--- name: find-engineering-firm description: Use whenever the user wants to find, shortlist, vet, or enrich US engineering firms — civil, structural, MEP, mechanical, electrical, geotechnical, transportation, environmental, and manufacturing. **For real-world engineering (buildings, infrastructure, manufacturing) — NOT software engineering.** Triggers on "find civil engineering firms in Florida for transportation", "shortlist three structural engineering firms with high-rise experience", "MEP consultancy for a hospital project", or "pull contact info for these 12 engineering firm domains", even when described indirectly (PE-stamped drawings, building-permit review). Drives the ServiceGraph API (api.servicegraph.co) — a 100k+ US firm catalog filterable by industry, services, location, size, ratings. Defer software-dev / "engineering team" / SaaS-architecture asks to find-software-developer. Skip in-house engineering-manager hires, DIY questions, software-product comparisons (Revit, AutoCAD), non-US firms, individual freelancers. version: "0.3.0" allowed-tools: - Bash(curl:*) - mcp__servicegraph__list_fields - mcp__servicegraph__list_field_values - mcp__servicegraph__check_filter - mcp__servicegraph__translate_intent - mcp__servicegraph__search_dataset - mcp__servicegraph__get_row - mcp__servicegraph__unlock_rows - mcp__servicegraph__get_credit_balance author: Artur Briugeman license: MIT compatibility: Designed for Claude Code tags: [engineering, professional-services, service-providers, lead-generation, servicegraph] metadata: api_base: https://api.servicegraph.co dataset_id: pro_services industry: engineering_services --- # find-engineering-firm ## Overview Drive the **ServiceGraph API** (`https://api.servicegraph.co`) to find, shortlist, and enrich US **real-world** engineering firms — buildings, infrastructure, energy, manufacturing — via the `pro_services` dataset. The catalog tags firms with `industry:engineering_services` and a ~23-tag service sub-taxonomy. **This is NOT for software engineering.** "Software engineering firm", "engineering team", "engineering manager hire", "system architecture review" — those are all software-developer territory. The first thing this skill confirms is that the user means real engineering, not software. **Always pin `industry:engineering_services`.** Note the **`_services` suffix** — older docs sometimes show `industry:engineering` but the literal pin returns zero results in the live catalog. Sub-disciplines are typically structured `service_provided` tags (`civil-engineering`, `structural-engineering`, `mep-engineering`, etc.) — confirm exact names via `/v1/datasets/pro_services/fields?include_values=1`. Surveying is `surveying-mapping`, not `surveying`. Any HTTP client works (curl, fetch, requests). Examples below use curl. ## When NOT to use this skill The dominant failure mode is firing on software-engineering asks. Refuse those. - **Software / SaaS / app-development asks** — even when phrased as "software engineering firm", "engineering team partner", "build our platform" → defer to `find-software-developer`. - **In-house "engineering manager" hires** — in modern B2B usage this is almost always software-engineering recruiting. Refuse. - **System / cloud / database architecture questions** ("Postgres vs DynamoDB", "monolith vs microservices") — software topics. - **Architecture (buildings)** — `find-architecture-firm` covers that industry (when it exists). This skill covers engineering disciplines that *work with* architects (structural, MEP, civil), but the architect-of-record procurement is a different fire. - **Consumer/residential** ("architect for a residential remodel", "engineer to inspect my house"). Catalog is B2B procurement only. - **Non-US firms / individual freelance engineers / DIY questions / engineering-software product comparisons (Revit, AutoCAD, SolidWorks, Ansys).** ## Prerequisites - **ServiceGraph access**, either: - the **ServiceGraph MCP server** (`https://mcp.servicegraph.co`) loaded in your harness — this plugin's `.mcp.json` wires it up; OAuth 2.1 + PKCE keeps credentials in the harness sandbox — or - a **ServiceGraph API key** (`vk_…`, minted at ) available as `SERVICEGRAPH_API_KEY` in the environment or `.env.local` for the REST path (setup steps under Auth below). - An HTTP client for the REST path — the examples use `curl`. ## Instructions The loop is free-first: discovery, validation, search, and brief reads cost nothing; only unlock after the user confirms the spend. 1. Pick the call path — the ServiceGraph MCP tools if loaded, otherwise the REST flow (MCP server and Auth sections below). 2. `GET /v1/datasets/pro_services/fields?include_values=1` — confirm the fields and values you plan to filter on exist. 3. Build the filter (Filter DSL below) and validate it with `GET /v1/datasets/pro_services/check` — or draft it from plain English via `POST /v1/datasets/pro_services/translate-intent`. 4. `GET /v1/datasets/pro_services/search` — present the free brief cards and let the user pick. 5. Quote the unlock cost (10 credits per row, 30-day TTL) and get an explicit go-ahead. 6. `POST /v1/datasets/pro_services/unlocks` with the chosen apexes; report the revealed detail. 7. `GET /v1/me/credits` to report the remaining balance when asked. ### MCP server (preferred for authed calls) If your harness has the ServiceGraph MCP server loaded (tools containing `servicegraph`), prefer those — OAuth 2.1 + PKCE keeps the token in the harness sandbox. Otherwise use the REST flow below. ### API surface (dataset id: `pro_services`) Every endpoint requires the bearer (`Authorization: Bearer vk_…`). No anonymous tier. | Endpoint | Cost | Use it for | |---|---|---| | `GET /v1/datasets/pro_services/fields[?include_values=1]` | free | Confirm `engineering_services` industry value and sub-tag names. | | `GET /v1/datasets/pro_services/check?filter=…` | free | Validate filter. | | `POST /v1/datasets/pro_services/translate-intent` | free | `{intent}` → DSL filter + sanity count. | | `GET /v1/datasets/pro_services/search?filter=…&limit=` | free | Brief firm cards + per-row unlock hint + total. | | `GET /v1/datasets/pro_services/:apex` | free | One row brief; detail only if unlocked. | | `POST /v1/datasets/pro_services/unlocks` | **10 credits / firm** | `{apexes:[...]}` ≤100; atomic; 30-day TTL on detail. | | `GET /v1/me/credits` | free | Balance. | **Cost model.** Discovery / validation / search / brief reads are free. Detail (url, phone, email, social, address, full `platforms` map) costs **10 credits per firm** and lasts **30 days**. ### Auth `vk_*` API keys minted in the dashboard. **Keep the token out of the LLM context** — never read `.env*` into your context; dispatch via shell. 1. **Try the call first** through a shell wrapper that sources `.env.local`: ```bash ( set -a; [ -f .env.local ] && . ./.env.local; set +a; curl -sS -H "Authorization: Bearer $SERVICEGRAPH_API_KEY" \ 'https://api.servicegraph.co/v1/datasets/pro_services/fields' ) ``` 2. **On `401`** prompt the user: > "Open **https://servicegraph.co/profile/api-keys**, create a > key, and add `SERVICEGRAPH_API_KEY=vk_…` to `.env.local` here > (or export it). Tell me when done. Please don't paste the key > into chat." 3. **Retry** after the user signals ready. ### Filter DSL GitHub-search-style. ``` filter := orExpr orExpr := andExpr ("OR" andExpr)* andExpr := notExpr (("AND")? notExpr)* # whitespace = implicit AND notExpr := ("NOT" | "-") notExpr | atom atom := "(" filter ")" | predicate predicate:= IDENT op valueOrList | bareword op := ":" | "=" | ">=" | "<=" | ">" | "<" valueOrList := value ("," value)* value := IDENT | NUMBER | tagAtEvidence tagAtEvidence := IDENT "@" ("low"|"medium"|"high") bareword := IDENT | NUMBER # → keyword: ``` **Four rules that bite:** AND binds tighter than OR (use parens); comma list = OR within one predicate; negation is `-x` or `NOT x`; bareword = keyword search (quote multi-word phrases). **Engineering-flavored examples** (validate yours with `/check`): ``` industry:engineering_services service_provided:civil-engineering state:FL transportation industry:engineering_services service_provided:structural-engineering high-rise industry:engineering_services service_provided:mep-engineering hospital industry:engineering_services service_provided:mechanical-engineering hvac industrial industry:engineering_services service_provided:environmental-engineering remediation industry:engineering_services