• If miscellaneous supply items are required but the exact quantity or type of item is not known (e.g., office supplies, sheet music, food items for home economics classes, electrical and mechanical supplies for the Maintenance Department, etc.) a blanket purchase order may be issued to an appropriate vendor. However, the following procedures apply.

    Preparing the Blanket Purchase Order Requisition

    The originator must coordinate with the vendor to ensure the vendor will accept the blanket order, then prepare and submit a Munis requisition. In the description section of the requisition, state that this is a blanket purchase order request and specify the names of your authorized purchasers. If the order is for anything other than office supplies also describe the purpose of the order. Each blanket purchase order requisition must reflect a specific dollar amount to be encumbered for this purpose. Any expenditure against a blanket purchase order which exceeds the total amount encumbered (including tax and shipping), is an unauthorized expenditure which becomes the personal liability of the authorized purchaser(s) identified on the purchase order.

    No capital expenditure (equipment) items may be obtained using a blanket purchase order. Nothing over $500.00 can be purchased using a blanket purchase order.

    Blanket purchase orders may be valid for only a limited time during the fiscal year or for the entire fiscal year. Normally, blanket purchase orders will not be valid beyond the last day of school of the current fiscal year unless circumstances dictate the necessity of remaining open until June 30. This is necessary in order to close the books at the end of the fiscal year.

    Authorized Purchases and Pick-up Procedures

    The names of district personnel (normally only one and no more than three) authorized to make purchases against the blanket order must be clearly stated. Only the person(s) listed on the blanket purchase order is authorized to make a purchase. If the purchase is to be picked up, only the authorized purchaser listed on the blanket purchase order may pick up from the vendor. The authorized purchaser must sign the purchase receipt.

    Annotate the purchase order number on the receipt, and forward the receipt document to the accounts payable department. To maintain good working relationships with vendors, it is imperative to forward receipts promptly so that prompt payments can be made.

    Increasing / Decreasing / Changing a Blanket Purchase Order

    If it is necessary to increase the amount of a blanket purchase order, create a Purchase Order Change Order completing all necessary fields. In the description field enter:

    INCREASE TO PURCHASE ADDITIONAL SUPPLIES.

    Once this Purchase Order Change Order has gone through the approval process purchasing will post the change order to increase your existing purchase order. They will then notify the vendor of the increase.

    If it is necessary to decrease the amount of a blanket purchase order:

    Create a Purchase Order Change Order to update the existing line item to the new decreased amount.  When entering your reason in the description box DO NOT DELETE THE EXISTING WORDING, enter your reason for the decrease under the existing wording.

    It is the responsibility of the requisition originator to account for the available balance of a blanket purchase order.

    Exceeding the dollar limitation of a blanket purchase order constitutes an unauthorized purchase for which the requisition originator becomes personally liable.