You already know government agencies hold the information you need to win more contracts. The real question is: how do you get it — quickly, completely, and without burning bridges?
That’s where the Public Records Request (PRR) process comes in. Done right, a PRR can uncover invaluable data on spending patterns, active contracts, and key decision-makers. Done wrong, it can stall for weeks, get buried in red tape, or worse — damage future relationships with agencies.
At GovSpend, we’ve mastered the art of PRRs. Our process is built on over a decade of experience, thousands of successful requests, and relationships with over 40,000 agencies nationwide. The result? You get the data you need to win, while we handle the legwork, the follow-up, and the diplomacy.
Understanding the PRR Process
A PRR is a formal request for information held by a government agency, allowed under each state’s public records laws. The process starts when a GovSpend customer contacts their Relationship Manager or Customer Success Specialist with details on the data they need. Most requests fall into two categories:
- Spend Data – Agency expenditures over a certain period, including purchase orders, vendors, amounts, and descriptions.
- Contracts – Agreements for goods or services, with details like awarded vendor, timeframe, and bid references.
We also submit PRRs for certain contact information, like staff directories, but not for bids or public meetings, as those are generally already public or unavailable via PRR.
Once the request is defined — including target agency, vendor details, and timeframe — our Data Acquisition team routes it to the right specialists. From there, the process varies by state and even by agency, with submissions made via email, online portals, or digital forms.
The Complexities Behind the Scenes
Every state — and sometimes each agency within a state — has its own rules, formats, and timelines for PRRs. Some respond within a week; others may take weeks or even request extensions. Agencies might also charge fees, redact sensitive information, or deny requests based on trade secrets or security concerns.
And here’s the part customers don’t always see: GovSpend often has to follow up repeatedly, negotiate scope, and resolve obstacles before data is released. Our team does this professionally and persistently, knowing that the wrong tone or approach can close doors for future requests.
Why GovSpend Has the Advantage
1. Decades of Relationships
Many of our Data Acquisition specialists have been working with the same assigned states for over a decade. The person requesting data from Florida or Virginia today is often the same person who’s been handling those requests for years. These long-term relationships mean agencies know us, trust us, and — in many cases — send data faster because of it.
2. A Human Approach
In an era where agencies are seeing a rise in AI-generated PRRs, many now verify requests directly with us to confirm they’re coming from real people. Agencies don’t want to deal with bots; they want to work with knowledgeable, respectful humans. That’s exactly who we have making requests on behalf of our customers.
3. Reducing the Burden for Agencies
We go out of our way to make requests clear, concise, and easy for agencies to fulfill. For spend data, we even maintain custom instructions for different ERP systems so agencies can generate reports quickly and consistently. This keeps relationships positive and response rates high.
4. Proven Results
Our contracts team averages a 95% success rate for PRRs. Many requested documents are already in our system from past efforts, saving time for our customers. And when we deliver data, it’s not just raw information; it’s organized and ready to help customers make smarter, faster business decisions.
5. Privacy for Customers
When we submit a PRR, it’s under the SmartProcure (GovSpend’s agency outreach and data collection team) name, not the customer’s. Agencies never know who the end user is, which protects our customers’ competitive position.
The True Cost of DIY PRRs: For a company doing just 10–15 records requests per year, the real cost often exceeds $7,000–$10,000 annually when you factor in labor, fees, and delays. And that doesn’t even include the lost value of having real-time access to procurement trends, competitor data, and market intelligence, which GovSpend provides out of the box.
Real Wins for Real Customers
200+ Contracts Pulled for a National Supplier
A large supplier in the facilities services industry asked us to identify every active government contract in their market segment. Our team submitted targeted PRRs across dozens of agencies, leveraging long-standing relationships to expedite responses. The result? Over 200 contracts in hand — enabling the customer to identify new sales opportunities and strengthen their competitive position.
Breaking Through the Denial Barrier
A public agency in Ohio was repeatedly denied access to another county’s purchasing records. When they came to us, we already had the spend data in our system thanks to years of diligent PRRs. We provided it immediately, giving them insights they couldn’t get through official channels — and building trust that led to a platform subscription.
Turning Data Into Opportunity
The PRR process isn’t fast or easy, but that’s exactly why GovSpend’s expertise matters. We’ve built the relationships, refined the process, and developed the know-how to deliver results quickly and consistently. Whether it’s uncovering key spend data, finding the right contract, or confirming vendor details, our work empowers customers to win more business and operate with better market insight.
Stop chasing public records. Start winning with them.
Tell us what you need today — and let GovSpend’s PRR experts do the rest.
Current Customers – reach out to your Relationship Manager, or our Customer Success team at support@govspend.com to initiate a PRR.
New to GovSpend? Request a personalized demo to explore the expansive data already in our platform, or to track down a specific request.
About the Author: GovSpend
