Purchasing Agent

Veterans Health Administration • Charlotte, NC

25d • Onsite

About The Position

This position serves as a Purchasing Agent for the Logistics Service in a Veteran Affairs Health Care System and its supported catchment area. The role primarily acquires supplies, services, and construction by purchase, rental, or lease through delivery orders and small purchase procedures. The agent supports procurement transactions from reviewing requests and identifying sources through ordering, vendor coordination, administration, and reporting.

The position also provides clerical and coordination support to approving officials and administrators, serves as a primary contact for medical staff and customers regarding procured items, and performs receptionist, timekeeping, and record-keeping duties. The schedule is Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The position is not virtual.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship is required.
• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must be registered with Selective Service.
• For GS-06, one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-05 is required. Specialized experience may include clerical or assistant work supporting purchasing and procurement; procuring supplies and services; working with medical staff to determine procurement needs and priorities; resolving shipment, payment, or other procurement discrepancies; purchasing equipment, supplies, and services using a purchase card; and compiling information from files and documents into reports using automated supply or inventory systems and Microsoft Office, such as Word and Excel.
• Current federal employees and former federal employees applying for reinstatement or through VEOA who held a GS grade in the past 52 weeks must meet the time-in-grade requirement of 52 weeks at GS-05 for a GS-06 position and provide supporting SF-50 documentation.
• Complete the application, questionnaire, and required online assessment.
• Meet the announcement requirements by its closing date of October 26, 2026.
• Complete a background/security investigation and the online onboarding process; provide acceptable identification for pre-employment requirements.
• Participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program as a condition of employment.
• Serve a one-year probationary period or two-year trial period, as applicable.
• Some physical effort, such as standing, sitting, walking, or bending, is required; there are no special physical demands.
• There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Responsibilities

• Provide potential vendors with general guidance on requirements and information needed for the VHA local vendor file.
• Use web-based portals, including the Department of Defense Electronic Catalog (ECAT) and the Medical Surgical Prime Vendor site, to order items from awarded contracts and track and monitor procurement transactions.
• Review Fund Control Points and verify running balances to ensure procurement obligations are completed and approved before orders are placed.
• Administer and oversee orders and services.
• Represent the VA in vendor and contractor discussions to obtain agreement on micro-purchases and compliance with requirements.
• Monitor vendor performance through personal contact, progress reports, and discussions of delays, failures, or price changes.
• Track obligations and commitments and monitor expenditures to support recurring budget forecasts and identify potential fraud, waste, and abuse based on procurement history and purchase trends.
• Coordinate with using-service representatives on supply sources and acceptable substitutions when standard items are in short supply or unavailable from the normal source.
• Apply conventional practices to resolve procurement transaction problems and develop recommended alternatives or solutions for supervisory review before completing procurement actions.
• Procure supplies and services to meet the organization's purchase, rental, or lease needs.
• Examine incoming requests for completeness, including purchase request numbers, accounting codes, item descriptions, estimated costs, and quantities.
• Ensure critical information is included in solicitation packages and develop selection criteria for each purchase.
• Use web-based applications to identify sources of supply.
• Collect data to determine price reasonableness for new items, prepare written solicitations, and tailor terms and conditions.
• Use federal and agency acquisition regulations, federal property management regulations, internal procedures, guidelines, and other references to identify sources and relevant purchasing information.
• Serve as the first point of contact for medical staff and customers regarding procured items.
• Provide clerical support and coordination to approving officials and administrators.
• Perform receptionist, timekeeping, record-keeping, and miscellaneous medical-facility duties.
• Develop reports and spreadsheets; obtain, organize, file, and retrieve reports for briefings and presentations.
• Use Microsoft Office to create, edit, and aggregate data for expense tracking and Supply Chain management reporting.

Benefits

• Federal employees and their families have access to a comprehensive benefits package. Eligibility depends on position type; contact the hiring agency for details.
• Newly appointed federal employees may request consideration for credit for job-related non-federal experience or active-duty uniformed military service when determining annual leave accrual; approval is not guaranteed.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed