Purchasing Agent

Full Job Description

The position serves as a Purchasing Agent for the Logistics Service in a Veteran Affairs Health Care System (VA HCS) and supported catchment area.

This position primarily performs duties to acquire supplies, services and construction by purchase, rental, or lease through delivery orders and/or small purchase procedures.

Work also requires knowledge of commercial supply sources and common business practices related to sales, prices, discount, unit of measurement, deliveries, stocks and shipments.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 04/06/2026.

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-06 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05. 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.

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-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: acquiring supplies, services, and construction by purchase, rental, or lease through delivery orders and/or small purchase procedures; applying knowledge of commercial supply sources and common business practices related to sales, prices, discounts, units of measurement, deliveries, stocks, and shipments for a medical facility.

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/.

Major Duties:

Major duties include but are not limited to: Conducts purchasing for a VA Medical Center and must have knowledge of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), VA Acquisition Regulations (VAAR) and other federal procurement laws.

Purchase various equipment, supplies and services through the use of the government purchase card for micro purchases.

Reviews and edits purchase requests to ensure the item or service is adequately described based on the requester's need.

Creating 2237s, completing Purchase Order, eEMS (FORCE) entries and verify vendors are in the VHA system of record prior to placing an order.

Provide general guidance to potential vendors on requirements and information needed to be entered into the VHS's local vendor file. Provide administration and oversight on orders and services.

Represent the VA in discussions with vendors/contractors to obtain agreement on micro purchases and vendor/contractor compliance.

Tracks obligations/commitments and monitors expenditures to support recurring budget forecasts and identify potential fraud, waste and abuse on procurement history and purchase trends.

Procures supplies and services to meet the purchase, rental or lease needs of the organization.

Prepare and issue contract modification for changes in delivery schedule and sends formal correspondence to a variety of customers such as inventory management specialist, other service lines contacts and contracting officers as appropriate for the purpose of auditing documents, processing receiving reports and payments.

Serves as the first line on contact for medical staff and customers in regard to procured items.

Develops reports and spreadsheets, obtains, organizes, files and retrieves for briefing and presentation purposes. Perform other related duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 0800-0430 Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Purchasing Agent/PD99896S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized