Security Clearance:
· Secret
Education/Certifications Mandatory:
· Hold a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree and maintain an active bar license in any U.S. jurisdiction.
Work Experience Mandatory:
FOIA Specialist Qualifications
Each FOIA Specialist must meet the minimum qualifications listed below:
· Be a United States citizen.
· Hold a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree and maintain an active bar license in any U.S. jurisdiction.
· Have at least two years of experience processing FOIA requests for a federal government agency.
· Have at least two years of experience processing FOIA requests that required interagency
coordination and clearance, including consultations with other federal agencies.
· Have at least four years of experience processing FOIA requests within the Executive Office of the President or supporting FOIA operations for a component of the Executive Office of the President.
· If no suitable candidates with this experience are available, CEQ may waive this requirement after consultation with the BPA holder.
· FOIA Specialists meeting this requirement shall be prioritized for selection by the BPA holder.
· Have served as a subject matter expert in the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Privacy
· Act (PA), performing functions associated with reviewing and processing responsive records,
· including identifying applicable exemptions, redacting portions of records that cannot be released to requesters, and identifying records requiring special processing.
· Demonstrate experience applying FOIA exemptions during substantive document review,
including familiarity with the privileges incorporated within FOIA Exemptions 5 and 6.
· Have experience performing quality control review of FOIA productions to verify exemption
application, redaction accuracy, and release readiness.
· Demonstrate strong attention to detail, organizational skills, and the ability to meet deadlines
efficiently.
· Demonstrate the ability to multitask and manage multiple concurrent projects.
· Demonstrate proficiency with Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat, and an electronic discovery or
document review platform (e.g., Nuix Discover or similar tools).
· All proposed FOIA Specialists must have demonstrated experience performing substantive FOIA document review and exemption analysis, and not solely administrative or case management support functions.
Roles and Responsibilities:
FOIA Processing & Case Management
· Process FOIA requests and administrative appeals in accordance with 5 U.S.C. § 552.
· Review incoming requests for completeness; draft acknowledgment letters and requester communications.
· Track statutory deadlines and maintain FOIA tracking systems.
· Assist in evaluating expedited processing and fee waiver requests.
Records Search & Review
· Develop and execute search strategies to identify responsive records across electronic and hardcopy systems.
· Conduct document review using eDiscovery platforms (e.g., Nuix Discover, SharePoint).
· Determine responsiveness and apply appropriate metadata coding.
Document Review, Exemptions & Redactions
· Perform detailed, line-by-line review of records.
· Apply FOIA exemptions, especially Exemptions 5 and 6.
· Execute accurate redactions using tools such as Adobe Acrobat.
· Ensure redacted documents are legally compliant and release-ready.
De-duplication & Organization
· Identify and eliminate duplicate records.
· Organize and manage large datasets of documents for efficient review and release.
Consultations & Referrals
· Identify records requiring interagency coordination.
· Manage referrals and consultations with other federal agencies.
Release Preparation
· Compile and prepare final FOIA response packages.
· Ensure proper formatting, redactions, exemption markings, and document counts.
FOIA Appeals & Litigation Support
· Assist with administrative appeals, including re-reviews and additional searches.
· Support litigation activities by:
· Preparing Vaughn indexes
· Organizing administrative records
· Drafting declarations and litigation materials
· Coordinate with Department of Justice and agency counsel.
Tracking & Reporting
· Maintain accurate logs of FOIA processing activities.
· Support preparation of:
· Annual FOIA Reports
· Chief FOIA Officer Reports
· Other program metrics and reporting requirements
Pay: $100,000.00 - $110,000.00 per year
Application Question(s):
- Do you hold any active security clearance
- Do you have a J.D. degree and an active U.S. bar license
- Do you have experience performing substantive FOIA document review and applying FOIA exemptions, including Exemptions 5 and 6
- Do you have at least four years of federal FOIA processing experience
Work Location: In person
