U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs · 2 hours ago
Purchasing Agent
Huntington, WV
Full-time
Onsite
Entry Level
1+ years expThe U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking a Purchasing Agent to work within the Logistics Service in a Veteran Affairs Health Care System. This role involves acquiring supplies, services, and construction through various purchasing methods while ensuring compliance with federal regulations and supporting the procurement needs of the organization.
GovernmentMedicalNational SecurityPublic Safety
Responsibilities
Conducts purchasing for a VA Medical Center under the micro purchase threshold and must have knowledge of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), VA Acquisition Regulations (VAAR) and other federal procurement laws
Purchases various equipment, supplies, and services through the use of the government purchase card for micro purchases
Reviews and edits purchase requests to ensure the item or service is adequately described based on the requester's need
Ensures all information has been provided and the request is consistent with legal requirements
Obtains necessary product information, price information and procedures for written or verbal purchase orders
Utilizes different ordering, reporting procedures, and purchasing methods depending on the type, quantity, dollar value, and urgency of the requirement
Complete Purchase Orders, eCMS (FORCE) entries and verify vendors in the VHA system of record prior to placing an order
Provide general guidance to potential vendors on requirements and information needed to be entered into the VHA's local vendor file
Utilize various web-based portals to order items from awarded contracts to include the Department of Defense's Electronic Catalog (ECAT) and the Medical Surgical Prime Vendor's site for ordering, tracking and monitoring procurement transactions
Review Fund Control Points and verify the running balances to ensure procurement obligations are complete and approved prior to placing orders
Examines incoming requests for completeness including presence of purchase request number, accounting codes, item description estimated costs, and quantity
Ensures all critical information is included in the solicitation package and develops unique selection criteria for each purchase
Conducts open market research for purchases of routine equipment, supplies, and services
Prepared and issue contract modifications for changes in delivery schedule and sends formal correspondence to a variety of customers
Maintenance of reoccurring service agreements under the micro purchase threshold will require periodic interface with the Business and Procurement Planning Section and VA HCS service lines, accounting, and budget departments to aggregate data required to create, track, monitor performance and amend according to department and medical center needs
First line of contact for medical staff and customers in regard to procured items
Provides clerical support and coordination to approving officials and administrators
Performs a variety of receptionist, timekeeping, record keeping and miscellaneous duties in medical facility
Continuously reviews policies and regulations related to time and leave
Obtain data from section supervisors and submits employees' requests for overtime and prepares staffing and overtime reports
Answers telephones and refers calls to appropriate staff
Uses departmental software to produce printouts for logistic and medical staff
Establishes office files and record systems
Utilizes a variety of automated systems to enter, update, revise, sort, and calculate data
Monitor purchase requests
Process receipts
And monitor active and delinquent invoices
Provide administration and oversight on orders and services
Represent the VA in discussions with vendors/contractors to obtain agreement on micro purchases and vendor/contractor compliance
Monitor vendor performance through personal contact, review progress reports, and discuss reasons for delays, failures, or price changes
Qualification
Required
Applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 02/06/2026
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
Specialized Experience: At least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 level in the Federal service that equipped you with the particular knowledge - skills - and abilities to perform successfully the duties of a Purchasing Agent - and that is typically in or related to the work of this position
Specialized experience includes: experience performing clerical or assistant duties in support of purchasing and procurement; procuring supplies and services to meet the purchase - rental - or lease needs of an organization; 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
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
Physical Requirements: Requires some physical effort such as standing - sitting - walking - or bending
There are no special physical demands
The work is performed in an office setting involving everyday risks or discomforts
Normal safety precautions are adequate
Preferred
Evaluating Suppliers based on price - quality - availability - and other criteria
Interviewing vendors and visiting suppliers and/or facilities to learn about products - services - and pricing
Verifying purchases by comparing them to a primary list and recommending alternatives for expensive or irrelevant products
Interacting with suppliers to schedule delivery times and resolve shipping errors
Authorizing payments and maintaining receipts - records - and inventories
Company
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
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Late StageLeadership Team
Charles Worthington
Chief Technology Officer
Helga Rippen
Chief Interoperability and Veteran Access Officer
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