How to follow parts, suppliers and solicitations
Press Follow on a part, supplier, manufacturer, supply class, solicitation or agency page and it joins a list on your watchlist page. The page then shows which public records NSN Explorer has added since you last reviewed each one.
What you can follow
| Follow | Where the button is | What counts as new |
|---|---|---|
| A part (NSN) | The NSN page | New solicitations and new awards for that NSN. |
| A supplier | The supplier page ("Follow wins") | New awards the CAGE code won, and new contract actions to the same company. |
| A manufacturer | The supplier page ("Follow as maker"), when the CAGE code is listed as making parts | New solicitations for NSNs that list that CAGE code as a source of the part. |
| A supply class | The FSC and Open-demand class pages | New solicitations in the class, and new awards for NSNs in it. |
| A solicitation | The solicitation page | A change of status, return-by date or quantity, and an award once one is posted. |
| An agency | The agency page | New contract actions and part awards for the agency. |
| A saved search | "Save this search" on Open demand | New solicitations that match the saved filters. |
What the watchlist page shows
At the top is "What changed since you last reviewed": for each item with new records, a list of them, newest first, each with a link to its source record. Below are your lists. Every row has a small chart and the headline figures for the item, such as the last twelve award prices of a part or the awards a supplier won each month.
Mark an item reviewed when you have looked at its changes, or mark a whole list reviewed. The count on the bookmark in the page header is the number of items with something new.
Everything on the page restates public records. It does not rank items or say what to bid on.
Saved searches
On Open demand and each class's open-demand page, "Save this search" stores the filter bar as it is set. Three filters can be saved: the closing window, the minimum quantity, and Competed or Named source. Only open solicitations can be saved. "Has drawing" cannot be saved, because the site has no record field to match it on; clear it first.
Lists, sharing and your data
You can keep up to 20 lists of up to 500 items each, move items between them, rename a list and add a short note to an item. Turn on sharing for a list to get a link anyone can open; they can copy it to their own watchlist if they have an account. Download CSV writes a list as a spreadsheet file. You can delete your account from the watchlist page. What an account keeps is in the privacy policy.
Common questions
Does it cost anything to follow a part or supplier?
No. An account is free and optional. You sign in with a one-time code sent to your email, or with a Google, Microsoft or GitHub account. There is no password and no payment.
What counts as a change?
A record NSN Explorer added after you last reviewed the item: a new solicitation or award for a part, a new award for a supplier, or a solicitation whose status, return-by date or quantity differs from when you followed it or last reviewed it. It is never a prediction.
Does NSN Explorer email me when something changes?
No. Changes show on your watchlist page and as a count on the bookmark in the page header. Nothing is emailed.
Who can see my lists?
Only you, until you turn on sharing for a list. A shared list is visible to anyone who has its link, and shows the list name and the pages on it, never your email address. Turning sharing off ends the link.
Can I take my list with me?
Yes. Download CSV on a list writes one row per item with its link, the headline figures and the changes since you last reviewed it. You can also delete your account from the watchlist page.
Sources
Official pages used for this guide. Rules and web pages change, so check them before you act.
Keep reading
Last reviewed October 2026.