Demo

Purchasing Agent

DLA Careers
Portsmouth, VA Full Time
POSTED ON 1/2/2026
AVAILABLE BEFORE 2/1/2026
Summary

See below for important information regarding this job.

Duties

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  • If selected at the GS-5/6 level, duties will be performed in a developmental capacity.
  • Performs Pre-Award and Post-Award Acquisition functions on purchase orders.
  • Performs market research, identifies potential vendors, and creates solicitation packages.
  • Performs evaluation of offers, comparative price analysis for reasonableness, and recommends award to the Contracting Officer.
  • Assembles, reviews, and maintains procurement files.
  • Monitors contractor compliance.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S. citizen
  • Tour of Duty: Set Schedule - Mon-Fri (0730-1600)
  • Security Requirements: Non-Critical Sensitive
  • Appointment is subject to the completion of a favorable suitability or fitness determination, where reciprocity cannot be applied; unfavorably adjudicated background checks will be grounds for removal.
  • Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA): Non-Exempt
  • Selective Service Requirement: Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service.
  • Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
  • Bargaining Unit Status: Yes
  • Pre-Employment Physical: Not Required
  • Defense Acquisition Workforce position. Must complete DoD certification and other requirements. See Addtl Info.

Qualifications

To qualify for a Purchasing Agent your resume and supporting documentation must support:

  • Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience that equipped you with the competencies to successfully perform the duties of the position and is directly in or related to this position. To qualify at the Grade 5 level (GS-05), applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the Grade 4 level (GS-04) or equivalent under other pay systems in the Federal service, military, or private sector, (see below examples). To qualify at the Grade 6 level (GS-06), applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the Grade 5 level (GS-05) or equivalent under other pay systems in the Federal service, military, or private sector (see below examples). To qualify at the Grade 7 level (GS-07), applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the Grade 6 level (GS-06) or equivalent under other pay systems in the Federal service, military, or private sector (see below examples). Applicants must meet eligibility requirements including time-in-grade (General Schedule (GS) positions only), time-after-competitive appointment, minimum qualifications, and any other regulatory requirements by the cut-off/closing date of the announcement. Your resume should describe in detail how you performed the specialized experience. Examples of creditable specialized experience includes:

If Applying At The Grade 5 (GS-05)

  • Communicating with customers to better understand their needs.
  • Maintaining records using an approved filing system.
  • Verifying receipt of material and/or services.

If applying at the Grade 6 (GS-06):

  • Performing market research in order to identify potential vendors.
  • Evaluating costs to determine reasonableness.
  • Adapting procedures to resolve problems.

If applying at the Grade 7 (GS-07):

  • Purchasing commercial supplies and/or services through competitive open market procedures.
  • Negotiating for price reductions or other remedies.
  • Resolving discrepancies with vendors.
  • Monitoring vendor performance.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

Substitution of education may not be used in lieu of specialized experience for this grade level.

Additional information

For Important General Applicant Information and Definitions go to: http://www.dla.mil/portals/104/documents/careers/GenAppInfoDef.pdf

Reemployed Annuitants: This position does not meet criteria for appointment of Reemployed Annuitants. The DoD criteria for hiring Reemployed Annuitants can be found at: https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/140025/140025_vol300.PDF

Position requires DoD Acquisition Contracting, Foundational certification within required timeframes. Selectee must also achieve 80 hours of Continuous Learning Points (CLPs) every 2-years. Click here for more details and Resources.

Drug-Free Workplace Policy

The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) is committed to maintaining a safe, drug-free workplace. All DLA employees are required to refrain from illegal drug use on and off duty. DLA conducts pre-employment, reasonable suspicion, post-accident, and random drug testing.

Applicants tentatively selected for employment in testing designated positions will undergo a urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Refusal to undergo testing or testing positive for illegal drugs will result in withdrawal of the tentative job offer and a six-month denial of employment with DLA from the date of the drug test. Employees in drug testing designated positions are subject to random drug testing.

The DLA drug testing panel tests for the following substances: marijuana, cocaine, opiates, heroin, phencyclidine, amphetamines, methamphetamines, fentanyl, norfentanyl, methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), and opioids.

ADVISORY: Use of cannabidiol (CBD) products may result in a positive drug test for marijuana. DLA employees are subject to Federal law and under Federal law, Marijuana is a Schedule I drug and is illegal.

Additional guidance on writing a federal resume can be found at: USAJOBS Help Center - How do I write a resume for a federal job? The resume builder can help you create a resume using these recommendations and uses the information in your USAJOBS profile to help you get started.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Help

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

Salary.com Estimation for Purchasing Agent in Portsmouth, VA
$45,929 to $57,677
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