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mcp-sam-gov

by cliwant
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TypeScript
Remote

census_geocode_address

Read-only

Resolve a US address to matched address(es) and Census geographies (state, county, tract, block, congressional district) for place-of-performance and set-aside analysis.

Instructions

Resolve a one-line US address → matched address(es) + the Census GEOGRAPHIES for set-aside / place-of-performance analysis (US Census Geocoder, keyless; geocoding.geo.census.gov/geocoder/geographies/onelineaddress). Input: address (≤500 chars), optional benchmark (default Public_AR_Current), vintage (default Current_Current). Returns { matches:[{ matchedAddress, coordinates:{x,y}, tigerLineId, addressComponents, geographies:{ state, county, congressionalDistrict, censusTract, censusBlock, place, cbsaOrCsa, stateLegislativeUpper, stateLegislativeLower } }], matchCount, vintageResolved }. Each geography = { layerKey (raw vintage-versioned key), geoid (STRING — leading zeros survive, e.g. '0102'), name }. HONESTY: genuine empty (addressMatches:[]) → matchCount:0/complete:true (NOT an error; verify spelling + add city/state/ZIP). MULTIPLE matches are ALL surfaced (each with its own geographies) + a note. A historical vintage can return >1 layer per type with DISTINCT GEOIDs → BOTH surfaced (chosen + alternates[]) + a mandatory note (NEVER silently dropped). The resolved benchmark/vintage is echoed + a 'Current is a MOVING vintage' note. Invalid/missing benchmark/vintage → HTTP 400 THROWS (never fake-empty); outage/5xx THROWS. MANDATORY CAVEAT every response: these are a NOMINAL input, NOT an authoritative HUBZone / Opportunity-Zone / set-aside determination — feed censusTract.geoid / county.geoid to SBA's HUBZone map / Treasury's OZ-tract list.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
addressYesA one-line US address, e.g. '600 Dexter Ave, Montgomery, AL 36104'. An unmatched/under-specified address is NOT an error — it returns matches:[] / matchCount:0 (a genuine empty; add city, state, ZIP). An ambiguous address may return MULTIPLE matches, each with its own matchedAddress + geographies.
vintageNoGeography vintage (default Current_Current — a MOVING vintage; the same address may return a different tract/CD across cycles). The valid vintage set DEPENDS on the benchmark (a matrix — this enum is the UNION across all four benchmarks); an incompatible (benchmark, vintage) pair fails-closed with an HTTP 400 (invalid_input), never a silent mis-resolution. e.g. Census2020_Census2020 (with Public_AR_Census2020), Census2010_Current.
benchmarkNoAddress-range benchmark (default Public_AR_Current — a MOVING benchmark). One of Public_AR_Current / Public_AR_ACS2025 / Public_AR_LUCA / Public_AR_Census2020. vintage MUST be compatible with this benchmark (a matrix); an incompatible pair fails-closed with an HTTP 400.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Addedv1.12.0

TDQS

A4.6/5.0
Behavior5/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Even with readOnlyHint=true, the description goes well beyond annotations: it discloses genuine-empty behavior, multi-match surfacing, historical vintage alternate geographies, HTTP 400 throwing on invalid input, and a mandatory caveat about non-authoritative set-aside determination. This is unusually thorough behavioral disclosure.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is long but densely informative, front-loading the core purpose before layering edge-case behavior and the mandatory caveat. It avoids fluff, though it does partially restate schema enum content and could be tightened with clearer sectioning.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

With no output schema, the description compensates fully by describing the return shape ({matches, matchedAddress, coordinates, geographies, etc.}), error behavior, edge cases, and the caveat about HUBZone/OZ determination. For a complex 3-parameter tool with vintage-dependent behavior, nothing essential is missing.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters4/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema coverage is 100%, so the schema already documents address, benchmark, and vintage. The description adds meaning by stating the 500-character limit, defaults for benchmark/vintage, the 'Current is a MOVING vintage' caveat, and the benchmark-vintage compatibility matrix fail-closed behavior -- all beyond what the enum descriptions alone convey.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description opens with a precise verb-resource pair: 'Resolve a one-line US address → matched address(es) + the Census GEOGRAPHIES'. It also names the specific government service and analysis use case (set-aside / place-of-performance), which clearly positions the tool relative to siblings like census_geographies_by_coordinates.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines4/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description states the analysis context ('for set-aside / place-of-performance analysis') and gives practical guidance on address quality, empty results, and follow-up with SBA/Treasury data. It does not explicitly name alternative tools or state when NOT to use it, so it stops short of full exclusion guidance.

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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