Purchasing Agent

Veterans Health Administration • Salisbury, NC

22d • Onsite

About The Position

The Purchasing Agent serves in the Logistics Service of a Veterans Affairs Health Care System and its supported catchment area. The position acquires supplies, services, and construction through purchase, rental, or lease, primarily using delivery orders and small-purchase procedures. It also provides procurement support, vendor coordination, transaction administration, budget tracking, and clerical support to the medical facility.

The role reviews purchase requests for completeness, checks funding balances and approvals, identifies sources of supply, gathers pricing information, and prepares solicitations with appropriate selection criteria and terms. The agent uses federal and agency acquisition rules, property management regulations, internal procedures, and web-based procurement systems to carry out purchases and monitor orders. The position is onsite, with a Monday–Friday schedule from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; it is not virtual.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship is required.
• Current federal employees who meet the stated time-in-grade condition must have 52 weeks at GS-05 for this GS-06 position and submit evidence of eligibility.
• At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-05, including experience supporting purchasing or procurement, procuring supplies or services, working with medical staff on procurement needs, resolving shipment or payment discrepancies, using a purchase card, and preparing reports with computerized supply or inventory systems and Microsoft Office.
• Complete the application, questionnaire, and required online assessment.
• Register with Selective Service if applicable to males born after December 31, 1959.
• Complete required background/security investigation and onboarding steps, including acceptable identification documentation.
• Participate in the VA seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Serve a one-year probationary period or two-year trial period, as applicable.
• No educational substitution is available at this grade level.

Responsibilities

• Provide general guidance to potential vendors about requirements for entry into 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, track, and monitor procurement transactions.
• Review Fund Control Points and verify running balances to ensure obligations are completed and approved before placing orders.
• Administer and oversee orders and services.
• Represent the VA in vendor and contractor discussions to obtain agreement on micro-purchases and compliance.
• Monitor vendor performance through contact, progress reports, and discussion of delays, failures, or price changes.
• Track obligations and commitments, monitor expenditures, support recurring budget forecasts, and identify potential fraud, waste, and abuse based on procurement history and purchasing trends.
• Coordinate with using-service representatives on supply sources and acceptable substitutions when standard items are unavailable.
• Apply conventional practices to resolve procurement transaction problems and develop alternatives or solutions for supervisory review.
• Procure supplies and services by purchase, rental, or lease to meet organizational needs.
• Examine incoming requests for completeness, including purchase request numbers, accounting codes, item descriptions, estimated costs, and quantities.
• Ensure solicitation packages contain critical information and develop selection criteria for each purchase.
• Use web-based applications to identify sources of supply.
• Collect data to assess price reasonableness, prepare written solicitations, and tailor terms and conditions.
• Use federal and agency acquisition regulations, federal property management regulations, internal procedures, and other references to identify sources and relevant purchase 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, recordkeeping, 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 employee benefits package available to the employee and family; specific eligibility and benefits depend on position type.

What This Job Offers

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