This position is located in the Prosthetic & Sensory Aids Service (PSAS) within the Prosthetic Service Line. The Purchasing Agent 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.

Duties

***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION*** Major duties and responsibilities include: Complex purchasing that 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. Purchasing of rentals to meet the outpatient medical needs of the services, all outpatient durable medical equipment and supplies, rehabilitation equipment, mobility and daily living aids, neuro-sensory, home oxygen, inpatient surgical implants and supplies. Obtaining 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). Utilizing Unique Entity Identifier number (UEI) information and ensures each vendor is in the System for Award Management (SAM) and in good standing to do business with the government. Independently performing the process of vetting and vendorizing following VHA Prosthetics guidelines to complete to complete purchases for items that aren't available through established vendor networks. Coordinating between the clinician, our vendor networks and the Veteran's specific circumstances to independently make decisions in the best interests of the Veteran by independently interpreting guidelines, adapting procedures, and deciding the approach for each specific situation. Researching the use of different solicitation methods, ordering or reporting procedures in both the purchase card menu and the prosthetics program for both complex and simplified purchases. Completing a Veterans Record Transaction on the patient's medical record (2319) to ensure documentation of exactly what was purchased and issued is recorded on the Veteran's record. Ensuring that all the requirements required by/to the contracting officer are met, including, but not limited to, solicitations, socioeconomic programs, and follow- up. Required to make independent purchasing decisions outside of already established contracts for open market items for custom/complex in home installations or other custom devices where the particular purchase route or vendor is not always clear and decisions must be made based on multiple bids, Veteran's medical condition living situation and information from the original consult. Performing other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required

Requirements

Qualifications

IN ORDER TO QUALIFY FOR THIS POSITION AT THE GS-6 LEVEL YOU MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: You must possess one (1) full year of specialized experience that equipped me with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of a Purchasing Agent. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-5) in the Federal Service. Specialized experience includes completing routine and complex purchasing transactions for obtaining prescribed medical equipment such as durable medical equipment, prosthetics/orthotics supplies, custom/complex in-home installations; independently monitors, receives, tracks, interprets, and analyzes consults and prescriptions for items, services and home medical equipment from physicians, therapists, medical center personnel, patients, or their representatives; ensuring all requirements are meet on established contracts or established vendor resources; working directly with vendors to trouble shoot duplicate billing errors and resolve those errors to ensure appropriate reconciliation of purchase orders; using initiative to make or recommend purchases for recurring requirements independently; maintaining all necessary documentation information such as quotes, bids, invoices, consults in computerized database. (THIS EXPERIENCE MUST BE SUPPORTED BY YOUR RESUME TO BE CREDITABLE.) You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: Client OrientationCommunicationCost Estimation and AnalysisCustomer Service (Clerical/Technical)Decision Making 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 employee 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. Employee 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. 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 the GS-6 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: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov).

Contacts

• Address Cheyenne VA Medical Center 2360 East Pershing Boulevard Cheyenne, WY 82001 US
• Name: VHA National Recruitment Center
• Phone: (844)456-5208
• Email: [email protected]