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    Senior Scientific and Technical Advisor Sentinel Systems - Kirtland Air Force Base, United States - Department of the Air Force - Agency Wide

    Department of the Air Force - Agency Wide
    Department of the Air Force - Agency Wide Kirtland Air Force Base, United States

    3 weeks ago

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    Description
    Summary

    Click on "Learn more about this agency" button below for IMPORTANT additional information.

    The primary purpose of this position is to lead and advise on Air Force efforts on the acquisition and development of the Sentinel weapon system. This evaluation will focus on the nation's current Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) systems and will have ramifications for new acquisitions including significant impact on emerging technologies.

    This job is open to
    • The public

      U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
    Duties

    This position serves as the most senior Air Force (AF) and AF Nuclear Weapons Center (AFNWC) technical advisor and expert authority on the Sentinel weapon system and Digital Engineering technology with responsibility for providing advice and guidance to the highest AF and government officials. This position will oversee the acquisition and engineering development of an $83B ACAT1 Acquisition Program for the U.S. Air Force and the Department of Defense as a replacement for the existing Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) System. Leadership responsibilities for this position cross governments (NATO, US/United Kingdom), agencies (Department of Defense/Department of Energy), Services (Navy, AF), MAJCOMS (e.g. AFGSC, AFMC, USAFE), and Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDC) including the National Laboratories at Lawrence Livermore, Los Alamos and Sandia.

    1. The incumbent serves as a nationally/internationally recognized scientific and technical authority to provide advice and guidance to the highest Air Force and government officials, as well as to immediate and newest national nuclear weapon system programs. Serves as a catalyst for creative thinking on new technologies in the Digital Engineering area. Ensures that resources are focused and expended efficiently and effectively to exploit state-of-the-art Digital Engineering technology relative to the cradle to grave development of an ACAT1 major nuclear weapon.

    2. As a nationally recognized scientific expert, the incumbent provides technical expertise, stature, and experience necessary to serve as a consultant on Sentinel matters, advising industry, professional associations, institutions, societies, and allies. When required, serves on national/international panels and committees for the purpose of providing expert and authoritative Scientific and Engineering (S&E) advice on complex issues and problems relating to Sentinel and future nuclear weapons programs.

    3. As a technical authority for Sentinel, the incumbent leads S&E efforts within the Air Force. The incumbent works with PEOs, high ranking military and civilian program managers, supporting research organizations, and other supporting agencies and contractors in providing expertise to assist in the validation of system requirements, evaluating the state of health of current systems, and assessing the readiness of the ICBM and Sentinel infrastructure to meet mission needs. The incumbent leads S&E efforts by initiating and recommending new studies and programs to exploit state-of-the-art technologies for the Sentinel program; conducts long-range studies; coordinates on technical requirements; identifies the direction that technical studies should take to culminate in the most productive solutions; and evaluates S&E efforts and approaches to overcome critical and unforeseen development, acquisition and sustainment issues.

    4. The incumbent leads authoritative scientific reviews and evaluations for Air Force and joint Service projects; develops, promotes, and applies Digital Engineering technology to nuclear warfighting capabilities; recommends continuation/cessation of S&E efforts or other appropriate actions to ensure Sentinel requirements are in current and future nuclear weapon systems and related nuclear-certified systems; and advises to ensure solutions are comprehensive and consistent with state-of-the-art S&E and Digital Engineering principles, best practices, and operational and sustainment program objectives.

    Requirements

    Conditions of Employment
    • U.S. citizenship is required
    • If authorized, PCS will be paid IAW JTR and AF Regulations. If receiving an authorized PCS, you may be subject to completing/signing a CONUS agreement. More information on PCS requirements, may be found at:
    • Males must be registered for Selective Service, see
    • Position is designated as a Testing Designated Position (TDP). Position requires the incumbent sign a Drug Testing letter and pass urinalysis testing prior to appointment.
    • Must have or be able to obtain a TOP SECRET/SCI Security clearance.
    • Recruitment/Relocation Incentive may be offered.
    • Active Duty Military Members must indicate retirement eligibility.
    • Within the Department of Defense (DoD), the appointment of retired military members within 180 days immediately following retirement date to a civilian position is subject to the provisions of 5 United States Code 3326.
    • Disclosure of Political Appointments
    • EXECUTIVE PERSONNEL FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE REPORT (Standard Form 278). Selected candidate must file this report in accordance with the Ethics in Government Act of 1978.
    • Applicants in receipt of an annuity based on civilian employment in the Federal Service are subject to the DoD Policy on The Employment of Annuitants.
    Qualifications

    Eligibility will be based upon a clear showing the applicant has training, education and experience of the scope and quality sufficient to effectively carry-out the duties of the position. Candidates must exemplify the corporate perspective, leadership vision, broad experience and character needed in the SES corps not only to satisfy the immediate vacancy, but future vacancies which will occur in a variety of organizations, functions and locations.

