This position is located in the Prosthetic & Sensory Aids Service. The incumbent provides patient care/support services to an adult population, within broad categorizations, the incumbent must tailor the patient care/support service to meet the specialized need (s) of the individual patient.

Duties

Duties include, but not limited to: Incumbent is assigned to the VA Medical Center and has an active inpatient implant care coordination and outpatient treatment program and inventory responsibility which includes, but is not limited to: Prosthetic and Sensory Aids, Fabrication Lab for Orthotic and Prosthetics, Audiology & Speech Pathology, Visual Impairment Services Team, Spinal Cord Injury, Cochlear Implant Team, Polytrauma Amputee Network Center, Rehabilitation Medicine, Medicine Service, Surgical Service, Ophthalmology, Dental Service, Podiatry, Women's Clinic and Orthopedic Services. PSAS has coordination responsibility of the Amputee Clinic, Rehabilitation Brace Clinic, SCI Brace Clinic, Wheelchair Evaluation Clinic, Diabetic Foot Clinic, Major Medical Equipment Committee, Specialty Bed Clinic, Prosthetics and Orthotics, Home Respiratory Care Team Committee and Care in the Community Requests for Service care coordination stemming from approved community authorizations for care. The scope of the incumbents duties falls to all Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) throughout the Network and specialized clinical referrals (all outside VA transfers from other facilities to VAMC from outside VISN). Performs direct medical supply Purchasing and Inventory Management support 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. This is a critical, direct patient care, Veteran-facing position. The incumbent must work directly with the Veteran, his/her family, surgeon or clinical provider, and community care discharge planning staff. 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. Performs technical level purchasing adhering to the FAR, VAAR, VHA, and Prosthetics Directives and Handbooks, VISN policy and station memorandums to acquire Veteran specific medical equipment, supplies and services based on a medical provider's clinical assessment and evaluation of the Veteran's medical condition. Performs research to find alternate vendor resources not available in System for Award Management (SAM) to meet the needs of specific purchase situations. As a purchase card holder, the incumbent is subjected to purchase card audits, at least quarterly. The VISN Purchase Card Coordinator is responsible for this external audit and all regulations must be adhered to. Incumbent assists and trains new Purchasing Agents in ordering of appropriate prosthetic appliances, purchase card reconciliation, stock and inventory control, etc. Performs all other 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; Hours 8:00am - 4:30pm Telework: VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Purchasing Agent/PD99434S Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/18/2023. 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-5 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-4, for a GS-6 position you must serve 52 weeks at the GS-5, and for the GS-7 position you must serve 52 weeks at the GS-6.. 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. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: GS-5 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-4 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Performing clerical or assistant duties in support of purchasing and procurement needs of an organization; working with medical staff to determine procurement needs and priorities; communicates and collaborates with staff to ensure they are satisfied with efforts and that patient/clinical staff requirements met; ensures patient education is provided before issuing prosthetic devices and maintaining outstanding communication with providers and customers; executing local processes and critical tasks and ensuring outstanding customer service is provided including addressing questions, and issues with customers from various levels of the organization in a courteous, tactful, respectful, and timely manner; resolving a variety of shipment, payment, or other discrepancies in support of procurement programs and operations; purchasing various equipment, supplies, and services. Creating reports utilizing automated computerized supply/inventory management systems and Microsoft Office software programs such as MS Word and Excel. OR, Education: Please see Education section. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education in excess of the first 60 semester hours (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. NOTE: If using education combined with specialized experience to qualify, a copy of your transcript is required. GS-6 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: Employing knowledge of purchasing methods during competitive or sole source, small, micro-purchases along with collecting data to determine process reasonableness for new items; preparing detailed written solicitations, tailoring special terms and conditions or other matters of similar complexity. Making independent purchasing decisions based on the needs of the Veteran and the provider's clinical consult to provide the devices to best meet the Veteran's needs. Demonstrating basic knowledge of wide variety of standard and custom medical equipment, prosthetic and orthotic appliances and its purpose and function and the basic knowledge for troubleshooting/repairing of this equipment. Purchasing various equipment, supplies, and services using a purchase card; and assembling and/or summarizing information from files and documents as required to create supply inventory reports utilizing automated computerized supply/inventory management systems and Microsoft Office software programs to show stock quantities requirements, monitor activity, trend usage, track history, and review replenishment. Applying knowledge of medical terminology to meet the purchase, rental, or lease needs of an organization; working with medical staff to determine procurement needs and priorities; purchasing various equipment, supplies, and services; and accessing automated systems to enter, track, correct, and retrieve recurring reports and to structure, implement, and retrieve specialized reports. GS-07 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-6 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Employing knowledge of medical terminology, physical and sensory disabilities, basic anatomy and kinesiology. Interpreting oral and written instructions from physicians and therapists. Applying knowledge of contracts, purchasing policies, equipment sources, trade policies, shipping procedures, corresponding terminology, and ability to search brochures and contracts to rapidly find the most reasonably priced item that can be purchased to satisfy the prescription. Purchasing various equipment, supplies, and services using a purchase card; Generating bilateral purchase orders for manufactured and custom equipment, delivery, installation, and repairs of unique prosthetic devices and or appliances. Preparing complex specialized purchases require in-depth market research, collaboration with clinical providers, veterans, manufacturers, and validation of quote to medical prescription. Coordinating with outside physicians and other clinical providers offices for provision of particular pieces of medical equipment as well as work with those providers on filling out Request for Additional Services. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Attention to DetailCustomer Service (Clerical/Technical)Manages ResourcesTechnical 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 generally sedentary in nature with some walking, standing and bending. Occasionally requires moderate physical activity, e.g. carrying light items such as books and papers, or lifting boxes or records. 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

For a GS-5: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed four (4) years of education 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. One year of full-time academic study is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in a college or university, or at least 20 hours of classroom instruction per week for approximately 36 weeks in a business, secretarial, or technical school.

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address Hampton VA Medical Center 100 Emancipation Drive Hampton, VA 23667 US
• Name: Diossa Fleming
• Phone: 980-401-2560
• Email: [email protected]