Purchasing Agent - Supply Chain Management - Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration

Summary The Purchasing Agent for the Logistics Service in VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System, in Aurora, CO, performs work to acquire supplies, services, and construction by purchase, rental, or lease through delivery orders and/or small purchase procedures. The work requires knowledge of: policies and procedures for delivery orders and small purchases; commercial supply sources; common business practices related to: sales, prices, discounts, units of measurement, deliveries, stocks, and shipments. Responsibilities Major duties include, but are not limited to: Interprets and applies federal regulations within scope of duties, such as Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), VA Acquisition Regulations (VAAR), and other federal procurement laws. Conducts purchasing under the micro purchase threshold for equipment, supplies, and services. Reviews and edits purchase requests. Makes purchases involving specialized requirements and/or commercial requirements. Performs program analysis function. Coordinates sources of supplies and acceptable substitutions. Utilizes various computer programs, software, and databases to complete tasks. Tracks obligations/commitments and monitors expenditures. Provides procurement support throughout the procurement cycle. Conducts open market research for purchases of routine equipment, supplies, and services. Examines incoming procurement requests for completeness. Performs contract administration for a variety of procurement transactions. Verifies accuracy of authorizing documents. Maintains recurring service agreements. Provides excellent customer service to medical staff, customers, vendors, and contractors. Produces printouts via computer software for logistics and medical staff. Provides clerical support and coordination to approving officials and administrators. Answers telephones and refers calls. Performs timekeeping and recordkeeping. Develops reports and spreadsheets. Other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm, Monday-Friday Telework: This position is authorized for telework but has not been authorized as virtual or remote (i.e., the must be able to work at the location the position is being announced for). 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 - Supply Chain Management/PD99896S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 You may be required to serve a probationary period Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/07/2024. 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-06 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05. 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. You may qualify based on your experience as described below: 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: Experience performing clerical or assistant duties in support of purchasing and procurement; Examines incoming procurement requests for completeness. Working with medical staff to determine procurement needs and priorities; Resolving a variety of shipment, payment, or other discrepancies in support of procurement programs and operations; Purchasing various equipment, supplies, and services through the use of a purchase card; and Assembling and/or summarizing information from files and documents as required to create reports utilizing automated computerized supply/inventory management systems and spreadsheet and word-processing software such as MS Word and Excel. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Customer Service (Clerical/Technical) Decision Making Manages and Organizes Information Manages Resources Reasoning (Clerical/Technical) Technical 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: Requires some physical effort such as standing, sitting, walking, or bending. There are no special physical demands. 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. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.