service_provided:geotechnical-engineering state:CA industry:engineering_services service_provided:civil-engineering@high has:clutch industry:engineering_services service_provided:electrical-engineering manufacturing ``` **Sub-discipline → tag mapping** (verify exact names via `/fields`; ~23 sub-tags so this isn't exhaustive): | User asks for | Use | |---|---| | Civil engineering / sitework / transportation | `service_provided:civil-engineering` | | Structural engineering | `service_provided:structural-engineering` | | MEP (mechanical/electrical/plumbing) | `service_provided:mep-engineering` | | Mechanical / HVAC | `service_provided:mechanical-engineering` | | Electrical engineering | `service_provided:electrical-engineering` | | Geotechnical / soils / foundations | `service_provided:geotechnical-engineering` | | Surveying / land surveys / mapping | `service_provided:surveying-mapping` (NOT `surveying`) | | Transportation engineering | `service_provided:transportation-engineering` | | Environmental / remediation | `service_provided:environmental-engineering` | | Manufacturing / process | `service_provided:manufacturing-engineering` | | Aerospace | `service_provided:aerospace-engineering` | | Energy (oil/gas/renewables) | `service_provided:energy-engineering` | | Industrial automation / controls | `service_provided:industrial-automation` | | Materials testing | `service_provided:materials-testing` | | Acoustic / vibration | `service_provided:acoustic-engineering` | | Biomedical | `service_provided:biomedical-engineering` | Verticals (hospital, high-rise, semiconductor, retail, datacenter) and credentials (PE-licensed, LEED, AICP) are keyword-only. ### Identifying firms — `apex` Firms are identified by their **apex domain** (`aecom.com`, not `www.aecom.com/about`). ## Output All responses are JSON. - **Search** returns free **brief** firm cards — `apex`, `name`, location, and rating signals — plus a per-row unlock hint and the match `total`. Briefs never include `url`, `phone_primary`, `email_primary`, `legal_name`, `address_full`, or the full `platforms` map. - **Unlock** (`POST …/unlocks`) returns each unlocked firm's detail block — contact fields, address, socials, the `platforms` map — plus per-item billing; detail stays readable for 30 days. - **Errors** arrive as a JSON envelope `{"error": {"code": "…", "message": "…"}}` — see Errors below. ## Examples ### A. Civil engineering for transportation, in a state ``` GET /v1/datasets/pro_services/search?filter=industry:engineering_services+service_provided:civil-engineering+state:FL+transportation&limit=10 # Present, get pick of 3. "Unlocking 3 = 30 credits, 30-day TTL." POST /v1/datasets/pro_services/unlocks { "apexes": ["firm-a.com", "firm-b.com", "firm-c.com"] } ``` ### B. Structural engineering + commercial high-rise ``` GET /v1/datasets/pro_services/search?filter=industry:engineering_services+service_provided:structural-engineering+(high-rise OR commercial)&limit=10 ``` ### C. MEP for a hospital project ``` GET /v1/datasets/pro_services/search?filter=industry:engineering_services+service_provided:mep-engineering+hospital&limit=10 ``` ### D. Mechanical / HVAC for industrial facility ``` GET /v1/datasets/pro_services/search?filter=industry:engineering_services+service_provided:mechanical-engineering+hvac+industrial&limit=10 ``` ### E. Indirect intent — "stamp the drawings" User: *"We're building a 10-story office and need a structural engineer to stamp the drawings."* ``` GET /v1/datasets/pro_services/search?filter=industry:engineering_services+service_provided:structural-engineering+commercial&limit=10 ``` PE-license details surface from the unlocked `platforms` map / firm detail. If the user wants only PE-licensed firms, add `pe` as a keyword. ### F. Geotechnical in California ``` GET /v1/datasets/pro_services/search?filter=industry:engineering_services+service_provided:geotechnical-engineering+state:CA&limit=10 ``` Avoid pinning narrow keywords like `seismic` on top — engineering verticals tend to collapse below k=20 quickly. The full state pool of ~20 geotechnical firms is more useful than a 2-firm pool after keyword narrowing. ### G. Quality threshold — be careful Engineering firms aren't reviewed like