Customs and Border Protection Logo
Position Title
Mission Support Specialist
Agency
Customs and Border Protection
Announcement Number
OFO-IMP-PC-12716405-BLS Opens in new window
Open Period
Thursday, March 27, 2025 to Wednesday, April 2, 2025
For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.
Eligibilities
The following set of questions focus on how you are eligible to apply for this announcement. Eligibilities are known as the specific hiring authorities that allow you to be considered for this announcement. Applicants will only be considered for eligibilities for which they claim during the online application and provide documentation displaying their eligibility for the hiring authority. Please see the required documents section of this announcement for documentation information. For more information regarding what hiring authorities you may be eligible for, please see the following link https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/

Note, the Promotion Potential question applies to current or former Federal employees only. If you are not a current or former Federal employee, select No. Selecting No or answering this question incorrectly will not remove you from consideration. However, if you only claim the promotion potential eligibility, you will not receive further consideration for this position.
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1. Are you a current federal employee who has received notice that you will be displaced from the Department of Homeland Security? If yes, confirm:
  • You occupy a position located in the same local commuting area of the vacancy; AND
  • You are applying to a position that is at or below the grade level of the position from which you were or will be separated; AND
  • You are applying to a position that does not have greater promotion potential than the position from which you will be separated; AND
  • Your last performance rating of record is at least fully successful or the equivalent.
To verify your eligibility, you must submit supporting documentation to validate your claim of CTAP eligibility, such as:
  • Reduction in Force (RIF) separation notice or a Proposed Removal/Separation notice, AND
  • Copy of your latest Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50.
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2. Are you a current U.S. Customs and Border Protection employee in a permanent competitive service position?  To determine your permanent competitive service status, refer to the Tenure and Position Occupied fields of your most current SF-50 as referenced below.  

To support your response, it is recommended that you submit a copy of your most recent Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form (SF) 50 reflecting that you currently hold a permanent competitive service position:
  • Tenure:  Career or career-conditional (1 or 2 in block 24)
  • Position Occupied:  Competitive service (1 in block 34)
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3. Instruction: As a CBP employee, answering this question incorrectly will not remove you from consideration.  However, if you only claim promotion potential eligibility, you will not receive further consideration for this position. 

As a current CBP employee, have you held a permanent position with CBP or in the Federal competitive service (or in a merit system with which OPM has an interchange agreement) with the promotion potential or equivalent of the position noted in the announcement?  Please indicate your response below.  

Promotion potential (also known as full performance level or FPL) means the highest level/grade that can be achieved in the career ladder progression of the position that is held on a permanent basis. Details and Temporary Promotions are not creditable towards meeting these requirements. You may need to submit more than one SF-50 to demonstrate that you meet promotion potential. Recommended SF-50s include promotions and step increases (within grade increases).  SF-50s should reflect:
  • Career or career-conditional (Tenure field is 1 or 2 in Block 24); AND
  • Status in the competitive service (Position Occupied field is 1 in Block 34); or if with another merit system which OPM has an interchange (Position Occupied field is 2 in Block 34); AND
  • Promotion Potential is equivalent to or higher than the grade level being announced.  This would be in the remarks section of your initial appointment SF-50 or the SF-50 of the highest grade held.
Examples: 
  • You currently hold a GS-09 position with promotion potential to the GS-12.  The progression is GS-09, GS-11, and GS-12.  You hold a position with the promotion potential of a GS-12.
  • Your current position is a GS-12. You are temporarily promoted to a GS-13 position. The temporary promotion is not a permanent position, and your promotion potential is your current position of GS-12.
  • Your current position is a GS-12. You previously held a GS-13 position on a permanent basis.  GS-13 is considered the highest promotion potential you have held.
Further guidance on how to read your SF-50 can be found at USAJOBS Help Center | Reading your SF-50 to determine your service and appointment type.

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4. Reasonable Accommodations for taking the online assessments are provided on a case-by-case basis only to qualified individuals with a disability covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.

Do you have a disability (physical or mental) that you believe will interfere with completing the online assessments and require a Reasonable Accommodation?

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Preferences
1. Select the location(s) you want to be considered for. You must choose at least one location. You may only select up to 2 location(s). (limit characters)
2. Are you a current political Schedule A or Schedule C Executive Branch employee or a former political Schedule A or Schedule C Executive Branch employee who held the position within the last five years applying to a competitive or non-political excepted service position under Title 5 of the United States Code or are you a current non-career Senior Executive Service (SES) Executive Branch employee or a former non-career SES Executive Branch employee who held the position within the last five years applying to a competitive or non-political excepted service position under Title 5 of the United States Code?

To verify, please submit a copy of your Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form (SF-50) or other relevant documentation reflecting your status as a Political Appointee.
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3. There is a time-in-grade (TIG) requirement for promotion into this position for any individual who holds or within the previous 52 weeks held a General Schedule (GS) position under nontemporary appointment in the competitive or excepted service in the executive branch. Have you completed 52 weeks in a position at or above the GS-11 grade level?

