FPDS Query Library
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Number of Offers Source Description

Human-readable text that explains the source associated with the reported Number of Offers value in the IDV competition record. It is the descriptive label for a paired coded or abbreviated field, not the numeric count itself.

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

Variable Overview

FPDS Query Variable
content__IDV__competition__numberOfOffersSource__description
Title
Number of Offers Source Description
FPDS Path
IDV/competition/numberOfOffersSource/description
Description
Human-readable text that explains the source associated with the reported Number of Offers value in the IDV competition record. It is the descriptive label for a paired coded or abbreviated field, not the numeric count itself.
Business Meaning
This field helps analysts understand where the offer-count value came from, which is important when comparing competition metrics across awards or validating data quality. It supports interpretation of procurement records that may use codes or short source labels rather than plain-language descriptions.
Example Value
This Action
Observed Non-Null Count
1,675,110

FPDS Compare

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

  • Interpreting the provenance of offer-count data in IDV competition records
  • Validating whether offer-count information came from a specific procurement system or reporting source
  • Filtering or grouping records by source description when code values are not self-explanatory

Common Mistakes

  • Treating this description as the actual number of offers
  • Using the description field alone without checking the paired source code or observed value set

Query Guidance

Select this field with the paired Number of Offers Source code when decoding source values. In SQL, use it as a lookup label or grouping attribute for reporting, not as a measure; if needed, normalize by trimming and comparing distinct description values to the associated code field.

SQL Examples

Preview values

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

Top values

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