Purchasing Agent

About the role

The Purchasing Agent is a member of Prosthetic & Sensory Aids Service (PSAS) within the Prosthetic Service Line for the Ann Arbor VA Medical Center in Ann Arbor, MI. The position performs work to acquire supplies and services—by purchase, rental, or lease—through delivery orders and/or small purchase procedures.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement (09/24/2026). Time‑In‑Grade (TIG) requirements apply to current Federal employees who have held a GS grade within the past 52 weeks. For a GS‑6 position, applicants must have served 52 weeks at the GS‑5 level in any Federal occupation. An SF‑50 showing TIG eligibility must be submitted; if the most recent SF‑50 does not clearly demonstrate one‑year TIG, an additional SF‑50 is required. TIG requirements also apply to former Federal employees seeking reinstatement and to current employees applying under the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA).

Specialized Experience

Applicants may qualify based on experience and/or education. One year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS‑5) is required. Examples of relevant experience include, but are not limited to:

• Performing clerical or assistant duties in support of purchasing and procurement.
• Procuring supplies and services to meet purchase, rental, or lease needs of an organization.
• Working with medical staff to determine procurement needs and priorities.
• Resolving shipment, payment, or other discrepancies in support of procurement programs and operations.
• Purchasing equipment, supplies, and services using a purchase card.
• Assembling and summarizing information from files and documents to create reports using automated supply/inventory management systems and Microsoft Office (Word, Excel).

Duties

The Purchasing Agent utilizes knowledge of policies and procedures for delivery orders and small purchases, as well as commercial supply sources and business practices related to sales, pricing, discounts, units of measurement, deliveries, stocks, and shipments. Major duties and responsibilities include:

• Purchasing Support
  • Conducts purchasing under the micro‑purchase threshold.
  • Reviews and edits purchase requests.
  • Resolves issues to ensure accurate and timely processing of requests and bills.
  • Identifies needs or problems and determines corrective action.
  • Utilizes federal and agency acquisition regulations to identify possible sources and pertinent purchase information.
  • Tracks obligations/commitments and monitors expenditures to support budget forecasts and identify potential fraud, waste, or abuse.
• Procurement Support
  • Procures supplies and services to meet purchase, rental, or lease needs.
  • Develops unique selection criteria for each purchase.
  • Prepares and issues contract modifications for changes in delivery schedule.
  • Sends formal correspondence to inventory management specialists, other service‑line contacts, and contracting officers for auditing, receiving reports, and payments.
  • Conducts open‑market research and sole‑source small purchases for highly specialized medical items with critical product requirements.
• Administrative Support
  • Serves as the first line of contact for medical staff and customers regarding procured items.
  • Develops reports and spreadsheets; obtains, organizes, files, and retrieves reports for briefing and presentation purposes.
  • Performs receptionist, timekeeping, record‑keeping, and miscellaneous duties in the medical facility.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Schedule

Work Schedule: Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm.
Telework: Not Authorized.