    A. MANDATORY TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (NTE 6 Pages Total): A supplemental statement must be submitted separately addressing each TQ. TQs must provide specific examples that address relevant experience and accomplishments. Applicants should focus on recent experience, education, and training, as some Recruitment Panel members may consider experience that's over 10 years old to be outdated. The MTQ write-up should not exceed 6 pages total. Applicants must reflect superior technical qualifications demonstrated through leadership and management in the following:

    1. Significant technical achievements that advanced the organization's mission and expanded the body knowledge in the field of nuclear weapons and/or delivery systems.

    2. Demonstrated leadership experience initiating, planning, coordinating, evaluating and conducting basic and applied research and development that increases Department of the Air Force capabilities relative to key nuclear and digital engineering/advanced technology areas.

    3. Knowledge of implementing cyber security principles and processes for R&D and operational systems.

    B. MANDATORY SENIOR PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS (NTE 3 Pages Total): Upload in PDF format - Applicants should focus on recent experience, education, and training, as some Recruitment Panel and Executive Resources Board members may consider experience that's over 10 years old to be outdated. Supplemental statement addressing the following: Limit your responses to 1 page per SPQ and upload as a PDF titled SPQ.(1) Contributions:(2) Leadership:(3) Professional Stature:

    C. ST QUALIFICATIONS: ST positions require substantial experience and significant scientific contributions related to the scientific disciplines and topic areas described in this position description. The candidate must have at least 3 years of specialized experience in, or closely related to, the field in which the candidate will work; and at least 1 year of this experience (must have been in planning and executing difficult programs of national significance or planning and executing specialized programs that show outstanding attainments in the field of research or consultation. Experience can include paid and unpaid experience, including federal/non-federal government, volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience.

    1. To meet the minimum requirements for this Department of the Air Force ST position, you must have (1) year of specialized experience at the GS-14/GG-14/NH-04 or equivalent or specialized experience obtained in the private sector related to the duties of this ST position.

    Education

    Position requires a high level of experience in fields related to the S&E research, development, sustainment, recapitalization, integration, and modernization of current and future nuclear weapon systems, subsystems, components, and equipment, with demonstrated expertise in Digital Engineering. In addition, knowledge of areas of technology peripheral to the technical specialty is required in order to affect coupling of efforts to address practical AF problems. Also required is a high level of experience in establishing, altering, interpreting, and implementing policy requirements across a diverse portfolio of acquisition and sustainment programs. Incumbent must possess a high-level of personal initiative, creative problem-solving skills, the ability to rapidly formulate and communicate decisions on technical matters within the broad field of expertise, and the ability to present and defend independent positions at the highest levels of government. Achievement of DoD and national/international recognition as an expert authority in Digital Engineering and nuclear weapons technology is requisite.

    1. This position is an interdisciplinary professional position involving duties and responsibilities closely related to more than one professional occupation. As a result, the nature of the work is such that persons with education and experience in one of the two different professions (listed below) may be considered equally well qualified to do the work. To be qualified, the incumbent must meet one of the education requirements for one of the two occupational series listed below (Note: Acceptable combinations of education and experience for each series are listed on the OPM website under the General Schedule Qualification Standards):

    a) General Engineering series requires: a professional engineering degree from an accredited institution is required. To be acceptable, the curriculum must: (1) be in a school of engineering with at least one curriculum accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) as a professional engineering curriculum; or (2) include differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first-year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics; (a) statics, dynamics; (b) strength of materials (stress-strain relationships); (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics; (d) thermodynamics; (e) electrical fields and circuits; (f) nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); and (g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics; or a combination of education and experience.

