The Purchasing Agent is part of Prosthetic & Sensory Aids Service (PSAS) within the Prosthetic Service Line under the VA Medical Center. Purchasing Agent is assigned to the VA Medical Center and has an active inpatient implant care coordination and outpatient treatment program & inventory responsibility to include: Prosthetic and Sensory Aids; Fabrication Lab for Orthotic & Prosthetics, Audiology & Speech Pathology, Visual Impairment Services Team, Spinal Cord Injury, and other departments.

Duties

Review request for completeness, and for proper documentation and justification of theitems, services and durable medical equipment being requested. Identifies priorities on pending requests to comply with mandated timeliness standards. Advises veterans on the outcome of eligibility and entitlement determinations. The incumbent receives and analyzes prosthetic request forms (VA Form I 0-2431 and prescriptions ( electronic Prosthetics Consult) from physicians, therapists, patients and patient representatives. Authorizes and prepares complex purchase orders for a wide variety of prosthetic and orthotic devices, medical supplies, surgical implants, home durable medical equipment and repairs Reconciles all invoices for certification of payment by reviewing veterans records against invoices presented to ensure that accurate cost is being charged for the service or item. Computes correct total costs and resolves any discrepancies with the vendors. The incumbent interviews veterans reporting to the service and receives phone calls from beneficiaries. Advises patients, family members or other representatives on decisions, appeal rights, and equipment safety and maintenance. 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 through FRIDAY, 8:00AM to 4:30PM Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Purchasing Agent/PD99434A, PD99433A, and PD99432A Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Bargaining Unit Position: AFGE

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/11/2023. 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-05 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-04. For a GS-06 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05. For a GS-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-06. 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: Award and General Adjustment SF-50s do not show Time in Grade. PLEASE DO NOT INCLUDE THEM. 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 as described below: GS-05 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-04 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 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. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have the 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. (Transcripts required.) OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond post-high school education beyond two (2) years. GS-06 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. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Specialized experience includes but not limited to the following: 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. GS-07 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-06 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Specialized experience includes but not limited to the following: utilizing electronic contracting databases or systems, submitting plans and procurement packages to contracting offices; interpreting and analyzing prescriptions and requests for medical equipment and services; maintaining regular contact and resolving issues with vendors, contractors, medical center professionals and staff; purchasing equipment, supplies and services using an agency/organization purchase card; and reconciling charges and preparing and submitting reports. 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 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. 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

(GS-05)
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 James A Haley Veterans Hospital 13000 Bruce B. Downs Boulevard Tampa, FL 33612 US
• Name: David Furnas
• Phone: 913-758-6436
• Email: [email protected]