Procurement Services and Accounts Payable Services authorize limited authority to faculty and staff to acquire routine products and services without the use of a standard purchase order (PO), generated by a purchase requisition. Requesters must obtain all necessary approvals for the purchase from a cost center signatory. The approvals must be included with either of the two allowed methods of payment when purchasing without a purchase order. Those methods are:
- Procurement card (P-card)
- Check request
Procurement card purchases are subject to restrictions that apply per the Commercial Card Program Policy. The check request form is available on the Procurement Services and Contract Management website.
Inquiries should be made to Procurement Services when employees are uncertain if a purchase meets the requirements under this procedure.
Without a purchase order, either the p-card or the check request form must be used to pay vendors if all the following requirements are met:
- Single Expenditure must be $2,500 or less
- Related Expenditures/Payments cannot exceed $5,000 per year. (Example, quarterly subscription payments, monthly fees)
- No requirement for a signed two-party agreement
Expenditures may be for any goods or services that meet requirements 1 through 3.
Business expense reimbursements are submitted on the check request form if the above requirements are met and the p-card or requisition could not be used, subject to the policy. The use of check request is the least preferred method for procuring official NIU business. Refer to Business Expense Reimbursement.
Any purchase not fitting the above requirements or not in accordance with the Commercial Card Program Policy must be submitted on a purchase requisition and follow University Procurement Policy and the Illinois Procurement Code.