    (b) General Physical Science series requires: A degree in physical science, engineering, or mathematics that included 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science such as mechanics, dynamics, properties of materials, and electronics; or a combination of education and experience-education equivalent to one of the majors shown in above that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

    An advanced degree or doctorate in science, engineering or a related professional discipline is very highly desired.

    Additional information

    Education: A bachelor's degree from an accredited institution is desired. A master's or advanced degree from an accredited institution is highly desired. An undergraduate technical degree or an advanced degree in either a technical or management field is highly desired.

    Veterans' Preference: Veterans' preference is not applicable to Scientific and Professional (ST) positions.

    Relocation Authorized: Payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs is authorized in accordance with the Joint Travel Regulations (JTR).

    Recruitment/Relocation Incentive: May be offered.

    Direct Deposit: All federal employees are required to have direct deposit.

    If you have questions regarding this announcement and have hearing or speech difficulties click here.

    Tax Law Impact for PCS: On 22-Dec-2017, Public Law the "Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017" suspended qualified moving expense deductions along with the exclusion for employer reimbursements and payments of moving expenses effective 01-Jan-2018 for tax years 2018 through 2025. When you perform a Civilian Permanent Change of Station (PCS) with the government, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) considers the majority of your entitlements to be taxable. Visit GSA Bulletin FTR 20-04 here for additional information.
    • Benefits

      A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

      Review our benefits

      Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
    How You Will Be Evaluated

    You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

    Applications will be evaluated against the foregoing qualification requirements. Failure to meet any one of the mandatory technical or senior professional qualification standards will eliminate a candidate from further consideration. Candidates will be evaluated for this position by a screening panel composed of a diverse mix of senior executives and/or general officers selected for organizational and/or functional backgrounds relevant to this position. The panel discusses each application and reaches consensus as to the Best Qualified, Qualified or Not Qualified candidates. Only the Best Qualified candidates will be interviewed. The panel will then make a recommendation of those Best Qualified candidates who should be referred to the selecting official, in priority order. Final selection is contingent upon USecAF approval.

    REMINDER: Before uploading your required PDF documents (Resume, Technical Qualification narrative, Senior Professional Qualifications), please ensure they DO NOT EXCEED the noted page limits.
    • Benefits

      A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

      Review our benefits

      Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
    • Required Documents

      As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.

      To receive full consideration, each applicant must submit the documents in the format as designated. Packages that do not include all of the required documents or meet format requirements will not be forwarded for consideration.

      ALL DOCUMENTS MUST BE UPLOADED IN PDF FORMAT

      The Qualifications Documents must be formatted using Times New Roman, size 12 font, with 1-inch margins. Do not use borders, provide photos, or list a Social Security Number on any of the Qualifications Documents. DO NOT COMBINE DOCUMENTS.

      A. Resume in the preferred (Limit 5 pages). Upload in PDF format. PLEASE DO NOT USE USAJOBS RESUME BUILDER.

      B. Mandatory Technical Qualifications Statement addressing each of the TQs (NTE 6 pages Total). Upload in PDF format and include the MTQ statement as indicated in the announcement.

      C. Mandatory Senior Professional Qualifications briefly addressing all 3 factors (NTE 3 pages Total). Upload in PDF format. Current OR former ST career/career conditional employees not required to provide a separate narrative response to the Senior Professional Qualifications. However, you must include a copy your ST career/career conditional appointment (please submit SF50).

      D. Most recent completed Performance Appraisal (current and/or former federal employees) or Performance Report (OPR or EPR). For applicants in the private sector, please provide a copy of your equivalent Evaluation Report.

      E. Most recent Notification of Personnel Action, SF-50, noting your current position, grade level and salary level (applies only to current or former civilian government employee).

      F. College transcript(s) (copy is acceptable) which demonstrates the acceptable combinations of education and experience as noted by OPM.

      G. Military: Retired - a copy of your DD214 and/or Retirement orders; Active Duty - submit a Statement of Service Letter and state highest rank held date of promotion and date eligible to retire or date of retirement. Documents are required.

      H. (Optional): Ethnicity and Race Identification, SF-181Form available at:

      I. (Optional): Self-Identification of Disability, SF-256Form available at:

      DO NOT SUBMIT ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Extraneous materials such as copies of position descriptions, award certificates and transmittal letters will not be forwarded for review.

