FOIA Support Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

CONTRACT INFORMATIONAgency: NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Office of the Assistant Administrator (OAA)Place of Performance: Silver Spring, MD (1315 East-West Highway, 20910); telework as authorizedPeriod of Performance: 07/22/2026 – 07/21/2027 (Base); up to 4 years with options POSITION OVERVIEWThe FOIA Support Specialist provides administrative, analytical, and records-processing support for NMFS OAA Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) activities. Work is performed using Government-approved procedures, templates, and systems. The Specialist does not make final FOIA release determinations or invoke exemptions as a final agency action - all determinations remain with the Government. KEY RESPONSIBILITIESFOIA Intake, Tracking, and Case Management:Review incoming FOIA requests for completeness; identify missing information, scope issues, deadlines, tolling events, and routing considerations for Government reviewCreate and update FOIA case records in Government-approved systems (e.g., FOIA Online, Clearwell, or successor eDiscovery platforms)Maintain a FOIA tracking dashboard with case number, requestor, date received, due date, owner, status, risks, next actions, and target completion datesMonitor case progress and alert the COR before cases approach statutory or internal due dates, backlog risk, or resource bottlenecksRecords Collection, Processing, and Review:Collect responsive records from SMEs and coordinators and place them in the approved staging area or system of recordImport, export, sort, organize, format, de-duplicate, and tag records using Government-approved categories and instructionsPerform first-pass review of records for responsiveness, duplicate status, consultation needs, sensitivity indicators, and potential redaction areas for Government reviewPrepare draft redaction recommendations and draft release packages for Government and OGC reviewPerform quality control checks on records packages (file format, pagination, search completeness, tagging consistency, redaction integrity, packaging completeness)Coordination and Communication Support:Prepare weekly taskers for SMEs including records requested, due dates, instructions, reminders, and status summariesPrepare draft correspondence, status updates, reports, briefings, and response materials for Government review and approvalCoordinate administrative package routing with OGC and track OGC commentsFOIA Reporting and Improvement:Prepare monthly and annual FOIA status reports including caseload, aging, backlog risks, completed actions, and process improvement recommendationsIdentify recurring bottlenecks and workflow improvement opportunities; propose practical corrective actions for Government considerationDevelop or update desk guides, checklists, templates, and written instructions for FOIA record review processes REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONSDemonstrated experience supporting FOIA processes including intake, records collection, organization, tagging, de-duplication, first-pass responsiveness review, and redaction supportExperience with FOIA Online or comparable FOIA case management systemsProficiency with Adobe Acrobat and Clearwell/eDiscovery tools or comparable platformsAbility to prepare draft redaction recommendations, release packages, and clear written/verbal instructions for record reviewersExperience preparing FOIA status reports and identifying workflow improvement opportunitiesStrong written and oral communication skillsProficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), Google Workspace (Gmail, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Meet), Adobe Acrobat, and SmartSheetAbility to learn NOAA/DOC systems and procedures quicklyMust be capable of obtaining and maintaining a suitability/public trust determination (Tier 1 or successor) and all required system access approvalsMust identify as a contractor in all written, electronic, and verbal communications per contract requirements