Purchase Orders

A. Process

Once the requisition is complete within the Colleague purchasing module, it is electronically forwarded to the purchasing office. All purchase orders will be generated in the purchasing office and will be sequentially numbered. The purchase order is a contract between the buyer and seller. Once submitted to the vendor, all specifications become a legally binding part of the contract with agreed upon terms and conditions. Vendors who accept and deliver an order without a purchase order or other properly executed contract do so at their own risk.

If requested by the purchaser, a hard copy of the purchase order will be forwarded to the vendor.

It is the responsibility of the department or school to follow up on purchase orders. If the purchasing office has sent an order to a vendor and delivery of the goods is delayed, the department or school designee should contact the vendor for clarification.

B. Change of Vendor (s)

Purchasing office staff has established contracts and agreements with a large number of vendors; therefore, it reserves the right to change a vendor if a more advantageous pricing arrangement is available. In the event a contract is not available, purchasing office staff may find a vendor to supply the item requested using its many resources and contacts. Purchasing staff will then contact the department to notify them of the change.

C. Change Orders

A purchase order may be changed at any time by contacting the purchasing office. This might be necessary because the vendor cannot complete the order, because of a change in pricing, or because of a typographical error. Discrepancies of plus or minus 10 percent usually do not require correction of the purchase order. 

A voided purchase order may not be used again.

An oral order may be called into the vendor after receipt of the purchase order number from the purchasing office.