This position is located within the Prosthetic & Sensory Aids Service (PSAS) within the Prosthetic Service Line at the Dallas VA Medical Center. The Purchasing Agent performs complex purchasing that requires irregular research, analysis, collaboration and many other steps to ensure devices are purchased for the Veterans, and performs routine purchasing includes routine purchase orders on established contracts or through established vendor resources.

Duties

***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION*** This position involves a multi-grade career ladder. The major duties listed below represent the full performance level of GS-7. At the GS-6 grade level, you will perform assignments of a more limited scope and with less independence. You will progressively acquire the background necessary to perform at the full performance level of GS-7. Promotion is at the discretion of the supervisor and is contingent upon satisfactory performance, availability of higher level work, and availability of funds. Duties may include, but are not limited to the following: Performs technical level purchases 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. 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 the process of vetting and vendorizing following VHA Prosthetics guidelines to complete purchases for items that aren't available through established vendor networks. Performs purchases of specialized/customized equipment or services that have an unstable price or product characteristic, hard-to-locate sources, have critical characteristics, or similar complicating factors and resolves a variety of purchasing problems. Manages data collection used in preparing and submitting numerous reports. Uses initiative to proceed independently with review of medical records in performing purchases. Performs independent technical level purchasing support. Monitors, receives, tracks, interprets, and analyzes Prosthetic Consults, and prescriptions for items, services and home medical equipment from physicians, therapists, medical center personnel, Veterans, or their representatives. Examines clinical health records and claims folders to determine eligibility and entitlement for items and services based on adopted criteria and advises Veteran of the same. Processes emergent orders identified as "stat" orders, providing services within 24-hour. Performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30am-4:00, or 8:00am-4:30pm Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved 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. Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position at the GS-6 level, you must meet the following: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-5) in the Federal service that equipped me with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the Purchasing Agent position, and that is typically in or related to the work of this position. Specialized experience includes: utilizing a variety of automated systems to enter data; ability to purchase medical supplies, equipment and services; determine procurement needs and priorities; assembling and/or summarizing information from files and documents as required to create reports; and communicating detailed information to patients, staff and supervisors of various levels. NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. To qualify for this position at the GS-7 level, you must meet the following: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-6) in the Federal service that equipped me with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the Purchasing Agent position, and that is typically in or related to the work of this position. Specialized experience includes: performing technical level purchasing with micro purchase threshold authority; ability to procure/purchase medical supplies, equipment and services to meet the needs of an organization; utilizing a variety of automated systems to enter, update, revise, sort, and calculate data; determining eligibility for services; and communicating detailed information to patients, staff and supervisors of various levels. NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: CommunicationsComputer SkillsContracting/ProcurementMedical InformationPlanning and Evaluating IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. 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. 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; religious; 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. 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/.

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

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 Dallas VA Medical Center 4500 South Lancaster Road Dallas, TX 75216 US
• Name: VHA National Recruitment Center
• Phone: (844)456-5208
• Email: [email protected]