EconDefense
FIN-10 / Workforce and expertise

Hire temporary experts and consultants

Procure specialized expertise under express DoD authority and the temporary/intermittent expert-services framework.

Action briefPDF dossier · original 168Download record
Authority / instrument · FIN-10

Workforce and specialized expertise

Workforce and expertise

Statute & instrument
Authority holder

Secretary of Defense or military department Secretary

What this does not authorize / hard limit

Not an unrestricted exemption from conflict-of-interest or inherently governmental responsibilities.

Recorded executor

Human-resources office; Contracting office where applicable

Continue to actor →

Recorded executing role; this record-specific route is not an additional institutional office.

Legal basisSources linkedLegal sources and instrument limits are recorded.
RequirementsGates recordedRead the requirements for this instrument; applicability depends on the proposed action.
Public fundingRules recordedLawfully available component funds; no additional appropriation created. Office budget figures are separate institutional context, not an allocation to this instrument.
Assigned rolesRoles recordedPublic sources describe institutional authority. The instrument identifies approval and execution roles; a specific signature remains transaction-dependent.
EngagementProcess sourcedOPM distinguishes expert appointments under section 3109 from service contracts and supplies a concrete pay, documentation and reporting framework. Program check: 2026-10-04; see each route for intake status.

Public evidence describes the institution and instrument; it is not approval of an individual transaction.

At a glance

Possible toolFIN-10 · People & expertise

Authority holder: Secretary of Defense or military department Secretary

People & expertise

Mechanism tags describe the source text; they do not expand the authority.

Availability and verification

Existing statutory pathway; transaction-specific funds, approval, and delegation verification required.

Program process and intake

Checked 2026-10-04 · process documented. Program evidence is separate from legal authority, available funds and transaction approval.

OPM distinguishes expert appointments under section 3109 from service contracts and supplies a concrete pay, documentation and reporting framework.

Temporary/intermittent expert or consultant appointment

Who this route serves
Individuals providing qualifying expert/advisory services
Administering office / routing lead
Sponsoring component HR, appointing official and ethics/payroll offices
Direct implementation

The fact sheet expressly applies 5 U.S.C. 3109 and 5 CFR 304; procurement contracts and other appointment authorities are outside its scope.

What this evidence label means
Published HR process

OPM guidance and reporting form are available; no specific DoD vacancy or appointment verified.

Status reference date: 2026-10-04 · research checked 2026-10-04

OPM Expert and Consultant Pay · Appointment basis; limits; pay; contract exclusionofficial personnel guidance · Evidence record

Program eligibility

  • Temporary appointments normally cannot exceed one year; intermittent service lacks a regularly scheduled tour. Agency must possess an applicable statutory authorization.

    OPM Expert and Consultant Pay · Appointment basis; limits; pay; contract exclusionofficial personnel guidance · Evidence record

Steps and preparation

  • Document the appointment basis, schedule and pay; any unpaid-service waiver must be agreed in writing before service.

    OPM Expert and Consultant Pay · Appointment basis; limits; pay; contract exclusionofficial personnel guidance · Evidence record

  • Agency reports paid3109 appointees onOPM1623; contract services and other hiring authorities are excluded.

    OPM1623 instructions · Annual reporting requirements and exclusionsofficial personnel reporting form · Evidence record
Funding, limits and authority relationship

Funding and financial terms

  • personnel compensation · appointment-specific

    Pay is subject to3109/304 and applicable agency-specific exceptions; no independent expert-services fund.

    OPM Expert and Consultant Pay · Appointment basis; limits; pay; contract exclusionofficial personnel guidance · Evidence record

Exclusions and limits

Authority relationship source

OPM Expert and Consultant Pay · Appointment basis; limits; pay; contract exclusionofficial personnel guidance · Evidence record

OPM expert/consultant appointment guidance →

published guidance: HR process for sponsoring organizations; not an open consulting contract opportunity.

Research scope and sources checked

Read OPM current fact sheet and reporting instructions; distinguished statutory appointment, unpaid service and procurement contracts instead of collapsing them into one engagement route.

What remains unverified

  • DoD129b-specific current delegation, request workflow and any separate contract authority require component verification.

A dated source check is not continuing monitoring. Recheck the linked official notice before preparing a submission. Browse program research →

Requirements and limits

Eligibility & prerequisites

  • Advantageous to the United States and not adequately available within DoD.
  • §3109 temporary service normally no more than one year, or intermittent; applicable compensation rules.

Limits & exclusions

  • Not an unrestricted exemption from conflict-of-interest or inherently governmental responsibilities.
  • §129b(d) separately permits narrowly conditioned personal-service contracts for overseas, defense intelligence/counterintelligence, or SOCOM support.

Funding conditions

  • Lawfully available component funds; no additional appropriation created.

Read the funding and execution guide

Who contributes what

Need & planning

  • Component needing specialized expertise

Resources

  • Hiring/sponsoring component

Approval

  • Secretary concerned or lawful delegate

Execution

  • Human-resources office
  • Contracting office where applicable

Partners & review

    Office links are editorial matches to the original role text, not verified delegations. Composite labels and unmatched actors are preserved.

    Coordination pathway

    Need owner → responsible component counsel and comptroller → statutory official or verified delegate → authorized execution office. Office labels describe functional roles; individual delegations and funds are not certified.

    Actor and execution-role sources

    Legal basis

    What this research establishes

    Legal basisSources linkedLegal sources and instrument limits are recorded.
    RequirementsGates recordedRead the requirements for this instrument; applicability depends on the proposed action.
    Public fundingRules recordedLawfully available component funds; no additional appropriation created. Office budget figures are separate institutional context, not an allocation to this instrument.
    Assigned rolesRoles recordedPublic sources describe institutional authority. The instrument identifies approval and execution roles; a specific signature remains transaction-dependent.
    EngagementProcess sourcedOPM distinguishes expert appointments under section 3109 from service contracts and supplies a concrete pay, documentation and reporting framework. Program check: 2026-10-04; see each route for intake status.

    Confidence: High for statutory mechanism; individual execution readiness not verified.

    Currentness: 2024 official Code baseline compared with available current text; targeted FY2026 NDAA and FY2027 continuing-resolution review. See coverage audit; not a complete legal citator.

    Review scope: Original research target October 2, 2026; no record-specific last-review date supplied. Publication is not legal-currentness certification.

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