FPDS Query Library
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Number of Offers Source Description

Human-readable description associated with the coded "Number of Offers Source" value on an award record. It identifies the source label used to explain where the offer-count information came from, rather than storing the source code itself.

Family: Award
Category: Competition
Data Type: string
Semantic Type: description
Mapping: flattened_fpds_xml_field
AI Confidence: high

Variable Overview

FPDS Query Variable
content__award__competition__numberOfOffersSource__description
Title
Number of Offers Source Description
FPDS Path
award/competition/numberOfOffersSource/description
Description
Human-readable description associated with the coded "Number of Offers Source" value on an award record. It identifies the source label used to explain where the offer-count information came from, rather than storing the source code itself.
Business Meaning
This field helps analysts interpret how the reported number of offers was derived and whether the source is a system, action, or other procurement-specific origin. It is useful when validating competition metrics, comparing offer counts across awards, or reconciling coded FPDS values with their meaning.
Example Value
This Action
Observed Non-Null Count
51,205,136

FPDS Compare

FPDS Query Variable
content__award__competition__numberOfOffersSource__description
FPDS XML Path
award/competition/numberOfOffersSource/description
Mapping Type
flattened_fpds_xml_field
Comparison Summary
FPDS Query flattens the original nested FPDS XML path 'award/competition/numberOfOffersSource/description' into the SQL-ready variable 'content__award__competition__numberOfOffersSource__description'.

Use Cases

  • Dictionary lookup and field explanation
  • SQL filtering and grouping
  • Analytical reporting and reusable query building
  • Competition and sole-source analysis

Common Usage

  • Display the human-readable label for the number-of-offers source code
  • Validate how offer counts were sourced for competition analysis
  • Review distinct source descriptions to understand data quality and coding patterns

Common Mistakes

  • Using the description field as if it were the numeric number of offers
  • Filtering on the description without checking the paired source code or actual offer-count fields

Query Guidance

Select this field with the paired Number of Offers Source code field for reporting and validation. Use it for descriptive output, grouping only after confirming standardized values, and avoid joining on text unless no coded key is available.

SQL Examples

Preview values

SELECT
    content__award__competition__numberOfOffersSource__description AS number_of_offers_source_description
FROM fpds.data
WHERE content__award__competition__numberOfOffersSource__description IS NOT NULL
LIMIT 25

Top values

SELECT
    content__award__competition__numberOfOffersSource__description AS value,
    count() AS record_count
FROM fpds.data
WHERE content__award__competition__numberOfOffersSource__description IS NOT NULL
GROUP BY value
ORDER BY record_count DESC
LIMIT 25

Each dictionary item includes SQL-ready examples generated alongside the variable metadata, allowing immediate use in FPDS Query for filtering, aggregation, and analysis.