Buyer - Purchasing - Full Time

The Purchasing Agent is a member of the Prosthetic & Sensory Aids Service (PSAS) within the Prosthetic Service Line and performs 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.

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

Performs technical level purchasing adhering to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), VA Acquisition Regulation (VAAR), Veterans Health Administration ( VHA), and Prosthetics Directives and Handbooks, Veterans Integrated Service Network (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. These situations often come up for custom in-home installation of complex pieces of medical equipment.

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 Prosthetic & Sensory Aids Service (PSAS) reporting tools to monitor and track Prosthetic & Sensory Aids Service (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. 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.

Work Schedule: Full time, Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm

Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized

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Citizen to apply for this job

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

Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. 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.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. your performance and conduct;

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

One (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 level in the Federal service that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of this Purchasing Agent position. Specialized experience includes: maintaining regular contact with vendors, contractors, medical center/facility professionals, and staff; purchasing for a variety of prosthetic and sensory aid devices, medical supplies, surgical implants, and durable medical equipment 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.

Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Your experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at

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. The work involves moderate discomfort when visiting sites away from the office. Often, walking between the main medical center and other parts of Prosthetics to conduct professional duties.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 80 or more before any Veterans preference points) for this vacancy. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent.