Source-to-Signal: How Public Documents Become Opportunity Intelligence
Every signal in Vendor Radar starts with a real public document — an agenda, a meeting packet, a budget resolution, a procurement posting. Below are illustrative examples showing how raw government documents become the actionable signals that land in your dashboard. Details are representative of the document types and signal patterns we process nightly across our monitored states.
Example 1: City Council Agenda → Project Planning Signal
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Source document | City council meeting packet — staff memo recommending authorization of a feasibility study for water main replacement along a downtown corridor |
| Government body | City of Moorhead, MN |
| Signal type | Project Planning (RFP Anticipated) |
| Service category | Water/Sewer, Engineering |
| Contract value indicator | $2.4M estimated |
| Forward-looking relevance | Feasibility authorization means an engineering firm will be selected for design within 3-6 months |
Why This Matters
An engineering or water/sewer contractor who sees this signal can introduce themselves to the city engineer while the project is still in the study phase — months before a formal RFQ posts. A bid board would not show this until the solicitation is already live.
Example 2: County Board Minutes → Funding Authorization Signal
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Source document | County board meeting minutes — resolution approving a $1.8M bond issuance for courthouse HVAC system replacement |
| Government body | Yellowstone County, MT |
| Signal type | Budget Allocation |
| Service category | HVAC/Mechanical |
| Contract value indicator | $1.8M bonded |
| Forward-looking relevance | Funding approved; procurement for design and installation will follow |
Why This Matters
An HVAC contractor who sees this signal knows the county has committed money and will be soliciting for the work. They can reach out to the county facilities director to learn about project scope and timeline before any bid hits the street.
Example 3: QuestCDN Procurement Page → Active RFP Signal
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Source document | School district procurement page via QuestCDN — RFP for roof replacement at two elementary buildings |
| Government body | Bismarck Public Schools, ND |
| Signal type | RFP Posted |
| Service category | Construction |
| Forward-looking relevance | Active solicitation with mandatory pre-bid meeting and submission deadline |
Why This Matters
Active RFPs are valuable — but even more valuable when you have already seen the earlier planning signals. Vendor Radar threads these signals together so you can see the budget approval, facility assessment, and board discussion from months earlier, alongside the live solicitation.
Example 4: Park Board Budget → Budget Approval Signal
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Source document | Park board annual budget adoption — $650K trail reconstruction + $180K irrigation replacement |
| Government body | Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, MN |
| Signal type | Budget Approval |
| Service categories | Landscape/Public Realm, Construction |
| Contract value indicators | $650K trail, $180K irrigation |
| Forward-looking relevance | Budget adopted — procurement is next |
Why This Matters
A landscape contractor or civil engineer who sees this budget signal knows exactly which park board has money allocated and what it is earmarked for. That is a warm lead grounded in a public record, not a cold call.
Example 5: Committee Report → Contract Expiration Signal
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Source document | City finance committee agenda — upcoming expiration of managed IT services contract, staff recommends new RFP |
| Government body | City of Eau Claire, WI |
| Signal type | Contract Expiring |
| Service category | IT Services |
| Forward-looking relevance | Expiring contract with RFP recommendation — solicitation likely within 60-90 days |
Why This Matters
IT service providers who track contract expirations can position themselves before the new RFP posts and demonstrate familiarity with the body's needs, instead of scrambling to respond two days before deadline.
Live Signals With Full Provenance
These are real published signals from Vendor Radar's production pipeline from 48,254 processed source documents. Each one links to the original public document. Signal dates, bodies, and summaries are pulled directly from our database — not illustrative examples.
Last refreshed: June 1, 2026
Live Signal 1: Budget Allocation
| Government body | City of Mendota Heights · Dakota, MN |
| Signal type | Budget Allocation |
| Service category | Road Infrastructure |
| Contract value | $80,000 |
| Document date | Jun 1, 2026 |
| Signal generated | Jun 1, 2026 |
| Source document | View original public record |
City of Mendota Heights has allocated $80,000 in its 2026 budget for improvements to the Fire Station Parking Lot. This project is expected to proceed in 2026.
Live Signal 2: Rfp Anticipated
| Government body | City of Portage · Columbia, WI |
| Signal type | Rfp Anticipated |
| Service category | Road Infrastructure |
| Document date | Jun 1, 2026 |
| Signal generated | Jun 1, 2026 |
| Source document | View original public record |
The City of Portage plans to upgrade parking areas at Silver Lake Beach and Park within the next two years, with potential funding from the city budget.
Live Signal 3: Rfp Anticipated
| Government body | City of Mendota Heights · Dakota, MN |
| Signal type | Rfp Anticipated |
| Service category | Building Facilities |
| Contract value | $33.5 million |
| Document date | Jun 2, 2026 |
| Signal generated | Jun 1, 2026 |
| Source document | View original public record |
The City of Mendota Heights is moving forward with planning for a new combined police station/city hall, with a revised budget estimate of $33. 5 million.
Live Signal 4: Rfp Anticipated
| Government body | City of Austin · Mower, MN |
| Signal type | Rfp Anticipated |
| Service category | Road Infrastructure |
| Document date | May 18, 2026 |
| Signal generated | Jun 1, 2026 |
| Source document | View original public record |
City of Austin is reviewing a MnDOT Cooperative Construction Agreement for a new pedestrian bridge over the Cedar River and an adjacent pedestrian trail.
Live Signal 5: Rfp Anticipated
| Government body | City of Austin · Mower, MN |
| Signal type | Rfp Anticipated |
| Service category | Building Facilities |
| Contract value | $9,300 |
| Document date | Jun 1, 2026 |
| Signal generated | Jun 1, 2026 |
| Source document | View original public record |
The City of Austin is approving engineering services with WHKS for the Central Garage roof replacement project. — The City of Austin is planning a roof replacement for the Central Garage, with an estimated budget of $500,000. WHKS has submitted a ...
Live Signal 6: Rfp Anticipated
| Government body | City of Austin · Mower, MN |
| Signal type | Rfp Anticipated |
| Service category | Water Sewer |
| Contract value | $25,000 |
| Document date | May 18, 2026 |
| Signal generated | Jun 1, 2026 |
| Source document | View original public record |
The City of Austin is seeking engineering services from WHKS for $25,000 to develop plans and specifications for rebidding the replacement of a failed coating system on Industrial EQ/Digester No. 2 at the Wastewater Treatment Plant.
The Pattern
Every example follows the same discipline:
- A real public document from a real government body is collected through our nightly scraping cycle
- The extraction pipeline identifies the forward-looking signal, classifies it by type and service category, and extracts relevant details
- Quality checks suppress noise, duplicates, and non-actionable content
- The published signal lands in your dashboard with a link back to the original source document
No speculation. No AI hallucination. Every signal traces back to a public record you can verify yourself.