Purchasing Agent

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.

To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 10/21/2026. 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-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. Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade.

Examples of appropriate SF-50's include:
Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.

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. Qualifying specialized experience include:
1) Maintaining regular contact with vendors - contractors - medical center professionals and staff.
2) Interpreting prescriptions and requests for medical equipment and services.
3) Utilizing a variety of databases and computer systems to maintain accurate accounting of all actions.
4) Purchasing equipment - supplies and services using an agency/organization purchase card.
5) Reconciling charges and preparing and submitting reports.

Physical Requirements:

Work is primarily sedentary when conducing 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://(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)..

• 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…