Purchasing Agent

Veterans Health Administration • Mare Island Naval Shipyard, CA

6d • Onsite

About The Position

The Purchasing Agent is a member of the Prosthetic & Sensory Aids Service (PSAS) within the Prosthetic Service Line and provides direct medical supply purchasing and inventory-management support to VA administrative and clinical services. The role initiates obligations for requirements needed to provide prosthetic and sensory aids, including durable medical equipment and supplies, directly to Veterans.

The position has direct contact with Veterans, including people with severe disabilities, and requires a positive, motivated, patient-focused approach. The incumbent interprets written prescriptions and oral requests, follows up with requestors to clarify medical needs or device specifications, and triages Prosthetic Service Requests/Consults entered by clinicians in the electronic medical record. Based on urgency, the incumbent selects a reliable and cost-effective source and takes independent action on STAT and routine requests in accordance with applicable Business Practice Guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures.

The incumbent obligates purchase orders for equipment, supplies, or rental services, generally within 30 working days, and monitors requests for completion within 90 days. Consults must be kept current with actions, updates, notifications, reasons for delays, and appropriate status changes. The role also includes managing and monitoring open purchase-card transactions and unreconciled orders. Purchase authority varies by item and contract status; stated micro-purchase thresholds are generally $10,000 for non-national-contract items and, when delegated, $100,000 for national-contract purchases under 38 U.S.C. 8123. Thresholds are subject to change.

This is a multi-grade career-ladder position. The work schedule is full-time, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Telework and virtual work are not authorized. Relocation and recruitment incentives are not authorized.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship is required.
• Selective Service registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Applicants must meet applicable time-in-grade requirements; for GS-6, current or former federal employees subject to this requirement must have 52 weeks at GS-5.
• GS-5 applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-4, or qualifying education, or an eligible combination of education and experience.
• GS-5 specialized experience may include healthcare administrative duties; working with patient medical records; assisting with routine and complex clinic purchases such as medical equipment and prosthetic or orthotic appliances; using computer software; and communicating with internal and external customers.
• GS-5 education substitution: four years of post-high-school education in an eligible accredited institution, or an eligible combination of post-high-school education beyond two years and specialized experience.
• GS-6 applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-5.
• GS-6 specialized experience may include interpreting prescriptions and medical equipment or service requests; maintaining contact with vendors, contractors, medical-center professionals, and staff; using databases and computer systems; purchasing with an agency or organization purchase card; reconciling charges; and preparing and submitting reports.
• Demonstrated competencies in communications, customer service (clerical/technical), decision making, managing and organizing information, managing resources, and technical competence.
• Must complete a background/security investigation and the required online onboarding process; acceptable identification is required for pre-employment requirements.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is required for VA Health Care Personnel.
• Must serve a one-year probationary period.
• Ability to perform the described physical tasks, including prolonged computer-terminal work, retrieving equipment, climbing in storage areas, and carrying or lifting items up to 25 pounds.
• A transcript is required when education is used to qualify; qualifying education must be from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Responsibilities

• Interpret written prescriptions and oral requests to identify needed items or services, and contact requestors for clarification of medical needs or device specifications when necessary.
• Triage Prosthetic Service Requests/Consults in VISTA or APAT and assess the urgency of requests.
• Select reliable, cost-effective sources to provide requested items or services.
• Carry out STAT and routine purchasing work using independent problem-solving and follow applicable Business Practice Guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures.
• Obligate purchase orders for equipment, supplies, or rental services, generally within 30 working days.
• Monitor requests to ensure completion within 90 days and document reasons when actions cannot be completed within established timeframes.
• Annotate consults with actions, notifications, acquisition-process updates, and other required communications to requestors and relevant parties.
• Change consult statuses in accordance with local processes, guidelines, and procedures, including use of purchase orders, inventory issues, forwarding, or administrative completion using NR codes.
• Manage and regularly monitor the List Open Purchase Card Transactions By Initiator report and unreconciled orders.
• Purchase equipment, supplies, and services using delegated purchase-card authority and reconcile charges and prepare or submit reports.
• Perform inventory-management functions, including retrieving, stocking, and managing equipment and supplies.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits package; specific benefits depend on position eligibility.
• Potential credit toward annual-leave accrual for qualifying prior work or military service, subject to request and approval before appointment.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED