Voluntary Protection Program, Special Government Employee

Instructions for Optional Application for Federal Employment - OF 612
You may apply for most Federal jobs with a resume, an Optional Application for Federal Employment (OF 612), or other written format. If your resume or
application does not provide all the information requested on this form and in the job vacancy announcement, you may lose consideration for a job. Type or
print clearly in black ink. Help speed the selection process by keeping your application brief and sending only the requested information. If essential to
attach additional pages, include your name and Social Security Number on each page.
• For information on Federal employment, including alternative formats for persons with disabilities and veterans’ preference, contact the U.S. Office of
Personnel Management at 478-757-3000, TDD 478-744-2299, or via the Internet at www.USAJOBS.opm.gov.
• If you served on active duty in the United States Military and were separated under honorable conditions, you may be eligible for veterans’ preference. To
receive preference, if your service began after October 15, 1976, you must have a Campaign Badge, Expeditionary Medal, or a service-connected disability.
Veterans’ preference is not a factor for Senior Executive Service jobs or when competition is limited to status candidates (current or former career or
career-conditional Federal employees).
• Most Federal jobs require United States citizenship and also that males over age 18 born after December 31, 1959, have registered with the Selective
Service System or have an exemption.
• The law prohibits public officials from appointing, promoting, or recommending their relatives.
• Federal annuitants (military and civilian) may have their salaries or annuities reduced. Every employee must pay any valid delinquent debt or the agency
may garnish their salary.
• Send your application to the office announcing the vacancy. If you have questions, contact the office identified in the announcement.

-----------------------------------------------------------Privacy Act Statement
The U.S. Office of Personnel Management and other Federal agencies rate applicants for Federal jobs under the authority of sections 1104, 1302, 3301,
3304, 3320, 3361, 3393, and 3394 of title 5 of the United States Code. We need the information requested in this form and in the associated vacancy
announcements to evaluate your qualifications. Other laws require us to ask about citizenship, military service, etc. In order to keep your records in order,
we request your Social Security Number (SSN) under the authority of Public Law 104-134 (April 26, 1996). This law requires that any person doing business
with the Federal government furnish an SSN or tax identification number. This is an amendment to title 31, Section 7701. Failure to furnish the requested
information may delay or prevent action on your application. We use your SSN to seek information about you from employers, schools, banks, and others
who know you. We may use your SSN in studies and computer matching with other Government files. If you do not give us your SSN or any other
information requested, we cannot process your application. Also, incomplete addresses and ZIP Codes will slow processing. We may confirm information
from your records with prospective nonfederal employers concerning tenure of employment, civil service status, length of service, and date and nature of
action for separation as shown on personnel action forms of specifically identified individuals.

Public Burden Statement
We estimate the public reporting burden for this collection will vary from 20 to 240 minutes with an average of 40 minutes per response, including time for
reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering data, and completing and reviewing the information. Send comments regarding the burden
statement or any other aspect of the collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management
(OPM), OPM Forms Officer, Washington, DC 20415-7900. The OMB number, 3206-0219, is currently valid. OPM may not collect this information and you
are not required to respond, unless this number is displayed. Do not send completed application forms to this address. Follow directions provided in the
vacancy announcement(s).
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Form Approved
OMB No. 3206-0219

OPTIONAL APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT – OF 612
Section A – Applicant Information

� Use Standard State Postal Codes (abbreviations). If outside the United States of America, and you do not have a military address,
type or print “OV” in the State field (Block 6c) and fill in the Country field (Block 6e) below, leaving the Zip Code field (Block 6d) blank.

1. Job title in announcement

2. Grade(s) applying for

4a. Last name

3. Announcement number

4b. First and middle names

5. Social Security Number

6a. Mailing address �

7. Phone numbers (include area code
if within the United States of America)
7a. Daytime

6b. City

6c. State

6d. Zip Code

7b. Evening

6e. Country (if not within the United States of America)
8. Email address (if available)

Section B – Work Experience
Describe your paid and nonpaid work experience related to this job for which you are applying. Do not attach job description.

