Standing (Blanket) Purchase Orders.
Standing Orders are issued for the repeated purchase of frequently used, low-value supply items or routine services and the vendor agrees to provide goods or services on a demand basis. In some cases, a Standing Order may be created for emergency maintenance/repair services. A Standing Order remains open for a specific period of time, normally one fiscal year, in order to facilitate repeated purchases.
The Purchase Order generally establishes prices, terms, conditions, and a period of time covered. Shipments are to be made as required by the purchaser.
The standing order is useful when:
- Purchasing goods or services from the same vendor on a regular basis over a period of no more than one budget year.
- To realize additional discounts through purchasing in quantity at contracted prices.
All requirements for quotes, etc. apply to standing purchase orders and must be justified in similar fashion to one time purchases.