Purchasing Agent
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Hartford, VT, United States
Summary
This Purchasing Agent position is in the Prosthetics department at the White River Junction VA Healthcare System in White River Junction - Vermont. The position is full time - at 40 hours per week.
Qualifications To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 07/20/2026. 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-6 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-5. 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 and/or education as described below: GS-5: Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-4 in the normal line of progression for the occupation series in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include but are not limited to: 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. (This must be documented in resume) OR - Education: 4 years above high school. Degree must be relevant to the position to be filled. (Transcripts must be provided) OR - Combination: Combinations of the defined education and experience to qualify for a GS-5 level. I have a combination of specialized experience and education in excess of the first 60 semester hours (i.e. - beyond the second year) is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirement. One full academic year of study (30 semester hours) beyond the second year is equivalent to 6 months of specialized experience. The education and experience must be directly related to the work of the position to be filled. GS-6: Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-5 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; and reconciling charges and preparing and submitting reports. (This must be documented in resume) You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Attention to Detail Customer Service (Clerical/Technical) Financial Management Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Manages Resources Reading Comprehension Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork Technical Competence 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-five (25) pounds. Normal safety precautions are adequate. The work involves moderate discomfort when visiting sites away from the office. At times - the employee may be required to wear protective clothing when visiting the Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Fabrication Laboratory. There may be frequent walks between the main medical center and other parts of Prosthetics to conduct professional duties. For more information on these qualification standards - please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.
Duties
This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until 7/20/2026
The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be 5/5/2026 - with subsequent cut-off dates bi-weekly
Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until positions are filled
This position utilizes knowledge of policies and procedures for delivery orders and small purchases and knowledge of commercial supply sources and common business practices related to sales - prices - discounts - units of measurement - deliveries - stocks - and shipments
The Purchasing Agent maintains responsibility for work leading to the purchase of a wide variety of complex and highly specialized services - supplies - equipment - and systems that support the full range of programs and activities
Major duties include - but are not limited to: Purchasing Support - Conducts purchasing under the micro purchase threshold
reviews and edits purchase requests
resolves issues to ensure requests and bills are processed accurately and in a timely manner
identifies needs or problems and determines corrective action
utilizes federal and agency acquisition regulations to identify possible sources and other pertinent information related to purchases
tracks obligations/commitments and monitors expenditures to support recurring budget forecasts and identify potential fraud - waste and abuse based on procurement history and purchase trends
and - Procurement Support - Procures supplies and services to meet the purchase - rental - or lease needs of the organization
develops unique selection criteria for each purchase
Prepare and issue contract modifications for changes in delivery schedule and sends formal correspondence to a variety of customers such as inventory management specialists - other service line contacts - and contracting officers as appropriate for the purposes of auditing documents - processing receiving reports - and payments.
conducting open market research and sole source small purchases for highly specialized medical items with critical product requirements
and - Administrative Support - Serves as the first line of contact for medical staff and customers in regard to procured items
develops reports and spreadsheets - obtains - organizes - files and retrieves reports for briefing and presentation purposes
performs a variety of receptionist - timekeeping - record keeping and miscellaneous duties in medical facility
and - Performs other related duties as assigned
Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory - qualification - and performance requirements are met
Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level
Work Schedule: Monday-Friday - 8:00am - 4:30pm Telework: Not Authorized
Virtual: This is not a virtual position
Position Description/PD#: Purchasing Agent/PD03869A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May Be Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required
Notifications: This position is in the Competitive Service
This position is covered by locality-based comparability pay
Time-in-Grade Restriction: Applicants must also meet time-in-grade requirements
The grade may have been in any occupation but must have been held in the Federal service
The incumbent may be required to travel to other VA campuses and CBOC's on occasion
Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees
Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50 - (Notice of Personnel Action)
The SF-50 must identify the position title - series - grade - step - tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted)
In some cases - more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held
Interchange Agreements with Other Merit System: Employees who occupy medical or medical-related positions and were appointed under 38 U.S.C. 4701(1) or (3) [formerly 38 U.S.C. 4104 (1) and (3) must be serving in a full-time position without time limit and have served continuously for at least one year in this other merit system to be eligible to convert to the Title 5 System
