FPDS Query Library
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Contract Action Type Description

Human-readable label for the coded Contract Action Type associated with an IDV record. It provides the descriptive text that corresponds to the underlying action type code stored in the paired FPDS field.

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

Variable Overview

FPDS Query Variable
content__IDV__contractData__contractActionType__description
Title
Contract Action Type Description
FPDS Path
IDV/contractData/contractActionType/description
Description
Human-readable label for the coded Contract Action Type associated with an IDV record. It provides the descriptive text that corresponds to the underlying action type code stored in the paired FPDS field.
Business Meaning
This field helps analysts interpret what kind of contract action is represented without relying on abbreviated or coded values. It supports accurate classification of IDV records when summarizing obligations, award actions, or changes across procurement datasets.
Example Value
FSS
Observed Non-Null Count
5,862,556

FPDS Compare

FPDS Query Variable
content__IDV__contractData__contractActionType__description
FPDS XML Path
IDV/contractData/contractActionType/description
Mapping Type
flattened_fpds_xml_field
Comparison Summary
FPDS Query flattens the original nested FPDS XML path 'IDV/contractData/contractActionType/description' into the SQL-ready variable 'content__IDV__contractData__contractActionType__description'.

Use Cases

  • Dictionary lookup and field explanation
  • SQL filtering and grouping
  • Analytical reporting and reusable query building

Common Usage

  • Translate coded contract action types into readable categories
  • Group or filter IDV records by action type description
  • Validate mappings between source codes and human-readable labels

Common Mistakes

  • Treating the description as a stable identifier instead of a label
  • Using this field alone when the underlying code is needed for exact joins or comparisons

Query Guidance

Select this field alongside the paired Contract Action Type code for reporting and validation. In SQL, use it for display, grouping, or code reconciliation, but filter and join on the coded field when exact logic is required.

SQL Examples

Preview values

SELECT
    content__IDV__contractData__contractActionType__description AS contract_action_type_description
FROM fpds.data
WHERE content__IDV__contractData__contractActionType__description IS NOT NULL
LIMIT 25

Top values

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