GET https://ticks.bnm.farm/import-alerts — $0.05 USDC on Base to 0xf59621FC406D266e18f314Ae18eF0a33b8401004. FDA Import Alerts / DWPE Unpaid returns HTTP 402. After a valid X-PAYMENT, the same URL returns JSON. Not a new SKU.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| x_payment | No | Optional x402 X-PAYMENT value forwarded to the paid GET as the X-PAYMENT header. |
Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
With no annotations, the description carries the full burden and reveals key behaviors: it is a paid GET, costs $0.05 USDC, sends to a specific recipient, returns 402 without payment, and returns JSON after valid payment. It does not describe response shape or other error cases, but the critical payment-gate behavior is transparently disclosed.
Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.
Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?
The description is compact and front-loaded with the endpoint, then quickly covers price, payment behavior, and response type. The phrase 'Not a new SKU.' is slightly cryptic but still brief; no sentences are wasted.
Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.
Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?
For a one-parameter paid GET with no annotations, the description is quite complete: it provides the URL, payment method, recipient, cost, error response, and success response type. It could clarify the JSON structure or content, but the resource identity 'FDA Import Alerts / DWPE' largely supplies that intent.
Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.
Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?
Schema coverage is 100% for the single x_payment parameter, so the baseline is 3. The description adds meaningful context beyond the schema by explaining the payment requirement, the 402 consequence of no/valid payment, and that the same URL produces JSON once the header is valid.
Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.
Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?
The description starts with an explicit GET URL and identifies the resource as 'FDA Import Alerts / DWPE', making both the verb and object clear. This is specific enough to distinguish it from the many sibling document/alerts tools in the list.
Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.
Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?
It implies the tool is used to fetch FDA Import Alerts and clearly explains that a valid X-PAYMENT is required to get JSON, with HTTP 402 when unpaid. However, it does not explicitly state when to choose this tool over siblings or describe any when-not-to-use conditions beyond the payment requirement.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.
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Most tools map cleanly to distinct regulatory document collections (FDA, EPA, FDIC, etc.), so the majority are unambiguous. However, 'search' and 'firm-check' both offer free search with overlapping scope, and 'get-one' vs 'get-page' are easily confused payment operations. Similar prefixed names like mariners, mariners-d7/d8/d11 and gmp/gmp-md add further boundary fuzziness.
The bulk of tools follow a consistent lowercase-hyphenated source-slug convention (aaib-reports, cder-reviews, cfpb-orders), which is predictable. But utility tools break the pattern with imperative/descriptive names (search, firm-check, get-one, get-page), and 'ticks' is a bare noun that doesn't fit either style. The mixed conventions are readable but not uniform.
At 46 tools, this is a heavy surface that will be unwieldy for an agent to navigate and select from. Each tool does represent a distinct data product, but the sheer volume exceeds what earns its place in a coherent MCP tool set. A door-based catalog design might work better with a smaller number of parameterized tools.
The core workflow is well covered: per-door search, cross-door search, single-document retrieval via ?id=, paginated page retrieval, and payment handling are all present. Minor gaps exist, such as no tool to enumerate all available doors/catalogs or inspect schemas, and firm-check returns only citations rather than bodies. Overall it's a complete access lifecycle for the data-shop domain.