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Ascension is seeking an experienced Adjudication, Records, and FOIA Domain Subject Matter Expert (SME) to support the modernization of Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) mission-critical information systems supporting adjudication workflows, electronic filing (e-filing), records management, electronic reading room capabilities, and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) case processing.

The ideal candidate is a highly experienced federal legal operations, records management, FOIA, or case management professional who understands how government agencies manage legally sensitive information, public access requirements, document repositories, workflow routing, and regulatory compliance obligations.

This role is critical to helping FMC transition from manual and semi-manual processes—including email submissions, spreadsheets, shared drives, Word/PDF documents, paper records, and legacy repository processes—into modern, acquisition-ready technology solutions. The SME will provide the business and functional expertise necessary to define requirements for future Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS), Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), or configurable technology solutions.

The successful candidate should bring demonstrated experience translating complex legal, regulatory, records, and operational processes into clear functional requirements, workflows, business rules, and acquisition documentation.

This position is ideal for a professional who enjoys solving complex government mission challenges, facilitating discussions with stakeholders, analyzing operational inefficiencies, and designing practical technology-enabled solutions.

Summary of Contractor Role

The Adjudication, Records, and FOIA Domain SME will provide subject matter expertise supporting Ascension’s requirements development effort for FMC’s modernization initiative covering:

• e-Filing and adjudication workflow capabilities;
• Case management processes;
• Notation voting workflows;
• Electronic reading room/public access capabilities;
• Records repository modernization;
• FOIA intake, tracking, review, processing, and disclosure workflows.

The SME will support Ascension’s team in developing RFQ-ready procurement requirements packages by analyzing FMC’s current-state processes, identifying operational gaps, documenting business needs, and defining future-state functional requirements.

The position requires an individual who understands:

• Federal adjudicatory processes;
• Legal case management workflows;
• FOIA processing requirements;
• Federal records management practices;
• Document lifecycle management;
• Metadata structures;
• Search and retrieval requirements;
• Public/private document access controls;
• Redaction workflows;
• Repository migration considerations.

The SME will support the development of:

• Functional requirements matrices;
• Non-functional requirements;
• Workflow documentation;
• Business process maps;
• Requirements Traceability Matrices (RTMs);
• System gap analyses;
• Acquisition documentation;
• COTS/SaaS solution evaluations;
• Security, privacy, records, and compliance requirements.

The role requires a detail-oriented professional who can operate independently, communicate effectively with government stakeholders, and convert complex business processes into structured acquisition requirements.

Ascension’s experience supporting federal modernization initiatives includes requirements analysis, business process improvement, workflow automation, SharePoint/document management solutions, data governance, and mission support services for agencies including DHS/FPS, DOE/CESER, and FEMA. Ascension has supported federal clients with requirements development, process improvement, data governance, SharePoint solutions, analytics, and automation initiatives.

Key Responsibilities and Expected Activities

The contractor will:

• Analyze existing adjudication, records management, FOIA, and case management processes to identify operational challenges, inefficiencies, and modernization opportunities.
• Conduct stakeholder interviews and discovery sessions with legal, administrative, records, IT, and mission offices.
• Document current-state workflows, including:
  • Intake processes;
  • Review and approval workflows;
  • Document routing;
  • Case assignment;
  • Status tracking;
  • Records retention;
  • Public disclosure processes.
• Define future-state business processes and technology-enabled workflows.
• Develop functional requirements for:
  • E-filing solutions;
  • Adjudication/case management systems;
  • Records repositories;
  • FOIA management systems;
  • Electronic reading room solutions.
• Identify requirements related to:
  • Case lifecycle management;
  • Document version control;
  • Audit trails;
  • Search capabilities;
  • Metadata management;
  • Retention schedules;
  • Access permissions;
  • Redaction capabilities.
• Support development of requirements packages for COTS/SaaS solutions.
• Evaluate solution capabilities against business needs, including:
  • Configurability;
  • Workflow automation;
  • Integration capabilities;
  • Data migration requirements;
  • Security controls.
• Assist in developing Analysis of Alternatives (AoA) inputs by providing domain expertise related to legal, records, and FOIA operational needs.
• Review and validate:
  • Functional requirements;
  • Business rules;
  • Process maps;
  • Requirements Traceability Matrices.
• Participate in technical discussions regarding:
  • Records repositories;
  • Laserfiche migration considerations;
  • Public/private access models;
  • Electronic document management.
• Provide subject matter input into acquisition documentation, including:
  • Statements of Work (SOWs);
  • Performance Work Statements (PWS);
  • Evaluation criteria;
  • Requirements documentation.
• Support quality reviews to ensure requirements accurately reflect mission needs.
• Participate in government review sessions and incorporate stakeholder feedback.