      If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

      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. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from
      schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

      Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
    • How to Apply

      Please follow the below instructions to submit applications. Any applications received that do not include all of the required documents or do not meet format requirements will not be forwarded for consideration.

      The complete Application Package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 06/02/2024.

      To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the application questionnaire. Please ensure you click the Submit My Application button at the end of the process.

      PLEASE NOTE: It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that information entered and/or uploaded, (i.e., resume) is received, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. You may verify your documents have been processed with your application package successfully. You can access your USAJOBS account to do so by clicking here. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.

      Human Resources WILL NOT modify or change any answers submitted by an applicant.

      PREFERRED RESUME FORMAT: (Limit 5 pages/Times New Roman 12-font) (Do Not Use the USAJOBS Resume Builder) - Please submit a typewritten resume (upload as a PDF), including the following information:

      Job Information: Announcement number (MRL2024-18A) and title of the position to which you are applying.

      Personal Information: Full name, mailing address (with zip code), day and evening phone numbers (with area code) and complete e-mail address where you would like to receive correspondence regarding your application. **PLEASE DO NOT INCLUDE SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER**

      Active-Duty/Retired Military: State highest rank held, date of promotion and date eligible to retire or date of retirement. (e.g., Colonel/June 2006/December NOTE: IAW 5 U.S.C. 3326, a 180-day waiver will be required for retired or retiring members of the armed forces during the period of 180 days immediately after retirement.

      Education: Educational information, including the name, city and state of colleges or universities you attended, as well as the type and year of any degree received. Report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For more information, you may refer to the following U.S. Department of Education website:

      Work Experience: Give the following information for your paid and non-paid work experience related to the job for which you are applying: (Do not send job descriptions).

      - Starting and ending dates (month and year)

      - Job title (for government position, include civilian series and grade or military rank)

      - Employer's name and address

      - Supervisor's name and phone number, please indicate if we may contact your current supervisor

      - Salary (current)

      *Applicants should focus on recency of experience, hiring officials may consider experience over 10 years outdated.

      References: Provide the names, addresses and telephone numbers of three individuals who can comment on your qualifications for this position. Please do not list supervisors already listed above.

      This agency provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please notify this office. The decision on granting reasonable accommodations will be on a case-by-case basis.

      SAF/MRL CONTACT INFORMATION: Questions regarding this announcement may be directed to Virginia Reynolds at

      Agency contact information

      Terence Lee

      Phone



      Email

      Address

      AF Senior Executive Management

      1040 Air Force Pentagon Room 4D

      Washington, DC 20330

      US

      Next steps

      Once your application package is received an acknowledgement email will be sent.

      If you provided an email address, you will receive an email message acknowledging receipt of your application. Your application package will be used to determine your eligibility and qualifications for consideration. If you are determined to be ineligible or not qualified, your application will receive no further consideration.

      To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account, select My Applications, and click on the more information link under the application status for this position.

      If you do not provide an email address, you are responsible for checking status updates and notifications in USAJOBS. Hard copy notifications will not be sent to you.
    • Fair and Transparent

      The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
      • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
      • Criminal history inquiries
      • Reasonable accommodation policy
      • Financial suitability
      • Selective Service
      • New employee probationary period
      • Signature and false statements
      • Privacy Act
      • Social security number request
    Required Documents

    To receive full consideration, each applicant must submit the documents in the format as designated. Packages that do not include all of the required documents or meet format requirements will not be forwarded for consideration.

    ALL DOCUMENTS MUST BE UPLOADED IN PDF FORMAT

    The Qualifications Documents must be formatted using Times New Roman, size 12 font, with 1-inch margins. Do not use borders, provide photos, or list a Social Security Number on any of the Qualifications Documents. DO NOT COMBINE DOCUMENTS.

    A. Resume in the preferred (Limit 5 pages). Upload in PDF format. PLEASE DO NOT USE USAJOBS RESUME BUILDER.

    B. Mandatory Technical Qualifications Statement addressing each of the TQs (NTE 6 pages Total). Upload in PDF format and include the MTQ statement as indicated in the announcement.

    C. Mandatory Senior Professional Qualifications briefly addressing all 3 factors (NTE 3 pages Total). Upload in PDF format. Current OR former ST career/career conditional employees not required to provide a separate narrative response to the Senior Professional Qualifications. However, you must include a copy your ST career/career conditional appointment (please submit SF50).

