Clarification from the agency

This is a status announcement and is open to status candidates including current Federal employees, Veterans, individuals with disabilities (Schedule A) as well as CTAP/ICTAP and qualified military spouses. Documentation is required to support all status claims, so you much include it with your Application.

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This is a critical, direct patient care, Veteran-facing position that may need to be performed under close direction and supervision. These duties include:

• Complex purchasing that requires irregular research, analysis, collaboration and many other steps to ensure both best value and the most appropriate devices are purchased for the Veterans.
• Using guidance, direction, and direct use of policies and guidelines to perform technical level purchasing to acquire Veteran-specific medical equipment, supplies and services.
• Obtaining all necessary procurement information to successfully submit Acquisition Plans and Procurement Packages.
• Researching vendor resources.
• Providing patient care and support services.
• Serving as the point of contact for external customer service inventory needs and support; tailoring the patient care/support services to meet the specialized need(s) of the individual patient and the clinical service it supports.
• Evaluating many different specifications or statements of work and reviewing for discrepancies.
• Coordinates with vendors for device retrieval and reconciliation of acquisition days to ensure daily fund rental fiscal accountability.
• Utilizing reporting tools to monitor and track open purchase card orders.
• Utilizing the responsibility for all procurement actions within the limits of authority while protecting the Government's interest on all transactions.
• Researching the use of different solicitation methods, ordering or reporting procedures in both the purchase card menu and the prosthetics program.
• Being aware of products with recalls and communicating all findings.
• Resolving a variety of purchasing issues, such as, purchasing specialized/customized equipment or services with unstable price or product characteristic, hard-to-locate sources, have critical characteristics, or similar complications.
• Remaining up-to-date on practices, procedures, and products.
• Ensuring all the requirements required by/to the contracting officer are met.
• Documenting the services required per the contractual agreement.
• Monitoring, tracking and contractor performance.
• Managing data collection which will be used in preparing reports.
• Coordinating delivery time frames, care for travel and completion of appropriate forms and referrals.
• Displaying a positive image and being highly motivated to seek ways to expedite patient processing, accomplish the VA mission, and adapt to the ever-changing world of health care.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm
Telework: Not approved
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Purchasing Agent/PD03542A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• 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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's 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)

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 06/24/2025.

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-06 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.

**Please Note: You must submit an SF-50 for two reasons when applying to this announcement. First, your SF-50 will be viewed to show you are a current employee. Please be sure you are using your most recent SF-50 to prove this, or you may not be viewed as eligible to apply to this announcement. Secondly, your SF-50 will be viewed to prove you meet the Time and Grade requirement which means, you have worked for 52 weeks, in at least the required grade (GS-9). If the first SF-50 doesn't prove this, Please be sure to provide more SF-50s to show you meet both this requirement also.

You may qualify based on your experience as described below:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Analyzing and Interpreting equipment orders; Using contracts, purchasing policies, equipment sources, trade policies, shipping procedures and the corresponding terminology; Using electronic databases, software or systems, Purchasing equipment, supplies and/or services using an agency/organizational purchase card; Reconciling charges, Preparing and submitting reports, and Providing quality customer service.

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

• Attention to Detail
• Customer Service (Clerical/Technical)
• 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. 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 Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.