agencies; `rating>=N` collapses civil/structural/MEP pools sharply. Prefer `@high` + size + geography as the quality proxy instead of a rating gate: ``` GET /v1/datasets/pro_services/search?filter=industry:engineering_services+service_provided:civil-engineering@high+state:CA+-company_size_signal:solo&limit=10 ``` If the user insists on rated firms, add `has:clutch` (more lenient than `rating>=4`). ### H. BYO apex list — enrich domains User pastes 8–20 engineering firm domains: 1. `GET /v1/datasets/pro_services/:apex` per domain — free brief (404 = not in catalog, no charge). A 404 often means the domain is a software firm tagged `industry:it_services` instead of real engineering. 2. User picks N to fully enrich. `POST /unlocks` = **10×N credits**, atomic, detail returned. 3. Re-runs within 30-day TTL are free. ## Gotchas - **Always pin `industry:engineering_services`.** Without it, `civil-engineering` / `mep-engineering` / `electrical-engineering` keywords could leak into other industries (architecture firms sometimes list MEP coordination as a sub-service). - **It's `engineering_services`, not `engineering`.** The literal pin `industry:engineering` returns zero results. Same drift logic for `surveying-mapping` (not `surveying`). - **The hardest boundary is software-engineering.** "Engineering firm" / "engineering team" in modern B2B usage almost always means software in tech contexts. Defer those to `find-software-developer`. Real engineering is for buildings, infrastructure, energy, manufacturing — not for SaaS apps. - **"Engineering manager" hires are recruiting**, not procurement. - **Architecture firms are a separate industry.** Architect-of-record procurement (form/aesthetics) is a different fire; this skill is for the engineering disciplines that work with architects. - **Consumer/residential is out of scope** ("architect for my house remodel", "engineer to inspect my deck"). B2B-only. - **Engineering verticals are rating-sparse.** Civil/structural/MEP firms aren't reviewed like agencies — `rating>=N` collapses pools below k=20. Use `@high` evidence + size + geography as the quality proxy. - **Narrow keywords artificially shrink pools.** A keyword like `seismic` on top of a CA geotech filter yields only ~2 firms vs ~20 without it. Drop narrowing keywords for default-required verticals. - **Engineering-software product comparisons (Revit, AutoCAD, SolidWorks, Ansys, Bentley)** are NOT procurement. - **Briefs DO include `apex`, `name`, location, ratings.** They DON'T include `url`, `phone_primary`, `email_primary`, `legal_name`, `address_full`, full `platforms` — those require an unlock. - **`not_found` / `not_in_dataset` 404 = not in `pro_services`.** Skip; not charged. - **Unlock is atomic.** N apexes either all charge (up to 10×N credits) or none on 402. - **Within-TTL re-views are free** (`was_cached:true`). ## Errors JSON envelope: `{"error": {"code": "...", "message": "..."}}`. | Status | Code | What to do | |---|---|---| | 400 | `filter_parse_error` | `position` included; fix and re-validate with `/check`. | | 400 | `kind_in_filter` | Strip any `kind:` from filter. | | 400 | `field_not_in_dataset` | Drop the disallowed field. | | 400 | `invalid_apex` | Re-normalize. | | 401 | `unauthorized` / `invalid_audience` | Re-prompt for fresh `vk_…`. | | 402 | `insufficient_credits` | `needed` and `balance`; nothing charged. | | 404 | `not_found` / `not_in_dataset` | Skip; not charged. | | 429 | `rate_limited` | Honor `Retry-After`. | ## End-to-end example User: *"Three civil engineering firms in Florida focused on transportation infrastructure, ideally with PE-licensed engineers."* ``` GET /v1/datasets/pro_services/fields?include_values=1 GET /v1/datasets/pro_services/check?filter=industry:engineering_services+service_provided:civil-engineering+state:FL+transportation+pe GET /v1/datasets/pro_services/search?filter=...&limit=10 # Present briefs. "Unlocking 3 = 30 credits, 30-day TTL." POST /v1/datasets/pro_services/unlocks { "apexes": ["firm-a.com", "firm-b.com", "firm-c.com"] } GET /v1/me/credits ``` ## Resources - Upstream source: - ServiceGraph API: — keys at - Hub skill: `servicegraph` (this plugin) — the dataset-agnostic entry point when the user names ServiceGraph explicitly.