1. Job title (if Federal, include series and grade)
2. From (mm/yyyy)

3. To (mm/yyyy)

4. Salary

per

5. Hours per week

$

Year

6. Employer’s name and address

7. Supervisor’s name and phone number
7a. Name
7b. Phone

8. May we contact your current supervisor? Yes
No
If we need to contact your current supervisor before making an offer, we will contact you first.
9. Describe your duties and accomplishments

Section C – Additional Work Experience
1. Job title (if Federal, include series and grade)
2. From (mm/yyyy)

3. To (mm/yyyy)

4. Salary

per

5. Hours per week

$

Year

6. Employer’s name and address

7. Supervisor’s name and phone number
7a. Name
7b. Phone

8. Describe your duties and accomplishments

U.S. Office of Personnel Management
Previous edition usable

NSN 7540-01-351-9178
50612-101

Page 1 of 2

Optional Form 612
Revised December 2002

Section D – Education
1. Last High School (HS)/GED school. Give the school’s name, city, state, ZIP Code (if known), and year diploma or GED received:

2. Mark highest level completed:

Some HS

HS/GED

3. Colleges and universities attended. Do not
attach a copy of your transcript unless requested.

Associate

Bachelor

Total Credits Earned
Semester
Quarter

Master

Doctoral

Major(s)

Degree (if any),
Year Received

3a. Name
City

State

Zip Code

State

Zip Code

State

Zip Code

3b. Name
City
3c. Name
City

Section E – Other Qualifications
Job-related training courses (give title and year). Job-related skills (other languages, computer software/hardware, tools, machinery, typing
speed, etc.). Job-related certificates and licenses (current only). Job-related honors, awards, and special accomplishments (publications,
memberships in professional/honor societies, leadership activities, public speaking, and performance awards). Give dates, but do not send
documents unless requested.

Section F – General
1a. Are you a U.S. citizen?

Yes

No

2a. Do you claim veterans’ preference?
2b.

5 points

2c. 10 points

No

Yes

If yes, mark your claim of 5 or 10 points below.

Attach your Report of Separation from Active Duty (DD 214) or other proof.
Attach an Application for 10-Point Veterans’ Preference (SF 15) and proof required.

3. Were you ever a Federal civilian employee?
3a. Series

1b. If no, give the Country of your citizenship

No

Yes

If yes, list highest civilian grade for the following:

3c. From (mm/yyyy)

3b. Grade

3d. To (mm/yyyy)

4. Are you eligible for reinstatement based on career or career-conditional Federal status?
No
Yes
If requested in the vacancy announcement, attach Notification of Personnel Action (SF 50), as proof.

Section G – Applicant Certification
I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, all of the information on and attached to this application is true, correct, complete,
and made in good faith. I understand that false or fraudulent information on or attached to this application may be grounds for not hiring
me or for firing me after I begin work, and may be punishable by fine or imprisonment. I understand that any information I give may be
investigated.
1b. Date (mm/dd/yyyy)

1a. Signature

U.S. Office of Personnel Management
Previous edition usable

NSN 7540-01-351-9178
50612-101

Print Form

Save Form

Page 2 of 2

Clear Form

Optional Form 612
Revised December 2002

Form W-9 (Rev. 1-2005)

