PURCHASING PROCEDURE 4
SUBJECT: Blanket Purchase Order
GENERAL: Blanket purchase orders are used for the few merchants from whom many repetitive purchases are made, as supplies are required. Rather than issue a purchase order for each purchase, one purchase order is issued for a month, quarter or year to cover purchases for that period. The following steps describe how to prepare a blanket purchase order.
STEPS: Purchasing Officer
1. Determine by examining past purchasing records which items are needed in large enough numbers to be included in a blanket purchase order.
2. Prepare a description of the types and estimated quantities of items needed over a specified time frame.
3. Solicit bids from qualified local suppliers if there is more than one accessible supplier.
4. Evaluate bids for price and conformance to quality standards set forth in the invitation to bid.
5. Select the most advantageous qualified bid considering both price and conformance.
6. Place the order with the selected vendor by issuing a pre-numbered purchase order. In the description section, write:
"Term order, furnish items as requested by (governmental unit) employees when above purchase order number is referenced. Issue monthly statements supported by signed counter tickets. This order expires on , 20 ."
7. Determine those employees in each department who will be authorized to make purchases under the blanket purchase order.
8. Inform authorized employees of the types of items covered by blanket purchase orders, vendor's name, purchase order number, and expiration date. Each authorized employee should obtain approval from the purchasing agent before making a purchase under the blanket purchase order.
9. Close the blanket purchase orders by writing "complete" in the copies maintained in accounting and informing affected employees.