Summary Conducts purchasing for a VA Medical Center, and supported catchment area, under the micro purchase threshold and must have knowledge of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), VA Acquisition Regulations (VAAR) and other federal procurement laws. This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until March 31, 2026 or until the position is filled. Eligible applicants will be referred on a rolling basis until all positions are filled. Responsibilities The duties of the Purchasing Agent includes but is not limited to: Purchasing Support (50%) Reviews and edits purchase requests to ensure the item or service is adequately described based on the requester's need. Ensures all information has been provided and the request is consistent with legal requirements. Obtains necessary product information, price information and procedures for written or verbal purchase orders. Utilizes different ordering, reporting procedures, and purchasing methods depending on the @type quantity, dollar value, and urgency of the requirement. Review Fund Control Points and verify the running balances to ensure procurement obligations are complete and approved prior to placing orders. Represents the VA in discussions with vendors/contractors to obtain agreement on micro purchases and vendor/contractor compliance. Monitor vendor performance through personal contact, review progress reports, and discuss reasons for delays, failures, or price changes. 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. Procurement Support (30%): Procures supplies and services to meet the purchase, rental, or lease needs of the organization. Conducts open market research for purchases of routine equipment, supplies, and services. Retrieves documents from files to extract information for use in compiling reports and resolving discrepancies. conducting open market research and sole source small purchases for highly specialized medical items with critical product requirements. Utilizes various web-based applications to identify required sources of supply. Administrative Support (20%): Serves as the first line of contact for medical staff and customers in regard to procured items. Provides clerical support and coordination to approving officials and administrators. Performs a variety of receptionist, timekeeping, record keeping and miscellaneous duties in medical facility. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Purchasing Agent (Logistics)/PD99896S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. UPON COMPLETION OF YOUR PROBATIONARY PERIOD, YOUR EMPLOYMENT WILL BE TERMINATED UNLESS YOU RECEIVE CERTIFICATION, IN WRITING, THAT YOUR CONTINUED EMPLOYMENT ADVANCES THE PUBLIC INTEREST. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 03/31/2026. 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. INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENTS There are no Individual Occupational Requirements for this series. GRADE DETERMINATION GS-6 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience must meet the following: Manage and or oversee purchase orders. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Clerical Computer Skills Customer Service (Clerical/Technical) Manages Resources 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: Requires some physical effort such as standing, sitting, walking, or bending. There are no special physical demands. Work Environment: The work is performed in an office setting involving everyday risks or discomforts. Normal safety precautions are adequate. 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/. Education There is no educational substitution at this grade level. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. VA Healthcare System Serving Ohio, Indiana and Michigan (VISN 10) advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the @context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.
