5 CFR § 300.403 - When commercial recruiting firms and nonprofit employment services may be used.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t5/s300.403"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "5 CFR § 300.403 - When commercial recruiting firms and nonprofit employment services may be used."
title_number: 5
title_name: "Administrative Personnel"
section_number: "300.403"
section_name: "When commercial recruiting firms and nonprofit employment services may be used."
chapter_name: "OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT"
subchapter_number: "B"
subchapter_name: "CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS"
part_number: "300"
part_name: "EMPLOYMENT (GENERAL)"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-03-24"
last_updated: "2026-03-24"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "5 U.S.C. 552, 2301, 2302, 3301, and 3302; E.O. 10577, 19 FR 7521, 3 CFR 1954-1958 Comp., p. 218, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "300"
---


# 300.403 When commercial recruiting firms and nonprofit employment services may be used.

An agency may use a commercial recruiting firm and/or a nonprofit employment service in recruiting for vacancies when:

(a) The agency head or designee determines that such use is likely to provide well-qualified candidates who would otherwise not be available or that well-qualified candidates are in short supply;

(b) The agency has provided vacancy notices to appropriate State Employment Service and OPM offices; and

(c) The agency continues its own recruiting efforts.