Purchasing Agent

Summary

This position is located in the Prosthetics & Sensory Aid Service within the Prosthetic Service Line under the VISN or 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 Time‑In‑Grade and Specialized Experience requirements within 30 days of the announcement – 07/20/2026. 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 within 30 days of 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. You may qualify based on your experience as described below:

Specialized Experience GS‑6:
You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS‑05) in the Federal Service – that is directly related to the work of the position and has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties as Purchasing Agent. Qualifying specialized experience includes performing clerical or assistant duties in support of purchasing and procurement;

procuring supplies and services to meet the purchase‑rental‑or lease needs of an organization; working with medical staff to determine procurement needs and priorities; resolving a variety of shipment‑payment‑or other discrepancies in support of procurement programs and operations; purchasing various equipment‑supplies‑and services through the use of a purchase card; and assembling and/or summarizing information from files and documents as required to create reports utilizing automated computerized supply/inventory management systems and Microsoft Office software programs such as MS Word and Excel.

Note:

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. 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.

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)..

• Perform technical level purchasing support adhering to the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), Veteran Affairs Acquisition Regulations (VAAR), Veteran Health Administration (VHA) 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…