Purchasing Agent

Full Job Description

This position is located in Architect of the Capitol (AOC), Office of the Chief Security Officer (OCSO), Assistant Director, Administrative Services Division.

The Purchasing Agent reports to the Business Operations Manager, performing a variety of tasks for the acquisition of supplies, materials, equipment and services for the assigned jurisdiction.

You must meet the United States Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) qualification requirements (including specialized experience and/or educational requirements) for the advertised position.

You must meet all eligibility and qualifications requirements by the closing date of the job announcement.

Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions.

It is available for your review on the OPM web site at http://www.opm.gov/qualifications.

Specialized Experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position and is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled.

To be creditable, an applicant's one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for successful job performance.

To qualify at the GS-07 level, your resume must clearly demonstrate that you have one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience comparable in difficulty and responsibility to at least the GS-07 level in the federal service.

Examples of qualifying experience include the following types of tasks performed on a regular and recurring basis: Processing timesheets and reviewing discrepancies using an automated system; Using government or company purchase card to process purchases, service or goods; Communicating effectively with internal and external customers and vendors in order to gather information, present recommendations, and coordinate services; and Utilizing automated processes pertaining to purchasing and purchase orders.

Major Duties:

The work requires an in-depth knowledge of a variety of specialized purchasing methods and procedures to perform procurement actions.

Meets with suppliers to discuss terms, special requirements, schedules, etc., resulting from the nature of item or service being purchased.

Reconciles time and attendance data for employees against clock in and out punches in GovTa.

Responsible for procuring supplies, services and equipment through a variety of small purchasing methods and procedures.

Serves in the capacity of Cardholder of a Government-wide Purchase Card and is responsible for safeguarding the purchase card and account number.

Receives, reviews and analyzes assigned procurement requests includes SOW and specifications for adequacy, conciseness, consistency with AOC purchasing guidelines.

Develops purchasing/solicitation strategy by analyzing a variety of information, such as specifications, Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), AOC procurement policies and procedures, history files, market conditions, item characteristics, or catalogs and analyzing various tradeoffs, such as cost of renting vs.

purchasing, free services included, vendor reputation or previous performance, etc.

With supervisory assistance, determines whether to meet requirements by ordering against an existing contract or through open market procedures, whether and how to solicit quotes, markets to locate a source, analyzes proposed prices or costs and evaluates methods of allocating costs through various types of overhead and/or general and administrative expense.

Works in collaboration with higher grade staff in preparing purchase orders including specifications, packing and shipping requirements, inspection, instruction and all other special and standard clauses.

With supervisory assistance, awards and administers small purchases that require extensive monitoring and oversight resolving complex problems, such as protests, claims, terminations, or substantial modifications.

Uses FMS & Maximo operating systems to perform purchasing and keep current on FAR guidelines and US code. Performs other related duties as assigned.

**This is career ladder position requiring the incumbent to perform progressively more complex duties and responsibilities leading to the full performance level; Candidate will have non-competitive promotion potential to the GS-08.**