FPDS Query Library
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Rel

Text value identifying the relationship type for a link in the FPDS record. In this case, it is the attribute from the XML link/rel path, and values such as "alternate" indicate how the linked resource relates to the current record.

Family: General
Category: Links
Data Type: string
Semantic Type: attribute
Mapping: flattened_fpds_xml_field
AI Confidence: high

Variable Overview

FPDS Query Variable
link__rel
Title
Rel
FPDS Path
link/rel
Description
Text value identifying the relationship type for a link in the FPDS record. In this case, it is the attribute from the XML link/rel path, and values such as "alternate" indicate how the linked resource relates to the current record.
Business Meaning
This field helps analysts understand and filter the structural links associated with an FPDS transaction record, which can affect record navigation, deduplication, and downstream extraction workflows. It is useful when validating linked content, tracing alternate representations, or building reusable procurement data pipelines that rely on link metadata.
Example Value
alternate
Observed Non-Null Count
117,423,893

FPDS Compare

FPDS Query Variable
link__rel
FPDS XML Path
link/rel
Mapping Type
flattened_fpds_xml_field
Comparison Summary
FPDS Query flattens the original nested FPDS XML path 'link/rel' into the SQL-ready variable 'link__rel'.

Use Cases

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

Common Usage

  • Filter records by link relationship type
  • Support XML-to-table parsing and validation
  • Identify alternate or related representations of the same record

Common Mistakes

  • Mistaking the link relation for a procurement status or award attribute
  • Assuming all link values are free text rather than controlled or standardized values

Query Guidance

Use exact-match filtering on the string value, for example WHERE link__rel = 'alternate'. When grouping or deduplicating, include this field only if link relationship type is analytically relevant; otherwise exclude it from transaction-level joins and measures.

SQL Examples

Preview values

SELECT
    link__rel AS rel
FROM fpds.data
WHERE link__rel IS NOT NULL
LIMIT 25

Top values

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