The National Nuclear Security Administration released, and then abruptly cancelled, a solicitation seeking an executive recruiting firm to fill a senior executive service vacancy within the Department of Energy without ever clarifying what position it was trying to fill. DOE spokeswoman Niketa Kumar declined to identify what position was being filled, but confirmed it was for a DOE position, and not a position within NNSA. The solicitation was released Monday and cancelled Tuesday, but the Department is expected to rerelease the procurement again once it refines its needs for the contract. In the solicitation, the NNSA said it was seeking a firm to “conduct in-depth research to identify top-tier prospective candidates from current SES members and former SES members eligible for reinstatement for the position based on DOE’s needs and the desired characteristics identified by the vendor and DOE leadership.” Kumar said the Department was trying to take advantage of all potential sources to fill key leadership spots. “The Energy Department is committed to building the best organization possible and hiring the best leaders in the country to carry out our important missions,” she said in a statement. “As part of this process, we apply all of the tools available to us wherever appropriate, including the services of an executive recruiting firm, and look as broadly as possible for the most qualified and experienced candidates.”