ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to meet the requirements of this position.
~AND~
In addition to the English Language Proficiency, you must meet one of the following for the GS-5:
GS 5 - SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Possess at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-04) in the Federal Service that is directly related to the work of the position and has equipped me with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the GS-05 Purchasing Agent - Prosthetics position. Qualifying specialized experience includes performing administrative duties in a healthcare setting; reviewing and working with patients' medical records; completing training or assisting in routine and complex specialized purchases for clinics including medical equipment, prosthetic and orthotic appliances; utilizing computer software programs; and communicating with internal and external customers via various methods.
~OR~
SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED): Possess the successful completion of four (4) years above the high school level in any field for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite. This education must have been obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college, or university. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation.
~OR~
COMBINATION OF EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED): Possess the equivalent combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and specialized experience as described above that demonstrates the ability to perform the duties of this Purchasing Agent position. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation.
In addition to the English Language Proficiency, you must meet the following for GS-6:
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 - Prosthetics. 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 Orientation
- Communication
- Cost Estimation and Analysis
- Customer 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 incumbent 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. Incumbent 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/.