What are the responsibilities and job description for the Acquisition & Utilization Specialist position at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs?
Summary
As the Acquisition Utilization Specialist you will serve as the medical center liaison and advisor on contract related services focusing on critical clinical and healthcare services - product acquisition and support services required by project managers - program managers - upper management and stakeholders on all aspects of procurement for a wide variety of items to include specialized services.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 04/17/2026. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07; for a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. The grade may have been in any occupation - but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year - it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade - as required by the announcement. In this instance - you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. To qualify for this position at the GS-09 level - you must meet one of the following: Specialized Experience: At least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-7) in the Federal service that has given you the particular knowledge - skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of this position. Specialized experience includes handling contract related services - product acquisition - and procurement of items; assisting with contracts including pre-award and post-award; preparing procurement packages some of which may have been specialized in nature; assists with creating sole source justifications; generates reports to on acquisition and contracting issues; and monitoring expenditures and reporting on deviations from contract terms. NOTE: Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must clearly indicate the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. ~OR~ Education: Successful completion of a master's degree or two (2) full years of graduate level education leading to such a degree in a related field of study that demonstrates your ability to perform the duties of this position. NOTE: If you select this option - you must submit a copy of your transcript (unofficial or official) with your application. Education cannot be credited without documentation. ~OR~ Combination: Equivalent combinations of successfully completed progressively higher-level graduate education (beyond the first year) and specialized experience - as described above - which meet the total experience requirements for this grade level. The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge - skills - and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. NOTE: If you select this option - you must submit a copy of your transcript with your application. Education cannot be credited without documentation. To qualify for this position at the GS-11 level - you must meet one of the following: Specialized Experience: One (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level in the Federal service that equipped you with the particular knowledge - skills - and abilities to perform successfully the duties of an Acquisition Utilization Specialist - and that is typically in or related to the work of this position. Specialized experience includes: handling contract related services - product acquisition - and procurement of items in a healthcare environment; overseeing contracts including pre-award and post-award; preparing procurement packages with unique - emergent and complex requirements including development of requirement documents (e.g. performance work statements and objectives - cost benefit analysis - gap analysis - sole source justifications - past performance - market research - etc.); developing sole source justifications; developing and analyzing reports to make recommendations on acquisition and contracting issues; participating in negotiations with other officials throughout all phases of contract administration; and monitoring expenditures and reporting on deviations from contract terms. ~OR~ Education: A Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or three (3) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M. - if related - that provided the knowledge - skills - and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. ~OR~ Combination: An equivalent combination of successfully completed graduate education (beyond the first two years) and specialized experience - as described above - which meets the total qualification requirement for the GS-11 grade level. For more information on these qualification standards - please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination. Work is primarily sedentary in nature. Requires occasional travel to conduct inspections of contract facilities or motor vehicles providing contracts for healthcare resources to ensure joint commission and safety requirements are met. Work Environment: Work is performed primarily in an office setting with adequate lighting - heating - and ventilation.
Duties
As the Acquisition Utilization Specialist you will serve as the medical center liaison and advisor on contract related services focusing on critical clinical and healthcare services - product acquisition and support services required by project managers - program managers - upper management and stakeholders on all aspects of procurement for a wide variety of items to include specialized services.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 04/17/2026. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07; for a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. The grade may have been in any occupation - but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year - it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade - as required by the announcement. In this instance - you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. To qualify for this position at the GS-09 level - you must meet one of the following: Specialized Experience: At least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-7) in the Federal service that has given you the particular knowledge - skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of this position. Specialized experience includes handling contract related services - product acquisition - and procurement of items; assisting with contracts including pre-award and post-award; preparing procurement packages some of which may have been specialized in nature; assists with creating sole source justifications; generates reports to on acquisition and contracting issues; and monitoring expenditures and reporting on deviations from contract terms. NOTE: Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must clearly indicate the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. ~OR~ Education: Successful completion of a master's degree or two (2) full years of graduate level education leading to such a degree in a related field of study that demonstrates your ability to perform the duties of this position. NOTE: If you select this option - you must submit a copy of your transcript (unofficial or official) with your application. Education cannot be credited without documentation. ~OR~ Combination: Equivalent combinations of successfully completed progressively higher-level graduate education (beyond the first year) and specialized experience - as described above - which meet the total experience requirements for this grade level. The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge - skills - and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. NOTE: If you select this option - you must submit a copy of your transcript with your application. Education cannot be credited without documentation. To qualify for this position at the GS-11 level - you must meet one of the following: Specialized Experience: One (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level in the Federal service that equipped you with the particular knowledge - skills - and abilities to perform successfully the duties of an Acquisition Utilization Specialist - and that is typically in or related to the work of this position. Specialized experience includes: handling contract related services - product acquisition - and procurement of items in a healthcare environment; overseeing contracts including pre-award and post-award; preparing procurement packages with unique - emergent and complex requirements including development of requirement documents (e.g. performance work statements and objectives - cost benefit analysis - gap analysis - sole source justifications - past performance - market research - etc.); developing sole source justifications; developing and analyzing reports to make recommendations on acquisition and contracting issues; participating in negotiations with other officials throughout all phases of contract administration; and monitoring expenditures and reporting on deviations from contract terms. ~OR~ Education: A Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or three (3) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M. - if related - that provided the knowledge - skills - and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. ~OR~ Combination: An equivalent combination of successfully completed graduate education (beyond the first two years) and specialized experience - as described above - which meets the total qualification requirement for the GS-11 grade level. For more information on these qualification standards - please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination. Work is primarily sedentary in nature. Requires occasional travel to conduct inspections of contract facilities or motor vehicles providing contracts for healthcare resources to ensure joint commission and safety requirements are met. Work Environment: Work is performed primarily in an office setting with adequate lighting - heating - and ventilation.
Duties
- As Acquisition & Utilization Specialist - you will render expert contract pre-award and post award expertise to all administrative and clinical services within the medical center and supported catchment area
- Major duties and responsibilities include: Develops procedures - policies - and supporting artifacts to ensure procurement activities are consistent with Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) - VA Acquisitions Regulations (VAAR) and other federal procurement laws and regulations
- Conducts analyses and recommends courses of actions to ensure that vision clinical and administrative service requirements have addressed considerations such as construction - budgeting - supporting manpower and other factors
- Provides training to the facility Contracting Officers on procurement policies and new processes and procedures related to procurement
- Establishes - expedites and reviews consolidation of all procurement packages including unique - emergent and complex requirements to meet timely and technical needs of assigned acquisitions
- Develops and conducts presentations/recommendations to leadership and other stakeholders to explain regulations and procedures
- Negotiates performance requirements among multiple sites and service lines in order to obtain agreement - standardize enterprise equipment - supply and/or service requirements in support of strategic acquisition plans
- Establishes and maintains controls to ensure that contracts are executed in accordance with terms
- Advises on all phases of negotiation with the contract specialist/contracting officer for contract modifications - change orders - supplemental agreements and delivery order processes including requirements - definition - justification and approval for service contract extension - method of contracting - evaluation of proposals and all phases of contract administration
- and Monitors quality assurance surveillance plans to ensure that contracted services meet the expectations and needs of the facility
- Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory - qualification - and performance requirements are met
- Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level
- Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 7:30am - 4:00pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position
- Position Description/PD#: Acquisition & Utilization Specialist/PD99810S and PD99492S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers
- This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest
- As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care - you will operate in a model with three core elements - seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran
- This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community
- This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.
Salary : $61,722 - $97,087