If you are a current federal employee or former federal employee within the past 52 weeks, submit one or more SF-50s that support your selected response below showing you meet or are exempt from time-in-grade requirements.
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4. If you are a CBP employee, please enter your CBP email address in this format without any extra spaces or characters: john.a.smith@cbp.dhs.gov. If you are not a CBP employee, enter N/A. (limit characters)
5. If you are a CBP Employee, please enter your Hash ID without any additional spaces, punctuation, or letters. Example: CIC1K4L. If you are not a CBP employee, enter NA. (limit characters)
6. I have read and understand the following statement: You will be considered for the highest grade level for which you qualify for. Eligibility will be verified based on your resume and transcripts. You must have gained the work experience by the closing date of this announcement. Full-time work experience is 35 or more hours worked per week and must be clearly stated on your resume. Qualifications based on work experience will be determined by what is listed on your resume. Work experience refers to both paid and unpaid experience, such as volunteer work.

Your resume must include the following:
  • Be in English
  • Include full legal name
  • Address
  • Phone number
  • Complete work history (which includes job titles)
  • Detailed description of your duties (including tasks performed)
  • The dates you performed those duties (MM/DD/YY - MM/DD/YY)
  • Hours worked per week for any position you worked that was not full time (less than 35 hours per week)
For Federal employment experience, your resume must also include:
  • Series
  • Grade level(s)
  • Salary
*Note- It is recommended that you upload your resume as a PDF instead of a Word document to ensure document quality. Ensure that your uploaded resume is not a password protected document, to include Office 365 passwords.

Do you agree to provide a resume that contains the necessary requirements listed in the instructions above?
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7. This question will be used to determine whether or not you meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position. You may wish to consult the vacancy announcement for a description of those requirements.

Which of the following best describes your experience to qualify for the GS-12 grade level?
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8. Applicants must be admissible to the country they are selected for before a final offer is issued. Employees must select the locations of interest and review the admissibility requirements of those countries. Applicants must certify that they, and if accompanied, their family members, are admissible to enter and temporarily reside in the country. A link to the admissibility requirements of each country is located at:Canada: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/inadmissibility.html (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/inadmissibility.html)Applicants should review the below concerning inadmissibility: * If applicants are not admissible to a specific country, their applications for that location will not be considered further. * If applicants fails to certify that they have reviewed the admissibility requirements of the country they are applying for, their applications will not be considered further. If an applicant certifies that he or she is admissible, and the Agency later learns that the applicant was inadmissible, the application will not be considered further, and the Agency may pursue other appropriate action, as necessary. * If an applicant is selected and reports to the country, and the Agency later learns that the employee was inadmissible, the Agency may curtail the assignment, and require the employee to return to his/her permanent position in the United States. The Agency may pursue other appropriate action, as necessary. If you are unable to confirm that you meet these requirements at the time of application, you will be removed from consideration.

I confirm that I am able to meet the requirement outlined above.
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9. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires a USA Hire online assessment, which measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. If you are required to take the USA Hire assessment, you will be emailed a unique URL to access the USA Hire system. The USA Hire online assessment must be completed within 48 hours, following the close of this announcement. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation for the assessment should you have a disability covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). See the How to Apply and Next Steps within the Job Opportunity Announcement for additional details.

Do you acknowledge that you may be required to take an additional online USA Hire assessment, via an email link sent to you after completion of this application, and that failure to complete any portion of the assessment will remove your application from consideration?
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Assessment 1
The following questions will be used to rate applicants who meet the minimum eligibility and qualification requirements. Please select the option that best describes your skill level in the following areas. (limit characters)
1. Conducting studies/analyses of an organization to develop recommendations to improve efficiency, effectiveness, productivity, and/or economy.
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2. Administrative tasks independently performed.
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3. Advising management on administrative policies and procedures.
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4. Performing duties concerning the procurement of supplies for my employer (select all that apply):
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5. Using the Government Purchase Card Management System.
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6. Performing procurement and management of personal property (furniture, equipment, motor vehicles, etc.) used by my employer (select all that apply):
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7. Applying Federal government rules, regulations and policies concerning real property (select all that apply):
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8. Coordinating and administering inventory control processes/procedures concerning real property.
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9. Coordinating functions concerning real property (furniture, equipment, vehicles).
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10. Indicate your level of experience with purchasing office supplies, equipment, etc., using a government purchase card or other funding source.
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11. I have experience creating requisitions and purchase orders to ensure budget approval.
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12. Indicate your experience managing a travel card program by serving as the Local Program Coordinator for a location.
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13. Indicate your level of experience serving as the certifier and/or reviewer to fund and/or approve travel authorizations and vouchers.
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14. Which response below represents your experience monitoring the travel card program to ensure compliance with the Federal Travel Regulations and other applicable regulations and policies?
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15. I have acted as an alternate preparer to assist employees with travel card issues, travel arrangements, authorizations and vouchers.
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16. Indicate your experience ensuring only authorized personnel receive government travel cards and complete required training certifications.
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17. I have been responsible for monitoring and auditing travel transactions to ensure purchases are authorized.
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