An “open order” is used to facilitate the repetitive purchase of items or services of nominal cost from the same supplier. It is preferable to several individual orders for specific items at specific prices, each of which has to go through the same process that is required only once for an open order.

Open orders are written with “not-to-exceed” dollar limits. The department may add to this amount, reduce the amount obligated, or close the order completely by submitting a Change Order request (using the Purchase Requisition form) signed by a person(s) authorized to incur expenditures against the organizational fund(s) to the Accounting Office.

To establish an open order with a specific vendor, a Purchase Requisition must be submitted by a university department requesting an “open order” for miscellaneous items or services as required, usually for a period of time not exceeding the balance of the fiscal year in which the request is made. The dollar amount shown on the Purchase Requisition will be obligated against the requesting department’s available budget balance for the type of funds required.

In order to receive payment from the university for items charged against an open order, the vendor must submit an invoice to the General Accounting Office referencing the Purchase Order number for the open order. Invoices may also be sent by the vendor to the department holding the open order, but payment can only be made by the Accounting Office.