Purchasing Questions:

The blanket purchase order is used when a department will be ordering the same goods and/or services regularly from a vendor during the course of the fiscal year. Unlike a standard P.O. that is issued for a one-time purchase, a blanket P.O. can have multiple purchases against it across a specified timeframe (typically a fiscal year) and can be increased along the way if necessary. Because it is created from a single requisition, the blanket P.O. saves processing time and improves efficiency. Here's how it works:

1. The department submits a requisition for a blanket order to cover goods and/or services from a particular vendor across a specified time frame, generally one fiscal year, but it can be set up to cover a shorter duration. This is usually done at the beginning of the fiscal year, but the blanket order is still beneficial regardless of when it is issued. The blanket order includes a total not-to-exceed amount which can be increased later on if necessary.
2. The requisition is received by Procurement and is subsequently approved. It is then processed in PeopleSoft, resulting in a blanket purchase order.
3. A copy of the order is then sent to the vendor. Please note that the vendor must reference the P.O. number on their invoices for any goods received and/or services performed against this order.

No additional requisitions are needed for goods and/or services covered by the blanket order. If necessary, the dollar level can be increased using the P.O. Amendment Webform.

Effective December 20, 2012, when a requisition is converted to a purchase order, an email notification will be sent to the web form originator. The email notification will contain both the purchase order number and a link to the Payment Activity display where you can retrieve additional information. An email notification will also be issued when a requisition is scheduled for payment. These system-generated notifications will keep you up-to-date on the status of your Procurement requests.