search_federal_contracts

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

With no annotations supplied, the description carries the behavioral disclosure burden. It discloses that results are limited to already-awarded contracts and that they are sorted 'largest dollar value first,' which goes beyond the schema. It does not mention pagination, output fields, or rate limits, but for a search/read tool the key behavioral traits are adequately surfaced.

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 concise and front-loaded: the first sentence states the tool's purpose, the second adds result ordering and use cases, and the final sentence points to an alternative. Every sentence earns its place with no filler or redundancy.

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?

The tool has six optional, well-documented parameters and no output schema, so the description needs to convey scope and return behavior. It covers scope, sort order, and common use cases, but it does not enumerate the contract fields returned. Still, for selection and invocation, the description is sufficiently complete.

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?

The input schema already provides thorough descriptions for all six parameters (e.g., 'Free-text search across award descriptions and recipient names'), so the description does not need to repeat them. It adds minimal parameter-level value beyond schema, but the schema coverage is 100%, meeting the baseline.

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 clearly states the tool 'Search awarded US federal government contracts' and immediately distinguishes it from expiring-contract searches with 'Use this to see who is winning federal work.' It names specific use cases and references the sibling find_expiring_contracts, so an agent can tell this tool from alternatives.

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?

Explicit guidance is given on when to use this tool: for seeing who is winning federal work, what an agency spends, or a company's contract history. It also gives an explicit exclusion: 'For contracts coming up for re-bid, use find_expiring_contracts instead.' This clearly orients selection among siblings.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.