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General Announcement Information

Announcement Time Limits:

Announcements filled through merit promotion, may be used to fill additional vacancies within six 

months after the closing date of the announcement. Announcements filled through Delegated 

Examining may be used to fill additional vacancies within 90 days after the closing date of the 

announcement.

Applicant Review: 

Applicant resumes and supporting documents may be reviewed by an HR Specialist. Competitive 

applicants will be scored on a scale of 70 to 100 and placed in the appropriate quality group. The 

score will be used for assessment purposes. Based on your answers to the Vacancy Specific 

Questions, an automated scoring system will be used to initially rate and rank your applications. All 

information that you provide may be verified by a review of the work experience and/or education as 

shown in the entirety of your application, by checking references and through other means, such as 

the interview process. In addition to the HR Specialist, your evaluation may also include a panel and 

may include other assessments such as an interview, a panel review, written test, writing sample, etc. 

The examining Human Resources Office makes the final determination concerning applicant ratings. It 

is essential that your resume provide sufficient information to substantiate your responses in the selfassessment vacancy questions. If your responses are not adequately substantiated by your resume, 

the HR specialist may amend your responses to more accurately reflect the level of competency that is 

indicated by the content of your resume.

Availability For Employment:

All Applicants must meet qualifications and eligibility criteria by the closing date of the announcement. 

Applicants must also be available for appointment at the closing date of the announcement except for 

current active duty military. Current active duty military may apply and be considered 120 days prior 

to separation from active duty. See Required Supporting Documents to ensure you submit documents 

required for consideration.

Bargaining Status

This tells you whether the job is in a bargaining unit represented by a Union.

General Applicant Information and Definitions
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Certifications:

Financial Certification Requirements: If the announcement specifies the position is subject 

to Financial Certification, Employees are allotted 2 years in which to achieve the Financial 

Management certification requirements in accordance with DoD Directive 5118.03 and section 

1599d of Title 10, United States Code. Once certified, members of the Financial Management 

workforce have a continuing requirement for professional education and training in order to 

maintain and improve their Financial Management proficiency and skills. 

Information Assurance (IA) Certification Requirement: If the announcement specifies the 

position is subject to IA Certification under the "Conditions of Employment" area, the position will 

require applicants to receive an Information Assurance (IA) Certification within 6 months of 

entering the position. Selectee will be required to sign a statement of understanding regarding 

the certification requirement and maintaining the appropriate certification is a condition of 

employment.

DAWIA: If the announcement specifies the position is subject to DAWIA Certification for 

persons in the acquisition workforce, employees are allotted 2 years in which to achieve DAWIA

certification requirements in accordance with the 1990 Defense Acquisition Workforce 

Improvement Act. Certification is the procedure through which a military service or DoD 

Component determines that an employee meets the education, training, and experience 

standards required for a career level in any acquisition, technology, and logistics career field.

Current Federal Employees:

To apply as a current federal employee, you must be currently serving on a permanent 

(career/career-conditional, block 24 on your Notification of Personnel Action, SF-50), competitive 

service appointment. Additionally, you may also apply if you are serving on a Veterans Recruitment 

Appointment (VRA) excepted service appointment in a competitive service agency (block 34 on 

your SF-50).

DoD Priority Placement Program (PPP): 

Selections for this position must first be cleared through the DoD PPP to ensure registered displaced, 

through no fault of their own, DoD employees receive priority consideration for this or any other 

DoD position for which they qualify.

Drug Testing Designated Positions:

If the announcement specifies the position is a drug testing designated position under the 

"Conditions of Employment" area, all applicants tentatively selected will be required to submit to 

urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment and periodically thereafter.

Emergency Essential Positions:

A position is designated as emergency essential if an employee of the Department of Defense, the 

duties of whose position meet all of the following criteria:

(1) It is the duty of the employee to provide immediate and continuing support for combat 

operations or to support maintenance and repair of combat essential systems of the armed forces. 