    D. Most recent completed Performance Appraisal (current and/or former federal employees) or Performance Report (OPR or EPR). For applicants in the private sector, please provide a copy of your equivalent Evaluation Report.

    E. Most recent Notification of Personnel Action, SF-50, noting your current position, grade level and salary level (applies only to current or former civilian government employee).

    F. College transcript(s) (copy is acceptable) which demonstrates the acceptable combinations of education and experience as noted by OPM.

    G. Military: Retired - a copy of your DD214 and/or Retirement orders; Active Duty - submit a Statement of Service Letter and state highest rank held date of promotion and date eligible to retire or date of retirement. Documents are required.

    H. (Optional): Ethnicity and Race Identification, SF-181Form available at:

    I. (Optional): Self-Identification of Disability, SF-256Form available at:

    DO NOT SUBMIT ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Extraneous materials such as copies of position descriptions, award certificates and transmittal letters will not be forwarded for review.

    If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

    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. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from
    schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

    Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

    How to Apply

    Please follow the below instructions to submit applications. Any applications received that do not include all of the required documents or do not meet format requirements will not be forwarded for consideration.

    The complete Application Package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 06/02/2024.

    To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the application questionnaire. Please ensure you click the Submit My Application button at the end of the process.

    PLEASE NOTE: It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that information entered and/or uploaded, (i.e., resume) is received, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. You may verify your documents have been processed with your application package successfully. You can access your USAJOBS account to do so by clicking here. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.

    Human Resources WILL NOT modify or change any answers submitted by an applicant.

    PREFERRED RESUME FORMAT: (Limit 5 pages/Times New Roman 12-font) (Do Not Use the USAJOBS Resume Builder) - Please submit a typewritten resume (upload as a PDF), including the following information:

    Job Information: Announcement number (MRL2024-18A) and title of the position to which you are applying.

    Personal Information: Full name, mailing address (with zip code), day and evening phone numbers (with area code) and complete e-mail address where you would like to receive correspondence regarding your application. **PLEASE DO NOT INCLUDE SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER**

    Active-Duty/Retired Military: State highest rank held, date of promotion and date eligible to retire or date of retirement. (e.g., Colonel/June 2006/December NOTE: IAW 5 U.S.C. 3326, a 180-day waiver will be required for retired or retiring members of the armed forces during the period of 180 days immediately after retirement.

    Education: Educational information, including the name, city and state of colleges or universities you attended, as well as the type and year of any degree received. Report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For more information, you may refer to the following U.S. Department of Education website:

    Work Experience: Give the following information for your paid and non-paid work experience related to the job for which you are applying: (Do not send job descriptions).

    - Starting and ending dates (month and year)

    - Job title (for government position, include civilian series and grade or military rank)

    - Employer's name and address

    - Supervisor's name and phone number, please indicate if we may contact your current supervisor

    - Salary (current)

    *Applicants should focus on recency of experience, hiring officials may consider experience over 10 years outdated.

    References: Provide the names, addresses and telephone numbers of three individuals who can comment on your qualifications for this position. Please do not list supervisors already listed above.

    This agency provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please notify this office. The decision on granting reasonable accommodations will be on a case-by-case basis.

    SAF/MRL CONTACT INFORMATION: Questions regarding this announcement may be directed to Virginia Reynolds at

    Agency contact information

    Terence Lee

    Phone



    Email

    Address

    AF Senior Executive Management

    1040 Air Force Pentagon Room 4D

    Washington, DC 20330

    US

    Next steps

    Once your application package is received an acknowledgement email will be sent.

    If you provided an email address, you will receive an email message acknowledging receipt of your application. Your application package will be used to determine your eligibility and qualifications for consideration. If you are determined to be ineligible or not qualified, your application will receive no further consideration.

    To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account, select My Applications, and click on the more information link under the application status for this position.

    If you do not provide an email address, you are responsible for checking status updates and notifications in USAJOBS. Hard copy notifications will not be sent to you.

    Fair & Transparent

    The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
    • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
    • Reasonable accommodation policy
    • Criminal history inquiries
    • Financial suitability
    • Selective Service
    • New employee probationary period
    • Signature and false statements
    • Privacy Act
    • Social security number request