Purchasing Agent

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 06/22/2026. 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.

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: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Interpreting prescriptions and requests for medical equipment and services. Maintaining regular contact with vendors, contractors, medical center professionals and staff. Utilizing a variety of databases and computer systems. Purchasing equipment, supplies and services using an agency/organization purchase card. Reconciling charges and preparing and submitting reports. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Technical Competence: Review request for completeness and proper medical justification. Prioritizes workload to meet mandated timelines standards. Ensures funding allocations for the Prosthetic Service line reflect correct expenditures and balances utilizing Fiscal polices and procedures. Contracting/Procurement: Examines clinical health records and claims folders to determine legal eligibility and medical entitlement for prosthetic items and services based on criteria. Authorizes and prepares complex purchase orders for a wide variety of prosthetic & sensory aids, medical supplies, orthotic devices, surgical implants durable medical equipment and repairs. Reconciles all invoices for certification of payment while ensuring accurate prices are charged for services and/or items.

Communication: Maintains continuous liaison with vendors, medical center professionals and staff to ensure timely acquisition and provision of items and services to Veterans. Communicates effectively with Veterans and family members in-person, on the telephone. and written responses. Researches information on prosthetic appliances, services and medical equipment from local and national sources by contacting various vendors.

Computer Skills: Operates prosthetic software package to maintain detailed and accurate accounting of all actions taken for Veterans. Tracks request for quotes, purchase orders by creating an excel document. Researches national contracts, policies , directives and regulations and emerging technology to keep current. Documents electronically all records thoroughly. Adheres to regulations and instructions regarding computer security and access to files. 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 conducting 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-fiv