This position is located in the Prosthetics Service, Aleda E. Lutz Saginaw Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC). The incumbent performs assignments under normal supervision and monitoring. The instructions are more detailed with the supervisor, or Prosthetic Representative providing assistance on difficult and unusual problems. Work is reviewed in progress for assurance of effectiveness and conformance with policy and regulatory guidance.
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/14/2025. 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 as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have 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: Monitoring new consult orders, purchasing, verifying, processing and dispensing items to the Service Provider and/or the Veteran. Monitoring, tracking and verifying the accuracy of orders, processing invoices. Knowledgeable of purchasing policies and procedures. Customer service, communication, time and calendar management, organization, answering phone calls, sending and receiving notifications, responding to customer inquiries and disputes appropriately through multi communication platforms. Data entry, including: updating, evaluating and verification, removal of errors and combining data from various software systems. Office-related technology: Microsoft Word, Excel, Microsoft Chrome/Edge, CPRS, VistA R3, etc. Additional programs used exclusively by the Assisting with onboarding and integrating new employees, including but not limited to: Connecting them with other employees and Services of interest, guide them on how to use software, assistance with finding documentation, records and files and additional tasks to aid the transition process. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Customer Service (Clerical/Technical) Decision Making Manages and Organizes Information Manages Resources Reasoning (Clerical/Technical) 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 and is carried out in an office setting. There exist prolonged periods of working at a computer terminal. Ability to retrieve equipment from a storage room is required. Climbing associated with stocking of equipment and other items is storage areas are 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. 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/.
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 and responsibilities include: Monitors, receives, tracks, interprets, and analyzes Prosthetic Consults, and prescriptions for items, services and home medical equipment from physicians, therapists, medical center personnel, patients, or their representatives. Reviews requests for completeness, comparing disability or diagnosis to equipment and/or services normally provided for the condition for which they are requested, and/or proper documentation has been provided to justify the issuance. Ensures consults are completed and appropriately closed within guidelines, and follow-up on all pending consults to ensure services are rendered as quickly as possible or as indicated on the prescription/consult. Performs the process of vetting and vendorizing following VHA Prosthetics guidelines to complete purchases for items that aren't available through established vendor network. Obtains all necessary procurement information to successfully submit Acquisition Plans and Procurement Packages for stock and Veteran specific needs to the Network Contracting Office and uploads quotes, bids, invoices, consults, and other important documents to the Electronic Contract Management System (eCMS/FORCE). Performs other related duties. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pmVirtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Purchasing Agent-Prosthetics/PD92650ARelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized