# Federal Agencies Address GS-14 and GS-15 Workforce Challenges

Federal agencies, including the Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Personnel Management (OPM), and Internal Revenue Service (IRS), face ongoing challenges in recruiting and retaining nonsupervisory GS-14 and GS-15 employees, particularly in legal and information technology management roles. Despite holding senior pay grades, many technical and legal professionals report feeling undercompensated compared to private sector counterparts, contributing to workforce management difficulties. This situation highlights the need for procurement and human capital strategies that address compensation disparities and specialized role recognition within federal agencies headquartered in Washington, D.C.

- **Why this matters:** Procurement professionals should consider the impact of workforce retention challenges on contract performance and vendor support, especially in legal and IT service contracts.
- Agencies may need to adjust contract requirements or vendor qualifications to account for potential staffing shortages or turnover in critical technical and legal roles.
- Contractors providing staffing or consulting services should evaluate opportunities to support federal agencies in addressing these workforce gaps through specialized recruitment or training programs.
- Understanding compensation and role differentiation issues can inform contract negotiations and workforce planning to ensure continuity and expertise in government operations.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Professional Services
**Topics:** Regulatory Compliance
**Published:** September 16, 2026

### Government Entities
- Department of Justice (DOJ)
- Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

### Key Quotes
> Most 2210 GS15s are in management roles not technical roles. At many agencies the high performing actually making changes and doing stuff roles is GS13. So the actual skilled tech people in government are definitely underpaid even worse.
> — Original poster

> Many of the lawyers in my agency came from big law. They want some semblance of work life balance, not having to chase the billable hours, and are willing to take the pay cut.
> — Community commenter

### Sources
- [20 Federal Careers With the Most Nonsupervisory GS-14 and GS-15 Employees](https://www.reddit.com/r/fednews/comments/1wib5g3/20_federal_careers_with_the_most_nonsupervisory) - reddit-fednews