Purchasing Agent

***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION***

Major duties and responsibilities include:

• Performs technical level purchasing adhering to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) VA Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) VHA and Prosthetics Directives and Handbooks VISN policy and station memorandums to acquire Veteran-specific medical equipment supplies and services based on a medical providers clinical assessment and evaluation of the Veterans medical condition.
• Obtains all necessary procurement information to successfully submit 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 the Electronic Contract Management System (eCMS/FORCE).
• Provides patient care and support services to an adult population and serves as the point of contact for external customer service inventory needs and support. Must tailor the patient care/support services to meet the specialized need(s) of the individual patient and the clinical service it supports.
• Reviews for discrepancies or loopholes in lengthy specifications or statements of work that are very detailed or otherwise difficult to understand. These situations often come up for custom in-home installation of complex pieces of medical equipment.
• Rental support requires necessary care coordination follow up initiation from Prosthetic & Sensory Aids Service (PSAS) to requestor for additional days of rental and/or discontinued services from the VA to the Vendor. Coordinates under close direction and supervision with appropriate vendor for device retrieval and reconciliation of acquisition days to ensure daily fund rental fiscal accountability.
• Utilizes PSAS reporting tools to monitor and track PSAS open purchase card orders to ensure timely service is provided to Veterans.
• Quickly deduces from written prescriptions or oral requests what items or services are needed and/or conducts follow up information requests to the initiator to clarify the medical need or device specifications based on the Veterans medical evaluation. Based on the urgency of the need selects the most appropriate cost-effective source to deliver the items/service in the most reliable manner.
• Monitors receives tracks interprets and analyzes Prosthetic Consults and prescriptions for items services and home medical equipment from physicians therapists medical center personnel patients or their representatives.
• Reviews requests for completeness comparing disability or diagnosis to equipment and/or services normally provided for the condition for which they are requested and/or proper documentation has been provided to justify the issuance.
• Identifies and records all equipment by documenting the serial model manufacturer and other identifiable information for possible recall and by expiration dates for necessary replacement. Maintains an inventory of all purchased and consignment equipment with expiration date imitate exchange and/or replacement of expired stock.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• To be considered for this position you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the 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 identification 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) - See Required Documents below for details.

• 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.

To qualify for this position applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. You may qualify at the GS-6 level if you fulfill the following qualifications:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: One (1) year of specialized experience that equipped you with the knowledge skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position and that is typically in or related to the work of this position. To be creditable this experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-5 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience includes: maintaining regular contact with vendors contractors medical center/facility professionals and staff; making purchases involving specialized requirements and/or commercial requirements; utilizing a variety of databases and computer systems to maintain accurate accounting of all actions; examining incoming procurement requests for completeness; maintaining computer security and access to files.

Physical Requirements: Work is primarily sedentary when conducting purchasing functions for the Prosthetic & Sensory Aids Service. 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.

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

Required Experience:

Unclear Seniority