Part II. Certification
To establish to the withholding agent that you are a U.S.
person, or resident alien, sign Form W-9. You may be
requested to sign by the withholding agent even if items 1, 4,
and 5 below indicate otherwise.
For a joint account, only the person whose TIN is shown in
Part I should sign (when required). Exempt recipients, see
Exempt From Backup Withholding on page 2.
Signature requirements. Complete the certification as
indicated in 1 through 5 below.
1. Interest, dividend, and barter exchange accounts
opened before 1984 and broker accounts considered
active during 1983. You must give your correct TIN, but you
do not have to sign the certification.
2. Interest, dividend, broker, and barter exchange
accounts opened after 1983 and broker accounts
considered inactive during 1983. You must sign the
certification or backup withholding will apply. If you are
subject to backup withholding and you are merely providing
your correct TIN to the requester, you must cross out item 2
in the certification before signing the form.
3. Real estate transactions. You must sign the
certification. You may cross out item 2 of the certification.
4. Other payments. You must give your correct TIN, but
you do not have to sign the certification unless you have
been notified that you have previously given an incorrect TIN.
“Other payments” include payments made in the course of
the requester’s trade or business for rents, royalties, goods
(other than bills for merchandise), medical and health care
services (including payments to corporations), payments to a
nonemployee for services, payments to certain fishing boat
crew members and fishermen, and gross proceeds paid to
attorneys (including payments to corporations).
5. Mortgage interest paid by you, acquisition or
abandonment of secured property, cancellation of debt,
qualified tuition program payments (under section 529),
IRA, Coverdell ESA, Archer MSA or HSA contributions or
distributions, and pension distributions. You must give
your correct TIN, but you do not have to sign the
certification.

Page

4

What Name and Number To Give the
Requester
For this type of account:

Give name and SSN of:

1. Individual

The individual

2. Two or more individuals (joint
account)

The actual owner of the account
or, if combined funds, the first
individual on the account 1
The minor 2

3. Custodian account of a minor
(Uniform Gift to Minors Act)
4. a. The usual revocable
savings trust (grantor is
also trustee)
b. So-called trust account
that is not a legal or valid
trust under state law
5. Sole proprietorship or
single-owner LLC
For this type of account:

The grantor-trustee

The actual owner

The owner

1

1

3

Give name and EIN of:
3

6. Sole proprietorship or
single-owner LLC

The owner

7. A valid trust, estate, or
pension trust

Legal entity

8. Corporate or LLC electing
corporate status on Form
8832

The corporation

9. Association, club, religious,
charitable, educational, or
other tax-exempt organization

The organization

4

10. Partnership or multi-member
LLC

The partnership

11. A broker or registered
nominee

The broker or nominee

12. Account with the Department
of Agriculture in the name of
a public entity (such as a
state or local government,
school district, or prison) that
receives agricultural program
payments

The public entity

1

List first and circle the name of the person whose number you furnish. If
only one person on a joint account has an SSN, that person’s number must
be furnished.

2

Circle the minor’s name and furnish the minor’s SSN.

3

You must show your individual name and you may also enter your business
or “DBA” name on the second name line. You may use either your SSN or
EIN (if you have one). If you are a sole proprietor, IRS encourages you to
use your SSN.
4
List first and circle the name of the legal trust, estate, or pension trust. (Do
not furnish the TIN of the personal representative or trustee unless the legal
entity itself is not designated in the account title.)

Note. If no name is circled when more than one name is
listed, the number will be considered to be that of the first
name listed.

Privacy Act Notice
Section 6109 of the Internal Revenue Code requires you to provide your correct TIN to persons who must file information returns
with the IRS to report interest, dividends, and certain other income paid to you, mortgage interest you paid, the acquisition or
abandonment of secured property, cancellation of debt, or contributions you made to an IRA, or Archer MSA or HSA. The IRS
uses the numbers for identification purposes and to help verify the accuracy of your tax return. The IRS may also provide this
information to the Department of Justice for civil and criminal litigation, and to cities, states, and the District of Columbia to carry
out their tax laws. We may also disclose this information to other countries under a tax treaty, to federal and state agencies to
enforce federal nontax criminal laws, or to federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies to combat terrorism.
You must provide your TIN whether or not you are required to file a tax return. Payers must generally withhold 28% of taxable
interest, dividend, and certain other payments to a payee who does not give a TIN to a payer. Certain penalties may also apply.