What are the responsibilities and job description for the Purchasing Agent position at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs?
Summary
This position is located in the Prosthetics & Sensory Aid Service within the Prosthetic Service Line at the Bay Pines VA Medical Center. The purpose of this position is to perform direct medical supply purchasing and inventory management support to the administrative and clinical services of the VA to initiate the obligation for all related requirements necessary to provide prosthetic and sensory aids services - to include durable medical equipment and supplies directly to Veterans.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 01/13/2026. 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 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. ***Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade. If you are currently serving in a Hybrid Title 38 position - your SF-50's must reflect you have been in the position longer than one year. Specialized Experience: You must have 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: 1) Maintaining regular contact with vendors - contractors - medical center professionals and staff 2) Makes purchases involving specialized requirements and/or commercial requirements. 3) Utilizing a variety of databases and computer systems to maintain accurate accounting of all actions. 4) Examines incoming procurement requests for completeness. 5) Experience maintaining computer security and access to files. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Communication Computer Skills Contracting/Procurement 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 conducing purchasing functions for PSAS - however while conducting inventory management functions - 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. 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/.
Duties
This position is located in the Prosthetics & Sensory Aid Service within the Prosthetic Service Line at the Bay Pines VA Medical Center. The purpose of this position is to perform direct medical supply purchasing and inventory management support to the administrative and clinical services of the VA to initiate the obligation for all related requirements necessary to provide prosthetic and sensory aids services - to include durable medical equipment and supplies directly to Veterans.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 01/13/2026. 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 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. ***Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade. If you are currently serving in a Hybrid Title 38 position - your SF-50's must reflect you have been in the position longer than one year. Specialized Experience: You must have 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: 1) Maintaining regular contact with vendors - contractors - medical center professionals and staff 2) Makes purchases involving specialized requirements and/or commercial requirements. 3) Utilizing a variety of databases and computer systems to maintain accurate accounting of all actions. 4) Examines incoming procurement requests for completeness. 5) Experience maintaining computer security and access to files. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Communication Computer Skills Contracting/Procurement 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 conducing purchasing functions for PSAS - however while conducting inventory management functions - 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. 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/.
Duties
- Major duties may include - but are not limited to - the following: Perform technical level purchasing support adhering to the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) - Veteran Affairs Acquisition Regulations (VAAR) -Veteran Health Administration (VHA) - and Prosthetics directives and handbooks - Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISN) policy and station memorandums to acquire Veteran specific medical equipment - supplies and services based on a medical provider's clinical assessment and evaluation of the Veteran's medical condition
- Submits 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 Electronic Contract Management System (eCMS)
- Verifies Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) and Bradstreet information and ensures each vendor is in System for Award Management (SAM) and in good standing with the government to do business with
- Verifies accountability of all prosthetics expenditures in both the purchase menu and the prosthetics program and associate all obligations to the individual veteran
- Ensure the services provides are documented not only as the type of service - but the duration
- Complex purchasing: requires irregular research - analysis - collaboration and many other steps to ensure both best value and the most appropriate devices are purchased for the Veterans
- Routine purchasing: includes routine purchase orders on established contracts or through established vendor resources using regular significant research - analysis or collaboration
- Performs other duties as assigned
- Work Schedule: Monday-Friday - 8:00am-4:30pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position
- Telework: Ad-Hoc only Position Description/PD#: Purchasing Agent/PD11208T Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized
Salary : $45,409 - $59,031