Connect in Claude Desktop

Claude Desktop starts local programs for MCP servers. To reach a remote server with a token, it runs the small mcp-remote bridge. You need Node.js 18 or newer (so that npx works) and an MCP token (tsk_mcp_…) from the dashboard.

Steps

Open Settings → Developer → Edit Config. Claude Desktop shows the folder with claude_desktop_config.json:
- Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
- macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

[SCREENSHOT: Claude Desktop Settings, Developer tab, 'Edit Config' button]

Open the file in a text editor and add TenderScope:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "tenderscope": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "mcp-remote",
        "https://tenderscope.app/mcp",
        "--header",
        "Authorization:${TENDERSCOPE_AUTH}"
      ],
      "env": {
        "TENDERSCOPE_AUTH": "Bearer tsk_mcp_YOUR_TOKEN"
      }
    }
  }
}

If the file already has other servers, add only the "tenderscope": { … } entry inside the existing mcpServers. The token goes into env, and the header uses Authorization: with no space after the colon: this avoids a quoting bug with spaces in arguments on Windows.

[SCREENSHOT: claude_desktop_config.json with the tenderscope entry (token blurred)]

Save the file and quit Claude Desktop completely (on Windows also from the tray icon), then start it again.
In a new chat, click the tools icon below the message box. tenderscope should be listed with four tools.

[SCREENSHOT: Claude Desktop chat, tools menu showing tenderscope and its four tools]

Ask: Find IT services tenders in Armenia with a deadline later than next week and put them in a table. Claude asks permission to use search_tenders; allow it.

[SCREENSHOT: Claude Desktop answer with a table of tenders]

If it does not work

Symptom	What to check
Server not listed	The JSON must be valid (no trailing commas). Fully restart Claude Desktop.
`npx` not found	Install Node.js, then restart Claude Desktop.
`401 unauthorized` in the logs	The token must start with `tsk_mcp_` and the value in `env` must start with `Bearer` .
`429 quota_exceeded`	Monthly call limit used up. See Plans and limits.

Logs: %APPDATA%\Claude\logs\mcp-server-tenderscope.log (Windows) or ~/Library/Logs/Claude/mcp-server-tenderscope.log (macOS).