(2) It is necessary for the employee to perform that duty in a combat zone after the evacuation of 

nonessential personnel, including any dependents of members of the armed forces, from the zone in 

connection with a war, a national emergency declared by Congress or the President, or the 

commencement of combat operations of the armed forces in the zone. 

(3) A position based designation to support the success of combat operations or the availability of 

combat-essential systems. Essential positions are not to be filled by persons with military recall 

status (one who is in status of a Ready Reserve, Standby Reserve, or is military retiree subject to 

recall to active duty).
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Mission Essential Positions:

Federal government is directed to be equipped and continue to perform essential functions during 

contingency operations, natural disasters, extreme weather situations or other emergency situations. 

These mission essential functions are existing functions that enable the Federal government to continue 

to provide the necessary, vital services during time of need and require great commitment of the civilian 

employee.

Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA):

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is the law that governs premium pay and overtime for most 

clerical, technical and administrative support positions. Jobs not covered (exempt) by the Act are 

typically Executive, Administrative and Professional positions.

How to Apply:

When reviewing vacancy announcements for which you wish to apply, make sure you follow the 

application instructions in the “How to Apply” and “Required Documents” section of each announcement.

Managerial or Supervisory Probation:

Management and supervisor jobs require you to complete a one year probationary if you have not 

already done so. If you have served a managerial or supervisory probation in a Federal job previously 

you may be exempt from this requirement.

Moving Expenses:

If the announcement indicates “PCS is authorized”, then the majority of the costs associated with 

relocating to a new geographic area to accept a position will be paid. Even if the position indicates that 

moving costs will be paid, no applicant or selectee should incur any expenses associated with relocating 

until the point that they have a firm job offer and have been advised that they may do so.

No FEAR Act Information:

On May 15, 2002, Congress enacted the "Notification and Federal Employee Antidiscrimination and 

Retaliation Act of 2002", which is known as the No FEAR Act. The Defense Logistics Agency provides No 

FEAR information to current employees, former employees, and applicants for employment to inform 

them of the rights and protections available under Federal antidiscrimination, whistleblower protection 

and retaliation laws. The No FEAR notice can be found at: NoFEAR Report (dla.mil).

Open Continuous Announcements: 

Announcements open for an extended period used to accept applications in anticipation of recurring 

vacancies. Your resume/application will be reviewed only if a request to fill a vacancy is received in the 

Human Resources Office. All applications received by the cut-off dates established in the announcement 

will be considered. Your status will change only if a request is received to fill a position.

Overseas Information: 

If you are applying for a vacancy located overseas additional information regarding overseas 

employment can be found at Overseas.

Probationary or Trial Period:

New employees are required to serve an initial probationary/trial period. Employees may be required 

to serve an additional probationary/trial period when receiving a new appointment.

Qualifications:

Part-Time or Unpaid Experience: Credit will be given for appropriate unpaid and or part-time 

work. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total 

number of hours per week. 
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Using Your Education to Qualify: Some positions require education to meet basic 

qualifications or allow you to qualify substituting education for experience. You MUST provide a 

complete copy of transcripts, licenses, etc. to support your educational claims. The transcripts 

must include your name, the name of the college or university, class/course list, completed 

number of credits/hours, and the date degree conferred (if applicable). Education must be 

accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Licenses 

must be current at time of application. If you claim qualifications based on education, and do not 

submit a transcript, your education will not be used in making a qualification determination and 

you may be found "not qualified”.

Reemployed Annuitant: 

A former Federal employee who has retired under either the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) or 

Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) is an Annuitant. An annuitant cannot be hired (i.e. 

reemployed) unless the vacant position meets the criteria in the Department of Defense (DOD) policy on 

employment of annuitants issued December 10, 2008. When Conditions of Employment in the Job 

Opportunity Announcement states "Reemployed Annuitant: Does Not Meet Criteria" the vacancy does 

not meet the criteria for appointment of annuitants (irrespective of eligibility or qualifications). Annuitant 

applicants are advised, in accordance with DoD Policy, that further consideration for the vacancy is not 

permitted. DoD Policy

Disability Retirement Annuitant: 

