U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs · 10 hours ago
Acquisition & Utilization Specialist
Muskogee, OK
Full-time
Hybrid
Entry, Mid Level
$75K/yr - $97K/yr
1+ years expThe U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking an Acquisition & Utilization Specialist to serve as a liaison and advisor on contract-related services focusing on critical clinical and healthcare services. The role involves product acquisition, developing procurement policies, and ensuring compliance with federal regulations.
GovernmentMedicalNational SecurityPublic Safety
No H1B
U.S. Citizen Only
Responsibilities
Serves as the medical center liaison and advisor on contract related services focusing on critical clinical and healthcare services - product acquisition and support services required by project managers - program managers - upper management and stakeholders on all aspects of procurement for a wide variety of items to include specialized services
Develops procurement for a wide variety of items to include specialized services
Develops procedures - policies - and supporting artifacts to ensure procurement activities are consistent with Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) - VA Acquisitions Regulations (VAAR) and other federal procurement laws and regulations
Develops and implements processes and procedures as changes are made to the VHA Procurement Manual
Reviews procurement documents for accuracy - adequacy and completeness - and assists service line managers as needed to ensure the final documents are acceptable
Establishes and maintains controls to ensure that contracts are executed in accordance with terms
Recommends contract termination and need to exercise option years of the contract based on contract performance monitors - funds availability - and the need for continuation of services being rendered
Oversees and ensures compliance with the terms of contracts to determine modifications
Develops sole source justifications in relation to cost - limited availability or unusual nature based on health care resource needs
Negotiates performance requirements among multiple sites and service lines in order to obtain agreement - standardize enterprise equipment - supply - and/or service requirements in support of VISN strategic acquisition plans
Obtains agreement on previously determined goals and objectives by negotiation - persuasion - and advocacy
Develops and analyzes reports and makes recommendations to senior management officials regarding the contracting support of the facility
Monitors quality assurance surveillance plans to ensure that contracted services meet the expectations and needs of the facility
Recommends subsequent modifications/changes - settlement of claims and disputes - and termination for convenience
Provides advice regarding procurement regulations for negotiations and resolves problems
Conducts analyses and recommends courses of actions to ensure that various clinical and administrative service requirements have addressed considerations such as construction - budgeting - supporting manpower and other factors
Develops and analyzes reports and makes recommendations to senior management officials regarding the contracting support of the facility
Monitors quality assurance surveillance plans to ensure that contracted services meet the expectations and needs of the facility
Researches and analyzes guidelines to develop - recommend - and implement solutions
Analyzes and develops procedures to resolve gaps specificity or conflicts in guidelines consistent with supply program objectives and recommends/implements changes to current processes and procedures to improve the effectiveness of supply distribution
Qualification
Required
Applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 02/11/2026
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 11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS 9
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
As an incidental Operator - you are required to possess a valid driver's license
You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS 9 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization
Examples of specialized experience would typically include - but are not limited to: handling contract related services - product acquisition - and procurement packages with unique - emergent and complex requirements including development of requirement documents (e.g. performance - market research - etc.); developing sole source justifications; developing and analyzing reports to make recommendations on acquisition and contracting issues; participating in negotiations with other officials throughout all phases of contract administration; and monitoring expenditures and reporting on deviations from contract terms
To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have one of the following: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree (Transcript Required) or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree (Transcript Required) or LL.M. - if related (Transcript Required)
Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level
You must have a combination of specialized experience and education beyond graduate level as stated above - which meets the total qualification requirement for GS 11 grade level
NOTE: If you select this options - a copy of your transcript (s) is required
You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Attention to Detail, Communication, Contracting/Procurement, Control of Funds, Flexibility, Integrity/Honesty, Interpersonal Skills, Learning, Negotiation, Reading Comprehension, Reasoning, Self-Management, Stress Tolerance, Teamwork, 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)
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
Note: One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study
If that information cannot be obtained from the school - 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement
Physical Requirements: Work is primarily sedentary in nature
Requires occasional travel to conduct inspections of contract facilities or motor vehicles providing contracts for healthcare resources to ensure joint commission and safety requirements are met
Company
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
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Charles Worthington
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Helga Rippen
Chief Interoperability and Veteran Access Officer
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