- Position Title
- Purchasing Agent
- Agency
- Veterans Health Administration
- Announcement Number
- CBTA-12746765-25-SR Opens in new window
- Open Period
- Friday, June 6, 2025 to Monday, June 16, 2025
For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.
Eligibilities
1.
Are you currently employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs within the VISN the position is located?
This includes: Career/Career Conditional or Excepted Service (i.e. Canteen, Hybrid, Title 38, etc. and meets interchange agreement requirements). This does not include temporary, term or temporary intermittent.
This includes: Career/Career Conditional or Excepted Service (i.e. Canteen, Hybrid, Title 38, etc. and meets interchange agreement requirements). This does not include temporary, term or temporary intermittent.
Preferences
1.
Which of the following items describes your current or recent (within the last five years) political appointee service?
If you responded yes to any of the items below, you will need to include a SF-50 specifying your prior service.
If you responded yes to any of the items below, you will need to include a SF-50 specifying your prior service.
Your resume must be submitted in English and include the following information for each job listed:
- Job title Duties (be as detailed as possible)
- Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008)
- Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week)
- Series and Grade, if applicable, for all Federal positions you have held
- Please be aware that your answers will be verified against information provided on your resume. Be sure that your resume clearly supports your responses to all of the questions by addressing your work experience in detail.
By submitting your application, you are certifying, to the best of your knowledge and belief, all the information submitted by you with your application for employment is true, complete, and made in good faith, and that you have truthfully and accurately represented your work experience, knowledge, skills, abilities and education (degrees, accomplishments, etc.). The information you provide as part of your application may be investigated. You are also certifying, and acknowledging, that misrepresenting your experience or education, or providing false or fraudulent information in, or with your application, may affect your eligibility for appointment and/or continued employment. False or fraudulent statements may be punishable by fine or imprisonment (18 U.S.C. 1001).
Assessment 1
Thank you for your interest in the Purchasing Agent, GS-1105-5/6 position with Department of Veterans Affairs. Your resume and the responses you provide to this assessment questionnaire will be used to determine if you are among the best qualified for this position. Your responses are subject to verification. Please review your responses for accuracy before you submit your application.
Time-In-Grade Requirement- GS-05: 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-05 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-04. 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.
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.
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s).
1.
Specialized Experience-GS-05: Do you possess one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-04 grade level in the Federal Service? Specialized experience includes but not limited to the following: performing administrative duties in a healthcare setting; reviewing and working with patients' medical records; completing training or assisting in routine and complex specialized purchases for clinics including medical equipment, prosthetic and orthotic appliances; utilizing computer software programs; and communicating with internal and external customers via various methods. (To receive credit for these skills, they must be documented in your resume.)
OR,
Education: Successfully completed four (4) years above the high school level in any field for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite. (This education must have been obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college, or university. TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED.)
OR,
Experience/Education: Combinations of successfully completed post-high school education beyond two (2) years and specialized experience as described above that demonstrates the ability to perform the duties of this Purchasing Agent position.
OR,
Education: Successfully completed four (4) years above the high school level in any field for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite. (This education must have been obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college, or university. TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED.)
OR,
Experience/Education: Combinations of successfully completed post-high school education beyond two (2) years and specialized experience as described above that demonstrates the ability to perform the duties of this Purchasing Agent position.
Time-In-Grade Requirement-GS-06: 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.
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.
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s).
2.
Specialized Experience-GS-06: Do you possess one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-05 grade level in the Federal Service? Specialized experience includes but not limited to the following: Knowledge of solicitation and purchasing methods; Knowledge of price analysis techniques; Knowledge of various acquisition clauses such as those pertaining to inspection, acceptance, packaging, or testing to select or tailor clauses for purchases that involve special handling; Ability to work and negotiate with requestors, technical representatives, and vendors in analyzing these descriptions and administering the order; (To receive credit for these skills, they must be documented in your resume.)
Select the appropriate answer to each of the following questions based on your current level of education and/or experience that demonstrates your ability to perform the duties of this position
Select the one statement that most accurately describes your training and experience carrying out each task using the scale provided.
3.
Account for all expenditures and inventory working between two separate programs, the purchase card and the prosthetics program; which require the use and knowledge of unique 2237 or 1358 obligation methods.
4.
Read, understand, and adhere to VA Provider Prescriptions/Consult to determine eligibility and entitlement of a Veteran's status for prescribed equipment and understand and follow acquisition regulations per VHA Directives and Handbooks, VISN policies and station memorandums, the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) and Veterans Affairs Acquisition Regulations (VAAR).
5.
Determines if requests or portions thereof can be met from Government sources.
6.
Coordinates with requesting offices to obtain additional information determined necessary to support or complete purchase requests.
7.
Identifies situations warranting vendor on-site orientations or conferences for prospective vendors prior to submissions of quotations.
8.
Actively seeks new sources and potential vendors.
9.
Performs technical level purchasing support adhering to the FAR, VAAR, VHA, and Prosthetics Directives and Handbooks, VISN policy and station memorandums to acquire patient specific medical equipment, supplies and services.
10.
Prepares synopses for Commerce Business Daily.
11.
Account for all expenditures and inventory working between two separate programs, the purchase card and the prosthetics program; which require the use and knowledge of unique 2237 or 1358 obligation methods.
12.
Documents all recommendations and actions. Compiles statistics and prepares reports on purchasing activities. Prepares purchase award documentation.
13.
Balance expenditures against obligations between the programs and document all inventory and purchasing actions in the Veteran's medical record and make medical notes to update the clinical provider, PSAS staff, Veteran and his/her family.
14.
Develops Requests for Quotation.
15.
Makes purchases of equipment, commodities and services using standard methods.
16.
Initiates procurement of all outpatient medical requirements to include; direct individual purchases to the Veteran, stock purchases for immediate availability, all medical surgical implants used during surgery, and/or rental requirements associated with continual outpatient medical equipment and supplies.
17.
Performs direct medical supply Purchasing 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.
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s).
18.
I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, all the information included in this questionnaire is true, correct, and provided in good faith. I understand that if I make an intentional false statement or commit deception or fraud in this application and its supporting materials, or in any document or interview associated with the examination process, I may be fined or imprisoned (18 U.S.C. 1001); my eligibilities may be cancelled, I may be denied an appointment, or I may be removed and debarred from Federal service (5 C.F.R. part 731). I understand that any information I give may be investigated. I understand that responding "No" to this item will result in my not being considered for this position.
RESUME REMINDER- Your resume must include the following information for each job listed: Job title Duties (be as detailed as possible) Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008) Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week) Please be aware that your answers will be verified against information provided on your resume. Be sure that your resume clearly supports your responses to all the questions by addressing your work experience in detail. Recommended: Even though we do not require a specific resume format, your resume must be clear so that we are able to fully evaluate your qualifications. To ensure you receive appropriate consideration, please list the duties you performed under each individual job title. If we are unable to match your experiences with the positions held, you may lose consideration for this vacancy. We cannot make assumptions regarding your qualifications.