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Non-Competitive Recruitment Sources

By Human Capital

Under certain hiring authorities established by law or executive order, a hiring manager may hire candidates without having to go through the competitive process. Noncompetitive recruitment can be used as an alternative to posting a competitive vacancy announcement and can expedite the hiring process, especially for entry and mid-level positions.

Considering noncompetitive recruitment options before beginning the competitive process can allow for a more streamlined recruitment strategy. The following are some common noncompetitive hiring authorities you may consider and potential resources/contacts to obtain qualified candidates under these authorities.

Reach out to your servicing HR Specialist to discuss the various options using these authorities and for guidance in communicating with these resources. If you are conducting any outreach efforts as part of your recruitment, it’s important to collaborate with your servicing HR team member.

Non-Competitive Hiring Resources/Contacts (Use the scroll bar at the bottom to see the entire table.)
Hiring Option Description Resources
Disability Hiring

Schedule A Hiring

Authority		 This excepted service authority is used to

appoint individuals with physical, psychiatric,

or intellectual disabilities to any position

and grade level. Such individuals can be hired

into temporary (1-year or less), time-limited

(more than 1-year) or permanent excepted

service appointments and may be eligible

for conversion to a permanent competitive

service position after two years of

satisfactory service.		 → Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP) for

Students or Recent Graduates with Disabilities

→ To register on WRP and create an account:

Employers - Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP)

→ State Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies

→ Local Colleges and Universities:

Reach out to your local colleges and universities’

disability services office to learn how to best market

and recruit students with disabilities.
Peace Corps

Returned Peace Corps

Volunteers and Staff		 Agencies can appoint individuals who

have successfully completed qualifying

service in the Peace Corps for up to 1

year following completion of the service

o any position and grade level.

Note: Must clear for displaced employees

which is referred to as ICTAP through an

announcement on USAJOBS in most cases.		 → Employer Resources:

https://www.peacecorps.gov/returned-volunteers

/careers/employer-resources/

→ Post vacancy to the free Peace Corps’ interactive

job board:

https://www.peacecorps.gov/returned-volunteers

/careers/career-link/

→ Participate/attend a career fair:

https://www.peacecorps.gov/returned-volunteers

/careers/employer-resources/
Veteran Hiring There are several noncompetitive hiring

authorities for veterans with specific

eligibility and appointment options.		 → Special Hiring Authorities Available for the

Appointment of Veterans

→ Veterans Employment Toolkit

→ VA Vocational & Rehabilitation Employment

(VR&E) Coordinators:

Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)

→ Department of Labor resource to contact

local Veteran Employment Representative

→ Hire a Vet | Business Center | CareerOneStop

→ Local Colleges and Universities:

Reach out to the school’s veteran’s services or

career services coordinator to learn how to best

market and recruit veteran students on campus.
Veterans’ Recruitment

Appointment (VRA)

Allows you to appoint eligible veterans

without competition to positions up to

and including the GS-11 grade level (the

full performance level may be higher).
30% or More

Disabled Veteran		 Allows you to noncompetitively appoint

eligible disabled veterans to any position

and grade level.
Non-Paid Work

Experience (NPWE)

Program		 A work training program that provides

eligible veterans with the opportunity to

obtain training and practical job experience.

At the end of the training program,

you can place the NPWE participant in a

permanent position through a

noncompetitive hiring authority.		 → NPWE Resource:

VA Non-Paid Work Experience Fact Sheet

→ Regional Offices Websites - Veterans

Benefits Administration

→ To Learn about the NPWE Program:

Learning to Earn: VA's Non-Paid Work

Experience Program - YouTube
Spouses and

Widows/Widowers

of Certain

Military members		 Allows eligible spouses and widows/

widowers of certain military members to

be appointed without competition to any

position and grade level.

Note: Must clear for displaced employees

which is referred to as ICTAP through

an announcement on USAJOBS in most cases.		 → Military Spouse Employment Partnership

→ Feds Hire Vets - Job Seekers - Spouses of

Active Duty Military Members

This list is not meant to be all inclusive. Additional resources may be available.

 

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