Attorney-Advisor (General)

About the role

This position is located in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Office of the General Counsel (OGC), General Law Division (GLD).

The primary purpose of this position is to support the Department by providing legal advice and counsel on acquisitions and procurement to DHS procurement and program officials and represent DHS in bid protests and claims appeals at various fora. Non-BU: This is a non-bargaining unit position.

What you will do

• Advising clients verbally and in writing on legal issues related to acquisition and procurement during all stages of the procurement process and providing training to clients on various procurement topics.
• Advising on acquisition planning, exceptions to competition, solicitation language, evaluation of offerors, preparing of contract award decisions, debriefings, award documents, and contract administration matters.
• Assisting clients during internal and external reviews and audits and assisting in the determination of what information is releasable.
• Coordinating with program offices and other OGC disciplines on acquisitions, litigation, and other legal matters and providing legal advice to management and program officials to ensure actions are taken in accordance with governing laws, regulations, and policies, and provide advice to avoid the development of litigation and other legal challenges.
• Serving as lead attorney in agency-level protests, Government Accountability Office (GAO) bid protests, and contract appeals filed before the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals (CBCA) and assisting Department of Justice (DOJ) on claims or protests at the U.S. Court of Federal Claims (COFC) or the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC).
• View common definitions of terms found in this announcement: Common Definitions.

Education

Applicants must be a graduate of a law school accredited by the American Bar Association.

You must submit a copy of both your law school and college transcript with your application.

Unofficial transcripts will be accepted. Official transcripts will be required if you are selected for the position.

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications; applicant's resumes and supporting documentation should only reflect education received from schools accredited by such institutions.

Applicants can verify accreditation at the following Website: ***

If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency (a U.S. private organization's interpretation that such education has been deemed at least equivalent to conventional U.S. education programs) with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education.

For more information regarding evaluation of foreign education for federal employment, please visit the U.S. Department of Education webpage on the Recognition of Foreign Qualifications.

How you will be evaluated

We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements.

If you meet the minimum qualifications, your experience, education and training will be rated using a job questionnaire that is based on the following competencies or knowledge, skills and abilities needed to perform this job: Ability to identify issues, conduct legal research, analyze options and risks, and provide recommendations on all pre-award procurement matters such as solicitation packages, statements of work, contract specifications and source selections.

Experience advising clients and representing the Government when protests are filed with the Agency or Government Accountability Office (GAO) and assisting the Department of Justice (DOJ) on cases filed in Federal court.

Skills dealing with complex legal issues, with particular emphasis on federal acquisition and procurement law issues and/or cybersecurity and information technology (IT) acquisition and procurement law issues. Ability to conduct legal research to provide oral and written advice on all post-award contract matters such as contract modifications, terminations and cancellations.

Ability to apply federal government acquisition and procurement laws, including policies, procedures and regulations to address issues or as part of a review of procurement files. Ability to engage with senior level officials, whether within the Executive Branch, the Congress, or the private sector.

If you are the best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview.

To preview the job questionnaire and application, click *** The Office of the General Counsel (OGC) will evaluate qualified applicants by comparing each candidate's qualifications to those pertinent to the position. OGC will consider relevant skills and experience, education and training, performance, and awards.

If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have overstated your qualifications and/or experience, you may be removed from consideration or your score may be lowered.

Application of Veterans' Preference: There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Homeland Security considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring.

Applicants eligible for veterans' preference are encouraged to include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., DD form 214 or other substantiating documents) to their submissions. Consideration may be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards as an indicator of quality of prior experience.

Interviews are required for this position.

Failure to complete the interview may result in removal from further consideration.

Documents you must provide

• Your resume (click the link for information on what to include).
• If you are a current or former Federal employee, your resume must indicate the GS or pay band level for each position held.
• Your responses to the job questionnaire. *** A copy of your law school transcript (unofficial is acceptable) from an institution accredited by the American Bar Association.
• In addition, a copy of your college transcript (unofficial is acceptable).
• Once selected and prior to appointment, applicants must provide an official transcript for both college and law school.
• A legal writing sample not to exceed 10 pages.
• Proof that you are an active member in good standing of the bar of the highest court of a State, U.S. Commonwealth, U.S. territory, or the District of Columbia.
• Are you a current or former Federal employee?
• Submit your most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, which shows competitive or excepted service appointment, tenure group, and salary.
• If you are applying for a higher grade, please submit the SF-50 showing the highest (permanent) grade ever held, if different from your current grade.
• Please note: Performance award, Details, and Realignments are not acceptable SF-50s.
• You must provide acceptable documentation of your preference.
• The member 4 copy of your DD214 "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," is preferable.
• If claiming 10-point preference, you will need to submit a Standard Form (SF-15), "Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference." If applying based on eligibility under Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, you must submit certification from the Armed Forces that you will be discharged or released from active duty within 120 days from the date on the certification.
• This must indicate your dates of service, your rank, and confirm that you will be separated under honorable conditions.
• View more veterans' information.
• Are you a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee?
• Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment: Position title, Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee), Agency Beginning and ending dates of appointment.
• If you are referred, you may be asked to provide a copy of your recent performance appraisal and/or incentive awards.

What to expect next

Once you submit your application, we will assess your experience and training, identify the best-qualified applicants, and refer those applications to the hiring manager for further consideration and interviews. We will notify you by email after each of these steps has been completed. Your status will also be updated on USAJOBS throughout the process.

To check your status, log on to your USAJOBS account, click on "Application Status," and then click "More Information." We expect to make a job offer within several weeks after the deadline for applications. If you are selected, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation. View more information on applying for federal employment.

Note: If you receive a final job offer to onboard, please complete the onboarding forms and submit them electronically in an expeditious manner. Your start date may be delayed if the action above is not completed. DHS uses e-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States.

Learn more about e-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities. Any Offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Personnel Management guidance and U.S. Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring.

These authorities are subject to change. Multiple selections may be made from this announcement.

Additional information

The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR 213.3102(u), and or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR 315.707.

Veterans, Peace Corps, VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs.

To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.

Pursuant to Executive Order 12564 and DHS policy, DHS is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace and, therefore, conducts random and other drug testing of its employees in order to ensure a safe and healthy work environment.

Headquarters personnel in safety- or security-sensitive positions are subject to random drug testing and all applicants tentatively selected for employment at DHS Headquarters are subject to drug testing resulting in a negative test result. This position may be filled at the GS-14 or GS-15 grade level.

If selection is made at the GS-14 level, promotion to the next higher level may occur without further competition.

You will be required to complete an OGE 450, Confidential Financial Disclosure Form.

If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration of Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty.

False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment. Background Investigation: To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy.

To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully pass a background investigation for Secret clearance as a condition of placement in this Non-Critical Sensitive position.

This review may include financial issues such as delinquency in the payment of debts, child support and/or tax obligations, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs. This is a permanent appointment in the excepted service and will be filled on a full-time permanent basis.

Employees hired under an Excepted Service appointment are required to serve a two (2) year trial period, unless already completed.

Upon successful completion of the required trial period, this position will be permanent. This position does not confer non-competitive conversion to the competitive service. Acceptance of an excepted service appointment from applicants in the competitive service will require a written statement of understanding when voluntarily leaving the competitive service.