Purchasing Agent

This position utilizes knowledge of policies and procedures for delivery orders and small purchases and knowledge of commercial supply sources and common business practices related to sales prices discounts units of measurement deliveries stocks and shipments. The Purchasing Agent maintains responsibility for work leading to the purchase of a wide variety of complex and highly specialized services supplies equipment and systems that support the full range of programs and activities

Major duties include but are not limited to:

• Purchasing Support - Conducts purchasing under the micro purchase threshold; reviews and edits purchase requests; resolves issues to ensure requests and bills are processed accurately and in a timely manner; identifies needs or problems and determines corrective action; utilizes federal and agency acquisition regulations to identify possible sources and other pertinent information related to purchases; tracks obligations/commitments and monitors expenditures to support recurring budget forecasts and identify potential fraud waste and abuse based on procurement history and purchase trends; and
• Procurement Support - Procures supplies and services to meet the purchase rental or lease needs of the organization; develops unique selection criteria for each purchase; Prepare and issue contract modifications for changes in delivery schedule and sends formal correspondence to a variety of customers such as inventory management specialists other service line contacts and contracting officers as appropriate for the purposes of auditing documents processing receiving reports and payments.; conducting open market research and sole source small purchases for highly specialized medical items with critical product requirements; and
• Administrative Support - Serves as the first line of contact for medical staff and customers in regard to procured items; develops reports and spreadsheets obtains organizes files and retrieves reports for briefing and presentation purposes; performs a variety of receptionist timekeeping record keeping and miscellaneous duties in medical facility; and
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory qualification and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm
Telework: Not Authorized.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Purchasing Agent/PD03869A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized.
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.
Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required.

Notifications:

• This position is in the Competitive Service.
• This position is covered by locality-based comparability pay.
• Time-in-Grade Restriction: Applicants must also meet time-in-grade requirements. The grade may have been in any occupation but must have been held in the Federal service.
• The incumbent may be required to travel to other VA campuses and CBOCs on occasion.
• Selectee may be required to serve one year supervisory/managerial probationary period.
• Veterans preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees.
• Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50 (Notice of Personnel Action). The SF-50 must identify the position title series grade step tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). In some cases more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held.
• Interchange Agreements with Other Merit System: Employees who occupy medical or medical-related positions and were appointed under 38 U.S.C. 4701(1) or (3) formerly 38 U.S.C. 4104 (1) and (3) must be serving in a full-time position without time limit and have served continuously for at least one year in this other merit system to be eligible to convert to the Title 5 System. Some exceptions to this rule may apply if you have previously acquired tenure under a Title 5 appointment.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( Effective May 7 2025 drivers licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

As a condition of employment for accepting this position you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public determining if your employment advances the public interest we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period or trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification in writing that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement 02/10/2026.

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-6 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-5. 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 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:

GS-5:

• Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-4 in the normal line of progression for the occupation series in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include but are not limited to: 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. (This must be documented in resume) OR
• Education: 4 years above high school. Degree must be relevant to the position to be filled. (Transcripts must be provided) OR
• Combination: Combinations of the defined education and experience to qualify for a GS-5 level. I have a combination of specialized experience and education in excess of the first 60 semester hours (i.e. beyond the second year) is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirement. One full academic year of study (30 semester hours) beyond the second year is equivalent to 6 months of specialized experience. The education and experience must be directly related to the work of the position to be filled.

GS-6:

• Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-5 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include but are not limited to: 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. (This must be documented in resume)

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

• Attention to Detail
• Customer Service (Clerical/Technical)
• Financial Management
• Manages Resources
• Technical Competence

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 conducting 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. There may be frequent walks between the main medical center and other parts of Prosthetics to conduct professional duties.

For more information on these qualification standards please visit the United States Office of Personnel Managements website at