Explain the question

POST

/api/v1/rfps/{rfp_id}/rfp_items/{id}/explain_question

Unmetered, but requires an active subscription. The explanation is generated synchronously on the first call and saved on the item; later calls skip the model. The RFP item response does not currently include an explanation field, so the explanation is only visible in the web app. Viewers may call this, though the token still needs the write scope.

Authorizations

bearerAuth

Path Parameters

NameType

rfp_id

required

string

Example

rfp_1a2b

The RFP’s prefixed ID

required

string

The record’s prefixed ID

Responses

200

The item, after its explanation has been saved

Response body

application/json

object

string

web_link

string format: uri

question

string

answer

string | null

rationale

string | null

Why the answer was given

guidance

string | null

Guidance text supplied with the question

applicable

boolean | null

auto_answer

boolean

category

string | null

sub_category

string | null

state

string

Allowed values: new ready_to_answer references_fetched applicability_checked needs_input auto_answered approved

confidence

string | null

0–1, encoded as a decimal string

confidence_as_percent

string | integer

Decimal string; 0 when there is no confidence

confidence_as_words

string

Allowed values: Excellent Very good Good Ok Low

priority

integer | null

>= 1 <= 5

portal_markup

string | null

Answer formatted for pasting into a portal

sufficient_context

boolean | null

sufficient_context_response

string | null

Why the knowledge base was insufficient

created_at

string format: date-time

updated_at

string format: date-time

user

One of:

object
null

The member who owns or answered a record. id is the numeric database ID.

object

integer

name

string

email

string format: email

position

integer | null

1-based position in the RFP

total_questions

integer

references

Array<object>

As Reference, but source passages carry no page or section detail

object

integer

Numeric database ID

reference_type

string

Allowed values: KnowledgeBaseItem Embedding

reference_id

integer

Numeric database ID of the referenced record

relevance_score

number | null

<= 1

relevance_as_words

string

Allowed values: Excellent Very good Good Ok Low

distance

number | null

Vector distance from the question

search_method

string | null

Allowed values: vector keyword hybrid

cited_text

string | null

The passage quoted in the answer, when it was used

created_at

string format: date-time

reference

One of:

object
object

Present when reference_type is KnowledgeBaseItem

object

string

web_link

string format: uri

question

string

answer

string | null

state

string

Allowed values: new ready_to_answer applicability_checked references_fetched needs_input auto_answered approved

403

No active subscription (subscription_required)

Response body

application/json

object

error

object

code

string

A stable machine-readable code

message

string

details

Array<string>

Present on validation errors; one entry per failed validation

404

No such record in this account

Response body

application/json

object

error

object

code

string

A stable machine-readable code

message

string

details

Array<string>

Present on validation errors; one entry per failed validation

422

Explanation generation failed

Response body

application/json

object

error

object

code

string

A stable machine-readable code

message

string

details

Array<string>

Present on validation errors; one entry per failed validation

Request

curl --request POST \
  --url https://app.responsehub.io/api/v1/rfps/rfp_1a2b/rfp_items/example/explain_question \
  --header 'Authorization: Bearer <token>'

require 'uri'
require 'net/http'

url = URI("https://app.responsehub.io/api/v1/rfps/rfp_1a2b/rfp_items/example/explain_question")

http = Net::HTTP.new(url.host, url.port)
http.use_ssl = true

request = Net::HTTP::Post.new(url)
request["Authorization"] = 'Bearer <token>'

response = http.request(request)
puts response.read_body

<?php

$client = new \GuzzleHttp\Client();

$response = $client->request('POST', 'https://app.responsehub.io/api/v1/rfps/rfp_1a2b/rfp_items/example/explain_question', [
  'headers' => [
    'Authorization' => 'Bearer <token>',
  ],
]);

echo $response->getBody();

const url = 'https://app.responsehub.io/api/v1/rfps/rfp_1a2b/rfp_items/example/explain_question';
const options = {method: 'POST', headers: {Authorization: 'Bearer <token>'}};

try {
  const response = await fetch(url, options);
  const data = await response.json();
  console.log(data);
} catch (error) {
  console.error(error);
}

package main

import (
  "fmt"
  "net/http"
  "io"
)

func main() {

  url := "https://app.responsehub.io/api/v1/rfps/rfp_1a2b/rfp_items/example/explain_question"

  req, _ := http.NewRequest("POST", url, nil)

  req.Header.Add("Authorization", "Bearer <token>")

  res, _ := http.DefaultClient.Do(req)

  defer res.Body.Close()
  body, _ := io.ReadAll(res.Body)

  fmt.Println(res)
  fmt.Println(string(body))

}

200example

Example^generated

{
  "id": "ri_1a2b",
  "web_link": "https://example.com",
  "question": "example",
  "answer": "example",
  "rationale": "example",
  "guidance": "example",
  "applicable": true,
  "auto_answer": true,
  "category": "example",
  "sub_category": "example",
  "state": "new",
  "confidence": "0.85",
  "confidence_as_percent": "85.0",
  "confidence_as_words": "Excellent",
  "priority": 1,
  "portal_markup": "example",
  "sufficient_context": true,
  "sufficient_context_response": "example",
  "created_at": "2026-04-15T12:00:00Z",
  "updated_at": "2026-04-15T12:00:00Z",
  "user": {
    "id": 1,
    "name": "example",
    "email": "hello@example.com"
  },
  "position": 1,
  "total_questions": 1,
  "references": [
    {
      "id": 1,
      "reference_type": "KnowledgeBaseItem",
      "reference_id": 1,
      "relevance_score": 1,
      "relevance_as_words": "Excellent",
      "distance": 1,
      "search_method": "vector",
      "cited_text": "example",
      "created_at": "2026-04-15T12:00:00Z",
      "reference": {
        "id": "kbi_1a2b",
        "web_link": "https://example.com",
        "question": "example",
        "answer": "example",
        "state": "new"
      }
    }
  ]
}

403example

Example^generated

{
  "error": {
    "code": "not_found",
    "message": "example",
    "details": [
      "example"
    ]
  }
}

404example

Example^generated

{
  "error": {
    "code": "not_found",
    "message": "example",
    "details": [
      "example"
    ]
  }
}

422example

Example^generated

{
  "error": {
    "code": "not_found",
    "message": "example",
    "details": [
      "example"
    ]
  }
}