Purchasing Agent

Full Job Description

This developmental position is located in the Prosthetics & Sensory Aid Service within the Prosthetic Service Line under the VISN or medical center.

The purpose of this position is to perform direct medical supply purchasing and inventory management support to the administrative and clinical services of the VA to initiate the obligation for all related requirements necessary to provide prosthetic and sensory aids services, to include durable medical equipment and supplies directly to Veterans.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by 30 days of the closing date of this announcement, 03/09/2026.

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. For a GS-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-06.

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 as described below: GS-05 Specialized Experience: Possess at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-04) in the Federal Service, that is directly related to the work of the position and has equipped me with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties as Purchasing Agent.

Qualifying specialized experience includes performing administrative duties in a healthcare setting; reviewing and working with patients' medical records; completing training or assisting in routine and complex specialized purchases for clinics including medical equipment, prosthetic and orthotic appliances; utilizing computer software programs; and communicating with internal and external customers via various methods.

or SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED): I possess the successfully completed four (4) years above the high school level in any field for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite.

(This education must have been obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college, or university.) or COMBINATION OF EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED): I possess the equivalent combinations of successfully completed post-high school education beyond two (2) years and specialized experience as described above that demonstrates the ability to perform the duties of this Purchasing Agent position.

You may qualify based on your experience as described below: GS-06 Specialized Experience: One (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 level in the Federal service.

Specialized experience is defined as knowledge of or experience with purchasing support adhering to the FAR, VAAR, VHA, and Prosthetics Directives and Handbooks, VISN policy and station memorandums to acquire patient specific medical equipment, supplies and services; experience with rentals to meet the outpatient medical needs of the services, which include all outpatient durable medical equipment and supplies, rehabilitation equipment, mobility and daily living aids, neuro-sensory, home oxygen, inpatient surgical implants and supplies.

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; religions; 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. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week.

Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities.

Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Physical Requirements: Work is primarily sedentary when conducing purchasing functions for PSAS, however while conducting inventory management functions, the incumbent may work comfortably in a warehouse environment, sitting, standing, walking, bending, lifting, carrying, retrieving and managing inventory.

Prolonged periods of working at a computer terminal is required. Ability to retrieve equipment from a storage room is required.

Climbing associated with stocking of equipment and other items in storage areas is necessary. Incumbent may carry/lift items weighing up to twenty-five (25) pounds.

Normal safety precautions are adequate. The work involves moderate discomfort when visiting sites away from the office.

At times the employee may be required to wear protective clothing when visiting the Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Fabrication Laboratory.

Often, walking between the main medical center and other parts of Prosthetics to conduct professional duties.

Work Environment: Incumbent works in a health care office with the possibility of contact with ill and diseased patients.

Normal duties are performed in an office setting, which has adequate heat, light, and ventilation; however, the incumbent must retrieve prosthetic items from various storage areas daily.

The incumbent may on occasion, accompany the Site Manager and/or Prosthetic Representative on visits to the patients' homes or to a vendor for shop inspections.

Incumbent has direct daily contact with patients and may handle equipment returned from Veterans with contagious diseases; hence, the incumbent is required to practice Universal Precautions in observance of normal safety practices with office equipment and prosthetics equipment and supplies; avoidance of trips and falls, and observance of fire regulations is required.

The area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated.

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:

This position is aligned under Prosthetic & Sensory Aids Services (PSAS).

Purchasing Agents are responsible for an outpatient treatment program and inventory responsibility to multiple service lines, departments, clinics at the Madison VA.

This is a direct patient care position and the incumbent must work directly with the Veteran, family members, and care providers.

The GS -6 level serves in the developmental capacity, functions are similar to those at the full performance level, GS-7.

The developmental assignment will not be fully delegated until orientation, training, and demonstration of Knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to accomplish the work at the full performance level.

Duties include and are not limited to the following: Provides technical level purchasing support Display a positive image and remain highly motivated, seeking ways to expedite processing Ability to adapt to changes in health care Quickly deduce from prescriptions what items or services are needed Initiate action on "stat" request; obligates purchase order for equipment /supplies/rental of services and monitors completion Monitors, receives, tracks, interprets, and analyzes consults and prescriptions; reviews validity and procedure Examines health records and claims; determine eligibility and entitlement for items and services Research solicitation methods, ordering or reporting procedures Responsible for multiple fund control points Purchases specialized equipment or services: hard-to-locate, unstable price, critical characteristics, etc.

Remain up to date on practices, procedures, and products and products Works closely with suppliers and clinicians Utilizes Blanket Purchase Agreements for included items Reconciles invoices/computes costs/resolves discrepancies Maintains record of transactions and makes adjustments Must adhere to strict performance measures Provides assistance and training Responsible for data collection and reporting Maintains equipment inventory; identifies and records equipment items Utilizes office automation equipment in addition to mailing and production of government bills of lading Position Description/PD#: Purchasing Agent GS-1105, #20214A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; actual tour of duty will be determined based on organizational needs.