This position is located in the Prosthetics & Sensory Aid Service within the Prosthetic Service Line at the Jesse Brown Medical Center. The purpose of this position is to perform direct medical supply purchasing and inventory management support to the administrative and clinical services of the VA. IF YOU APPLIED TO ANNOUNCEMENT # 12294394, IT HAS BEEN CANCELLED. PLEASE APPLY TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.

Duties

This position involves a multi-grade career ladder. The major duties listed below represent the full performance level of GS-7. At the GS-5 grade level, the employee performs 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 include, but may not be limited to the following: Perform technical level purchasing support adhering to the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), Veteran Affairs Acquisition Regulations (VAAR), Veteran Health Administration (VHA), and Prosthetics directives and handbooks, Veterans Integrated Service Networks (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. Submits 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 Electronic Contract Management System (eCMS). Verifies Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) and Bradstreet information and ensures each vendor is in System for Award Management (SAM) and in good standing with the government to do business with. Verifies accountability of all prosthetics expenditures in both the purchase menu and the prosthetics program and associate all obligations to the individual veteran. Ensure the services provides are documented not only as the type of service, but the duration. Complex purchasing: requires irregular research, analysis, collaboration and many other steps to ensure both best value and the most appropriate devices are purchased for the Veterans. Routine purchasing: includes routine purchase orders on established contracts or through established vendor resources using regular significant research, analysis or collaboration. Performs 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 to Friday 8am to 4:30p Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Purchasing Agent/99434-A, 99434-A, and 99433-A

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 02/12/2024. Specialized Experience: Applicants must have one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-4) in Federal service that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience includes: Knowledge of how to use published guides, directives, and procedures for acquisitions; making purchases involving specialized requirements and/or commercial requirements; analyzing descriptions that have unique aspects and many critical characteristics to identify problem areas; working with price analysis techniques and acquisition causes. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed 4 years of education above the high school level. This education must have been obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university.(TRANSCRIPT 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 as described above. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED). Specialized Experience: Must possess (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-5) that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. Such knowledge and skills are identified in the Competence Assessment Checklist of the position and include knowledge and skills in: Communication and interpersonal relations, including the ability to appropriately and courteously relate to internal and external customers; Ordering of appropriate prosthetic appliances, purchase card reconciliation, stock and inventory control; Generating bilateral purchase orders for manufactured and custom equipment, delivery, installation and repairs of unique prosthetic devices and or appliances; Analyzing and interpreting unique and critical patient equipment orders that have critical characteristics; Budgeting control point maintenance and skills in accounting procedures, including basic math skills necessary to maintain accurate funding, billing and sub-account balances; Computer software programs, which are required to, complete patient processing in Prosthetics; Maintenance of confidentiality of patient/employee information, electronic and print; The Medical Center, Hospital, or Community Based Outpatient Clinics Performance Improvement Program; How to work and function in the medical center in a safe manner, including infection control and the correct operation of equipment. Specialized Experience: Must possess (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-6) that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. Such knowledge and skills are identified in the Competence Assessment Checklist of the position and include knowledge and skills in: Communication and interpersonal relations, including the ability to appropriately and courteously relate to internal and external customers; Ordering of appropriate prosthetic appliances, purchase card reconciliation, stock and inventory control; Generating bilateral purchase orders for manufactured and custom equipment, delivery, installation and repairs of unique prosthetic devices and or appliances. Reference: The employee is required to meet minimum qualification requirements in OPM Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions, and/or VA Qualification Standards, Handbook 5005 - Staffing, Part II, Chapter 2 - Title 5 Appointments, Section D and Appendix 11-F (for GS positions excluding quasi Title 38 positions). 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 conducing 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. Often, walking between the main medical center and other parts of Prosthetics to conduct professional duties. Work Environment: Incumbent works in a health care office with the possibility of contact with ill and diseased patients. Normal duties are performed in an office setting, which has adequate heat, light, and ventilation; however, the incumbent must retrieve prosthetic items from various storage areas daily. The incumbent may on occasion, accompany the Site Manager and/or Prosthetic Representative on visits to the patients' homes or to a vendor for shop inspections. Incumbent has direct daily contact with patients and may handle equipment returned from Veterans with contagious diseases; hence, the incumbent is required to practice Universal Precautions in observance of normal safety practices with office equipment and prosthetics equipment and supplies; avoidance of trips and falls, and observance of fire regulations is required. The area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. 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

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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address Jesse Brown Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 820 South Damen Avenue Chicago, IL 60612 US
• Name: Shaundila Bass
• Phone: 312-569-7917
• Email: [email protected]