1. POLICY
A Specific Blanket Order is issued to establish an account with external vendors or with a State of Wisconsin agency or municipality for the purchase of similar commodities not covered by a contract or waiver.

2. USAGE and LIMITS
A blanket order is issued for the purchase of either supplies or services (including unanticipated equipment repairs) as defined by the selected class code. No single transaction or release against a blanket order may exceed $5,000.00. Items ordered that are NOT included in the general description of the blanket order may be considered an illegal purchase (see PPP #6, Illegal Purchases). Purchasing Services reviews blanket order releases to determine if illegal purchases have been made. Inappropriate use of blanket orders may result in discontinuation of blanket order privileges.
Blanket orders are NOT issued for printing except for allowable items under $50 per transaction (refer to PPP #5--Printing Related and Printing, section 4.7).

3. PROCEDURES
 Departments may request a Blanket Order by completing an external requisition form and routing it through normal approval channels.

3.1 Departments should determine and reference the beginning and ending dates of the blanket order (not to exceed 12 months) and apply an estimated encumbrance dollar amount for all reqs within the following fixed Legacy class codes: 3011-3038, 3171-3192, 3211, 3212, 3340, 3341, 3221, 3227, 3228. Blanket orders for all other class codes (variable) should reference only $1.00.

3.2 The blanket order may be issued for a maximum of 12 months. Departments should not place a release prior to the beginning date or after the expiration date. General Program Revenue (GPR) funded by 101 through 119 or 150 funds must expire at the end of the state fiscal year, June 30. Any other funding source may overlap state fiscal years but may not exceed 12 months or the ending date of the funding source.

3.3 The start date of the order may be backdated by two weeks from the requisition date, or to the beginning of the current month, whichever is longer. Exception: Continuing Order Requisitions (CORs) inclusive dates will coincide with the beginning date identified on the COR.

3.4 Departments may begin to purchase using the blanket order AFTER receiving the department copy of the purchase order or if the purchase order is shown as printed on the PO Inquiry available through the Purchasing Inquiry website. The department should provide the vendor with the complete 13-digit blanket order number, verify the ship-to address and provide a contact name and phone number at the ship-to address. The department should remind the vendor that three copies of the invoice, referencing the blanket order number, must be sent to ACCOUNTS PAYABLE, Suite 5301 21 N Park St., Madison, WI 53706-1490.

3.5 The Department must inform the vendor of the UW-Madison policy which restricts vehicles (trucks) exceeding 30 feet in length will be restricted from making deliveries and pick-ups on campus. The exceptions are vehicles necessary for the delivery or pick-up of perishable commodities, radioactive material and private construction vehicles. Options available to the vendor include the following:

• Vendor delivers or picks up using vehicles which are less than 30 feet.
  
  Vendor ships or picks up via common carrier in vehicles, which are less than 30 feet (e.g. FedEX, UPS, Speedy, etc.).
  
  Vendors who are unable to deliver or pick up per one of the above methods, must either sub contract at their expense or contact MDS to make necessary arrangement s and discuss fees.

For specific policy language and restrictions, Department staff and Vendor representatives should review the campus policy at IPP32 and/or the MDS Web-site.

3.6 Departments should inform the vendor that any item(s) back ordered must be invoiced against the blanket order number referenced on the original release order.

3.7 If a change or cancellation on an existing blanket order is needed, see PPP #11, “Change or Cancellation Orders” for the correct procedures. When returning or exchanging an item(s), refer to PPP #7, Return Materials Authorization.

3.8 Departments will receive Continuing Order Requisitions (CORs) each month for blanket orders that are ending in the next three months. Departments may renew expiring blanket orders without having to type new requisitions by "editing" each COR for a new time period, encumbrance, etc. (Refer to PPP #21, Continuing Order Requisition).

4. CONTACTS
If departments have questions regarding external blanket orders, contact Purchasing Services at 262-1526.

4.1 Departments should use the accounting Monthly Budget Control Ledger statement to monitor the encumbrance balance of a blanket order. Departments must follow internal procedures to increase or decrease an encumbrance.

4.2 Departments should refer questions on invoice approval, billing errors or other disputed invoices to Vendor Relations (262-0516).

5. REFERENCES.

PPP #5 -- Printing-Related and Printing Purchases
PPP #6 -- Illegal Purchases
PPP #7 -- Return Materials Authorization
PPP #11-- Change or Cancellation Orders
PPP #21-- Continuing Order Requisition (COR)
IPP #32 -- 30 Foot Truck