Some exceptions to this rule may apply if you have previously acquired tenure under a Title 5 appointment.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Qualifications To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 07/20/2026. 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-6 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-5. 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 and/or education as described below: GS-5: Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-4 in the normal line of progression for the occupation series in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include but are not limited to: 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. (This must be documented in resume) OR - Education: 4 years above high school. Degree must be relevant to the position to be filled. (Transcripts must be provided) OR - Combination: Combinations of the defined education and experience to qualify for a GS-5 level. I have a combination of specialized experience and education in excess of the first 60 semester hours (i.e. - beyond the second year) is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirement. One full academic year of study (30 semester hours) beyond the second year is equivalent to 6 months of specialized experience. The education and experience must be directly related to the work of the position to be filled. GS-6: Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-5 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; and reconciling charges and preparing and submitting reports. (This must be documented in resume) You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Attention to Detail Customer Service (Clerical/Technical) Financial Management Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Manages Resources Reading Comprehension Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork Technical Competence 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-five (25) pounds. Normal safety precautions are adequate. The work involves moderate discomfort when visiting sites away from the office. At times - the employee may be required to wear protective clothing when visiting the Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Fabrication Laboratory. There may be frequent walks between the main medical center and other parts of Prosthetics to conduct professional duties. For more information on these qualification standards - please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.
Duties
This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until 7/20/2026
The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be 5/5/2026 - with subsequent cut-off dates bi-weekly
Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until positions are filled
This position utilizes knowledge of policies and procedures for delivery orders and small purchases and knowledge of commercial supply sources and common business practices related to sales - prices - discounts - units of measurement - deliveries - stocks - and shipments
The Purchasing Agent maintains responsibility for work leading to the purchase of a wide variety of complex and highly specialized services - supplies - equipment - and systems that support the full range of programs and activities
Major duties include - but are not limited to: Purchasing Support - Conducts purchasing under the micro purchase threshold
reviews and edits purchase requests
resolves issues to ensure requests and bills are processed accurately and in a timely manner
identifies needs or problems and determines corrective action
utilizes federal and agency acquisition regulations to identify possible sources and other pertinent information related to purchases
tracks obligations/commitments and monitors expenditures to support recurring budget forecasts and identify potential fraud - waste and abuse based on procurement history and purchase trends
and - Procurement Support - Procures supplies and services to meet the purchase - rental - or lease needs of the organization
develops unique selection criteria for each purchase
Prepare and issue contract modifications for changes in delivery schedule and sends formal correspondence to a variety of customers such as inventory management specialists - other service line contacts - and contracting officers as appropriate for the purposes of auditing documents - processing receiving reports - and payments.
conducting open market research and sole source small purchases for highly specialized medical items with critical product requirements
and - Administrative Support - Serves as the first line of contact for medical staff and customers in regard to procured items
develops reports and spreadsheets - obtains - organizes - files and retrieves reports for briefing and presentation purposes
performs a variety of receptionist - timekeeping - record keeping and miscellaneous duties in medical facility
and - Performs other related duties as assigned
Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory - qualification - and performance requirements are met
Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level
Work Schedule: Monday-Friday - 8:00am - 4:30pm Telework: Not Authorized
Virtual: This is not a virtual position
Position Description/PD#: Purchasing Agent/PD03869A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May Be Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required
Notifications: This position is in the Competitive Service
This position is covered by locality-based comparability pay
Time-in-Grade Restriction: Applicants must also meet time-in-grade requirements
The grade may have been in any occupation but must have been held in the Federal service
The incumbent may be required to travel to other VA campuses and CBOC's on occasion
Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees
Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50 - (Notice of Personnel Action)
The SF-50 must identify the position title - series - grade - step - tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted)
In some cases - more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held
Interchange Agreements with Other Merit System: Employees who occupy medical or medical-related positions and were appointed under 38 U.S.C. 4701(1) or (3) [formerly 38 U.S.C. 4104 (1) and (3) must be serving in a full-time position without time limit and have served continuously for at least one year in this other merit system to be eligible to convert to the Title 5 System
Some exceptions to this rule may apply if you have previously acquired tenure under a Title 5 appointment.
#J-18808-Ljbffr