FPDS Query Library
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Reason Not Competed

Coded reason recorded when an award was not competed. It identifies the specific noncompetitive rationale captured in the FPDS competition section, such as a statutory exception or other documented basis for using a noncompetitive approach.

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

Variable Overview

FPDS Query Variable
content__award__competition__reasonNotCompeted
Title
Reason Not Competed
FPDS Path
award/competition/reasonNotCompeted
Description
Coded reason recorded when an award was not competed. It identifies the specific noncompetitive rationale captured in the FPDS competition section, such as a statutory exception or other documented basis for using a noncompetitive approach.
Business Meaning
This field is central to competition and sole-source analysis because it explains why an award bypassed competition. Analysts use it to distinguish legitimate exceptions from potential acquisition planning or reporting issues and to segment noncompetitive awards by stated justification.
Example Value
UNQ
Observed Non-Null Count
18,217,478

FPDS Compare

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

Use Cases

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

Common Usage

  • Identify and count sole-source or otherwise noncompetitive awards
  • Group noncompetitive awards by stated justification code
  • Compare competition patterns across agencies, offices, or contract types

Common Mistakes

  • Reading the code as a plain-language explanation without checking the corresponding label or codebook
  • Using the field alone to judge whether an award was properly justified

Query Guidance

Filter on non-null values to isolate records where a noncompetitive rationale was reported, and aggregate by the code to analyze patterns. Example: SELECT reason_not_competed, COUNT(*) FROM awards WHERE reason_not_competed IS NOT NULL GROUP BY reason_not_competed; if descriptions are available in another table, join them to translate codes before reporting.

SQL Examples

Preview values

SELECT
    content__award__competition__reasonNotCompeted AS reason_not_competed
FROM fpds.data
WHERE content__award__competition__reasonNotCompeted IS NOT NULL
LIMIT 25

Top values

SELECT
    content__award__competition__reasonNotCompeted AS value,
    count() AS record_count
FROM fpds.data
WHERE content__award__competition__reasonNotCompeted 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.