Procurement Procedures:

3.3 - Purchase Orders

PURPOSE

To define the general methods followed in the processing of Requisitions by the Purchasing Department to create Purchase Orders.

POLICY

Only specific Purchasing Department personnel and those designated in the General Policies Section under Expenditure Authority, have the authority to enter into purchase contracts or in any way obligate Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute for the purchase of goods and services.

A Purchase Order or contract is generally the only legal means under which a vendor has the authority to ship or provide service and invoice for goods or services specified on the order. The only other legal means are the Purchasing Card, Limited Purchase Order, Petty Cash and Direct Pay Request consistent with the policies specified for their use.

PROCEDURE

A. Requisition Review by Purchasing

1. Is the Requisition complete?
2. Does the Requisition bear all the proper approval signatures?
3. Is the description complete and clear regarding specific requirements?
4. When necessary, are supporting documents and/or quotations attached?
5. Is the item(s) on a pre-negotiated contract(s) or blanket orders?
6. Is there a justification if a single/sole source purchase?

B. Buyer Assignment

1. Upon receipt within Purchasing, a Requisition is entered onto the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System and assigned to a Purchasing Agent based on commodity.
2. The assigned Purchasing Agent will review the Requisition and determine the necessary action - select a vendor or solicit quotations as required by purchasing policies and procedures.
3. Substitutions, changes in prices and anticipated delivery problems will be reviewed with the Requestor and confirmed prior to order placement.
4. The Purchasing Agent will convert the Requisition into a Purchase Order.

C. Purchase Order Processing

1. Purchase Order information will be entered onto the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System where a Purchase Order number is assigned and departmental funds are encumbered.
2. The Purchase Order is printed in the Purchasing Department and signed by the authorized individual.

D. Purchase Order Distribution

1. The white copy will be mailed to the vendor
2. The green copy will be attached to the pink copy and mailed to the Requesting Department. The green copy is to be used as the Receiving Report and the pink copy is the department file copy.
3. The yellow copy remains with the Purchasing Department file containing all documents associated with the order.

back to top

Revised 3/02, 1/05