Ashton & Forge Agency Directory MCP¶
A keyless, read-only directory of vetted AI implementation agencies, answerable from your assistant. The server exposes the Ashton & Forge marketplace as three read-only tools: what the marketplace covers, how to filter the vetted listings, and how a buyer actually gets matched. Listings are anonymized deliberately - the agent learns what the agencies can do and who they serve, and hands you the matching-brief link when you are ready to meet them. Public, free, no account, no key.
Server type: Hosted, keyless (live-probed Sep 2, 2026)
Endpoint: https://ashtonforge.com/mcp/directory (Streamable HTTP, read-only, unauthenticated)
Server: Ashton & Forge Agency Directory v1.0.0 (initialize 200, no auth)
Website: ashtonforge.com
Tools: 3 (directory_summary, search_agencies, get_matched)
Why This Matters for Operators¶
Buying AI implementation help is a procurement problem, and procurement starts with scoping. This server is built to answer the first question a buyer asks: "is there an agency that can build this, and what does that supply look like?"
First, scope before you meet. directory_summary reports the service clusters with supply, the industries served, the engagement floors, and the answers to the questions buyers ask first - so an operator can judge whether the marketplace even covers their problem before talking to anyone.
Second, filters mirror buying criteria. search_agencies filters listings by service cluster, industry, client size, engagement stage or budget, and returns how many matched and what they can do - a shortlist without a sales call.
Third, the handoff is a brief, not a contact dump. get_matched returns the URL that starts a matching brief, what it asks, how long it takes, and what it costs - the anonymized directory converts into a named conversation only through the marketplace's own matching step.
Tools and Capabilities¶
All three tools live-probed keyless Sep 2, 2026 (server v1.0.0):
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
directory_summary |
Read-only. What the Ashton & Forge marketplace covers: service clusters with supply, industries served, engagement floors, and the questions buyers ask first |
search_agencies |
Read-only. Filter the vetted agency listings by what they do and who they do it for; every filter optional, returns how many matched and what they can do |
get_matched |
Read-only. How a buyer gets matched: the URL that starts the brief, what it asks, how long it takes, what it costs |
Installation¶
Claude (web/desktop): Settings, Connectors, Add custom connector, paste https://ashtonforge.com/mcp/directory, leave authentication empty - there is no account to create and no key to paste.
claude mcp add --transport http ashtonforge https://ashtonforge.com/mcp/directory
Confirm all 3 tools are listed after connecting. Any other Streamable HTTP client takes the same URL.
Configuration¶
Nothing to configure. Read-only, unauthenticated, no usage limits stated. The server speaks Streamable HTTP at the directory URL; the root /mcp path serves the marketing page, so use the /mcp/directory path for the MCP endpoint.
Business Relevance¶
- Operators buying AI implementation get a scoped shortlist and a structured brief instead of a directory of marketing claims.
- Procurement teams get engagement floors and budget filters before committing a stakeholder meeting.
- Consultants scoping build partners can check which industries and service clusters have supply.
Integration with CorpusIQ¶
Ashton & Forge composes with CorpusIQ as the build-vs-buy conversation. CorpusIQ covers the business data layer (Stripe, QuickBooks, Shopify, HubSpot); Ashton & Forge answers who can implement on top of it. An operator can ask "which vetted agencies build e-commerce data pipelines, and what do their engagements cost" while CorpusIQ quantifies the data problem the engagement must solve.
Limitations¶
- Three read-only tools; no agency names are exposed until the marketplace matching step.
- The directory is one marketplace's vetted set, not an exhaustive industry census.
- Read-only and anonymized by design - there is no API for direct outreach or contact data.
- No public repo; the listing page and live probe are the sources of record.