Purchasing Agent

Full Job Description

This position provides medical supply purchasing and inventory management support to the VA's administrative and clinical services, initiating all related requirements necessary to provide prosthetic and sensory aid services, including durable medical equipment and supplies, directly to Veterans.

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 level. 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-06 level: You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-05) in the Federal Service, that is directly related to the work of the position and has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties as Purchasing Agent.

Qualifying specialized experience includes interpreting prescriptions and requests for medical equipment and services; maintaining regular contact with vendors, contractors, medical center professionals and staff; utilizing a variety of databases and computer systems; purchasing equipment, supplies and services using an agency/organization purchase card; and reconciling charges and preparing and submitting reports.

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:

Performs technical level purchasing support adhering to the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), Veteran Affairs Acquisition Regulations (VAAR), Veteran Health Administration (VHA), and Prosthetics directives and handbooks, Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISN) policy and station memorandums to acquire Veteran specific-medical equipment, supplies and services based on a medical provider's clinical assessment and evaluation of the Veteran's medical condition.

Submits Acquisition Plans and Procurement Packages for stock and veteran specific needs to the Network Contracting Office and uploads quotes, bids, invoices, consults, and other important documents to Electronic Contract Management System (eCMS).

Verifies Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) and Bradstreet information, and ensures each vendor is in System for Award Management (SAM) and in good standing with the government to do business with.

Verifies accountability of all prosthetics expenditures in both the purchase menu and the prosthetics program and associates all obligations to the individual veteran.

Ensures services provided are documented not only by type, but also by duration.

Complex purchasing: requires irregular research, analysis, collaboration, and many other steps to ensure both best value and the most appropriate devices are purchased for the Veterans.

Routine purchasing: includes routine purchase orders under established contracts or through established vendor resources, with regular, significant research, analysis, or collaboration.

Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Full-time, Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Work schedule is subject to change based on the needs of the facility.

Position Description/PD#: Purchasing Agent/PD11378A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized