Purchasing Agent

Summary
This position is organizationally located in the Prosthetic Service within the Medical Center. The incumbent will work under the supervision of the Chief and Assistant Chief of Prosthetic Service. The incumbent has coordination and active involvement with various Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) throughout VISN 17.

Qualifications
To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 12/01/2025. 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-6 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: To qualify for this position at the GS-5 level: You must have 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 you 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): 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): 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. To qualify for this position at the GS-6 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 You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Contracting / Procurement Planning and Evaluating Communications Computer Skills Medical Information 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 and is carried out in an office setting. There exists prolonged periods of working at a computer terminal. 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. For more information on these qualification standards - please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at

Duties

• The incumbent receives and analyzes Prosthetic Consults - and prescriptions (VAF for items - services and home medical equipment from physicians - therapists - medical center personnel - patients or their representatives
• The incumbent receives and analyzes Prosthetic Consults - and prescriptions (VAF for items - services and home medical equipment from physicians - therapists - medical center personnel - patients or their representatives
• The incumbent reviews requests for completeness - comparing disability or diagnosis to equipment and/or services normally provided for the condition for which they are requested - and ensures that the proper documentation has been provided to justify the issuance and make arrangements to procure these items
• This position involves a multi-grade career ladder
• The major duties listed below represent the full performance level of GS-6. At the GS-5 grade level - the employee performs assignments of a more limited scope and with less independence
• Duties include but not limited to: The incumbent receives and analyzes Prosthetic Consults - and prescriptions for items - services and home medical equipment
• The incumbent reviews requests for completeness - proper documentation and make arrangements to procure these items
• Establishes workflow protocols to ensure the timely execution of work
• Coordinate work for special circumstances
• As the subject matter expert (SME) - will advise other services on the policies and procedures to establish requisitions for services - equipment and commodities
• Review requests from various sources and making substitutions if necessary (within scope)
• As a subject matter expert - the incumbent will provide general guidance to potential vendors on requirements and information needed to be entered into the VHA's local vendor file
• Examine clinical health records and claims folders to determine eligibility and entitlement for items and services
• Advise Veterans and clinicians in relation to eligibility for entitlements for items and services
• Review clinical requests - determine sources and determine the availability of replacement parts and alternatives for power mobility - artificial limbs and other pieces of medical equipment
• Review unique requests to ensure the requesting entity has addressed any special prescribing procedure or guidance
• Reconcile all invoices for certification of payment by reviewing Veteran records against invoices to ensure that accurate cost is being charged for service/item rendered and verifies the correct total cost
• Follow up in relation to parts and labor orders - returns shipping back to manufactures and accounting for warranty work
• Maintain accurate records of transactions and to complete all adjustments to computerized system
• Maintain accurate funding - billing - reconciling of accounts and sub-account balances to include the Prompt Payment Act as it affects vendors and the payment process between vendors and the VA Medical Center
• Procures specialized medical equipment - supplies and services for Veterans
• Examples include but are not limited to augmented speech devices specialized for veterans individual need such as eye tracking - Custom wheelchairs built with measurements and specs unique to the veteran - vehicle modifications - specialized ramping with prep work and labor
• Review of various configurations and determine the most cost effective to meet the veterans need
• Procure specialized medical equipment with critical and unique characteristics and associated guidance from a variety of sources
• Purchases various equipment - supplies - and services through the use of the government purchase card for micro purchase
• The incumbent will be responsible and knowledgeable in various purchasing strategies - such as how to solicit - who to solicit - what clauses to include - which offers to accept or how much lead time
• The incumbent will negotiate prices with sole source vendors - persuade reluctant vendors and collect data for requirements not previously required
• Authorizes and prepares complex purchase orders for a wide variety of devices - medical supplies and durable medical equipment
• Prepares complex purchase orders for a wide variety of devices - medical supplies and durable medical equipment
• The incumbent will also coordinate work with local vendors
• Follow up communication and amendments to purchase orders are required to adjust for parts and labor - shipping parts back to manufactures and accounting for warranty work
• Represents the VA in discussions with vendors/contractors to obtain agreement on micro purchases and vendor/contractor compliance
• Monitor vendor performance through personal contact - review progress reports - and discuss reasons for delays - failures - or price changes
• Performs other duties as assigned
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 8:00am - 4:30pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Position Description/PD#: Purchasing Agent/PD0826VS and PD0825VS