Purchasing Agent

Summary

The position is a member of Prosthetic & Sensory Aids Service (PSAS) within the Prosthetic Service Line under the medical center. Position is assigned to the VA Medical Center and has an active inpatient implant care coordination and outpatient treatment program and inventory responsibility. Performs direct medical supply Purchasing and Inventory Management support to provide prosthetic and sensory aids services - to include durable medical equipment and supplies directly to Veterans.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 05/01/2026. Time-In-Grade Requirement: For a GS-05 position Candidates may be advanced without time restriction to position is up to GS-05 if the position to be filled is no more than two grades above the lowest grade the employee held within the preceding 52 weeks under his or her latest non-temporary competitive appointment. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-04 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include - but are not limited to: assisting in reviewing or interpreting requests - prescriptions - or orders for medical equipment - supplies - or services; communicating with vendors - contractors - clinical staff - or administrative personnel to gather information - clarify needs - or support simple procurement actions; using computer systems - databases - or electronic tracking tools to enter - update - or retrieve purchase information or requests; assisting in preparing purchase card documentation - small procurement packets - or similar administrative purchasing documents; reconciling simple purchase card charges - maintaining logs - or helping prepare basic reports; supporting purchasing - logistics - prosthetics - or supply functions in a clinical - retail - customer service - or administrative environment; performing general administrative tasks such as maintaining files - organizing documents - scheduling appointments - or tracking information to support office operations; and providing customer service in person - by phone - or through email to gather information - answer questions - or route requests to the appropriate staff. OR - Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed four (4) year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree in a field related to this position that demonstrates the knowledge - skills - and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. (Transcript required). OR - Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an equivalent combination of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements. This must be computed by first determining the applicant's total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required; then determining the applicant's education as a percentage of the education required; and then adding the two percentages. (Transcript required). You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Computer Skills Contracting/Procurement Customer Service Problem Solving 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/.

Duties

• The position is assigned to the VA Medical Center and has an active inpatient implant care coordination and outpatient treatment program and inventory responsibility which includes - but is not limited to: Prosthetic and Sensory Aids - Fabrication Lab for Orthotic and Prosthetics - Audiology & Speech Pathology - Visual Impairment Services Team - Spinal Cord Injury - Cochlear Implant Team - Polytrauma Amputee Network Center - Rehabilitation Medicine - Medicine Service - Surgical Service - Ophthalmology - Dental Service - Podiatry - Women's Clinic and Orthopedic Services
• Duties include but not limited to: The position performs independent technical level purchasing support adhering to the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) - Veteran Affairs Acquisition Regulations (VAAR) - all applicable Veteran Health Administration (VHA) Directives and Memorandums - Prosthetics Directives and Handbooks - VISN policy and station memorandums to acquire Veteran-specific medical equipment - supplies and services based on a medical providers clinical assessment and evaluation of the Veteran's medical condition
• Functions include but are not limited to
• rentals to meet the outpatient medical needs of the services - all outpatient durable medical equipment and supplies - rehabilitation equipment - mobility - and daily living aids - neuro-sensory - home oxygen - inpatient surgical implants - and supplies
• The position performs the process of vetting and vendorizing following Veteran Health Administration (VHA) Prosthetics guidelines to complete purchases for items that aren't available through established vendor networks
• Independently using guidance - direction - and direct use of policies and guidelines - position provides patient care and support services to an adult population and serves as the point of contact for external customer service inventory needs and support
• The position must tailor the patient care/support services to meet the specialized need(s) of the individual patient and the clinical service it supports
• Independently - using guidance - direction and direct use of policies and guidelines - the incumbent reviews for discrepancies or loopholes in lengthy specifications or statements of work that are very detailed - or otherwise difficult to understand
• The position must evaluate many different specifications or statements of work and work with the vendor on corrections to ensure the proper piece of medical equipment is purchased
• 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
• Total Rewards Brochure: Purchasing Agent Work Schedule: Monday through Friday
• 7:30am-4:00pm
• Subject to change based on the needs of the facility
• Telework: This position may be authorized for telework
• Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Position Description/PD#: Purchasing Agent/PDS0101A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment
• A pre-placement physical examination is not required.