A disability annuitant may be reemployed in a temporary or permanent position and given the same 

type of appointment that would be given to any other person appointed to the position. It is not 

necessary for OPM to find you recovered before the agency appoints you to a permanent position. If 

the physical and medical requirements of the position are similar to those of the position from which 

you retired or there is a reasonable question of your ability to perform, the agency may conduct a preemployment examination or require submission of medical documentation before appointment. A 

retiree's annuity is terminated upon reemployment in the Federal service when the annuity is based on 

disability and OPM has found the annuitant recovered or restored to earning capacity prior to 

reemployment or the annuitant is under age 60 and is reemployed in a position equivalent in tenure and 

pay to the position from which retired.

Security requirements on the announcement:

The announcement will specify the position sensitivity and security access under the "Conditions of 

Employment" area. If selected, you must be able to obtain and maintain the level of access and 

clearance required. If you are unable to obtain this level of access (as a result of undisclosed or 

disclosed background issues), within a reasonable period of time (as defined by the agency), the 

employment offer may be withdrawn based on mission impact. Applicants are not required to 

currently hold the required security clearance level at the time of application. In addition, incumbent 

is subject to periodic re-investigation to maintain security eligibility in accordance with DoD 5200.2-

R.

For detailed information: Non Critical-Sensitive

For detailed information: Critical Sensitive

Selective Service Requirement:

If you are a male born after December 31, 1959, and are at least 18 years of age, civil service 

employment (5 U.S.C. 3328) requires that you must be registered with the Selective Service System, 

unless you meet certain exemptions under Selective Service law. If you are required to register but 

knowingly and willfully fail to do so, you are ineligible for appointment by executive agencies of the 

Federal Government. 
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Special Priority Consideration Under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance

Program (ICTAP): 

If you are a recently displaced Federal employee, you may be entitled to receive special priority 

consideration under ICTAP. To be well qualified for this vacancy, displaced federal employees must be 

rated in the Highly Qualified Category.

Time After Competitive Appointment Requirement:

This requirement applies to individuals appointed from an announcement for a permanent appointment. 

These employees are not allowed to apply for promotion, reassignment, detail, or transfer to a different 

position or to a different geographical area until they have served three months in that appointment. 

For this requirement, a competitive appointment is one where the employee applied and was appointed 

from an announcement open to “All US Citizens”.

Time-in-Grade:

Time-in-grade applies to the promotion of current and former federal employees who have held a GS 

position in the previous 52 weeks. Generally, employees applying for GS jobs must serve at least one 

year at the next lower grade level. 

Time-in-grade restrictions do not apply to former federal employees who have had a break in service of 

more than one year. Time-in-grade does not apply to applicants applying for a new appointment on a 

Public (open to All US Citizens) vacancy announcement. Current Federal employees who apply using 

VEOA eligibility will be subject to Time-in-grade. Applicants must meet Time-in-Grade by the closing 

date of the announcement.

Travel Requirements:

Some positions require travel. For jobs requiring travel, the announcement will state the amount of 

travel required that may be required. 

• Not Required None

• Occasional travel (less than 25%)

• 25% or greater

• 50% or greater

• 75% or greater

Who May Apply/Area of Consideration:

The area of consideration is referred to as “Who May Apply” within the vacancy announcements. It 

describes the individuals willing to accept applications from. It may be restricted to a limited group of 

individuals (e.g. All DLA permanent civilian employees), broad to accept individuals with appointment 

eligibilities or open to all U.S. citizens. If you are not within the area of consideration for the vacancy 

announcement, your application will not be considered. It is very important you read the announcement 

and understand the supporting documentation required (e.g. proof of disability).

OTHER INFORMATION:

The United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, 

sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, age, 

membership in an employee organization, or other non-merit factor. Refer to these links for more 

information:

GENERAL INFORMATION 

ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION 

FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES, 

E-Verify - Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Notice (English Version),
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E-Verify - Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Notice (Spanish Version),

Right To Work (English Version)

Right To Work (Spanish Version)