the URL sharing feature to save your selections
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Best Practices

<Card title="Start Specific, Then Broaden" icon="target">
  Begin with exact company names. If you don't find results, gradually broaden your search terms.
</Card>

<Card title="Use Multi-Select for Comparisons" icon="check-double">
  Select 2-4 competitors at once to compare their government work side-by-side in a single view.
</Card>

<Card title="Save Your Work" icon="bookmark">
  Bookmark or share the URL after making selections. Your research is preserved in the link.
</Card>

<Card title="Verify UEIs" icon="shield-check">
  If you know a company's UEI from SAM.gov, verify it matches in the search results to ensure you're looking at the correct entity.
</Card>

## What's Next?

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Understanding Contract Data" icon="file-contract" href="/capture/intelligence-center/contract-data">
    Learn about the contract information displayed
  </Card>

  <Card title="Multi-Company Analysis" icon="users" href="/capture/intelligence-center/multi-company-analysis">
    Compare multiple competitors effectively
  </Card>

  <Card title="Capture Use Cases" icon="flag" href="/capture/intelligence-center/capture-use-cases">
    Apply intelligence to capture planning
  </Card>

  <Card title="Tracking Competitors" icon="users-viewfinder" href="/capture/competitive-intelligence/tracking-competitors">
    Ongoing competitor monitoring in Capture
  </Card>
</CardGroup>