Purchasing Agent

Purchasing AgentThe position serves as a Purchasing Agent for the Logistics Service in a Veteran Affairs Health Care System (VA HCS) and supported catchment area. This position primarily performs Purchasing Agent work to acquire supplies, services, and construction by purchase, rental, or lease through delivery orders and/or small purchase procedures. The work requires knowledge of policies and procedures for delivery orders and small purchases. This work also requires knowledge of commercial supply sources and common business practices related to sales, prices, discounts, units of measurement, deliveries, stocks, and shipments.Additional duties include but are not limited to:Purchase card holder who fulfills acquisition requests under the federal micro purchase threshold, ensuring these purchases are procured in accordance with Federal and VA regulations, policy and procedures.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 at a VA Health Care System and supported catchment area.Performs procurement duties such as preparing, controlling, and reviewing procurement documents and reports.Verify or abstract information contained in documents and reports.Contact vendors to get status of orders and expedite delivery.Maintain various procurement files.Resolve a variety of shipment, payment, or other discrepancies.Perform other similar work in support of procurement programs and operations.Requires a practical knowledge of procurement procedures, operations, regulations, and programs.Must have knowledge of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), VA Acquisition Regulations (VAAR) and other federal procurement laws.Purchases various equipment, supplies, and services through the use of the government purchase card for micro purchases.Reviews and edits purchase requests to ensure the item or service is adequately described based on the requester's need.Ensures all information has been provided and the request is consistent with legal requirements.Obtains necessary product information, price information and procedures for written or verbal purchase orders.Utilizes different ordering, reporting procedures, and purchasing methods depending on the type quantity, dollar value, and urgency of the requirement.Provide general guidance to potential vendors on requirements and information needed to be entered into the VHA's local vendor file.Utilize various web-based portals to order items from awarded contracts to include the Department of Defense's Electronic Catalog (ECAT) and the Medical Surgical Prime Vendor's site for ordering, tracking and monitoring procurement transactions.Review Fund Control Points and verify the running balances to ensure procurement obligations are complete and approved prior to placing orders.Provides administration and oversight on orders and services.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.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.Researches, reviews, develops spreadsheets, and prepares reports for procurement under the micro-threshold to address departmental needs from the Supervisor.Ability to compile, consolidate, organize, and summarize specific procurement information to support efforts related to annual budget estimates and a variety of onetime and recurring reports.Performs work in support of general management and/or program analysis function in which knowledge of the purpose, operation, methodology and techniques characteristic of specific management/program analysis functions are required.Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm, subject to change based on agency needs.Virtual: This is not a virtual position.Position Description/PD#: Purchasing Agent / PD99896SRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized.Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved.Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.