Purchase Orders

When a supplier is successful with a quotation or tender, they receive an official Purchase Order and sometimes a Letter of Acceptance with a contract reference number. A Purchase Order is essential to confirm an agreement has been made for carrying out works, purchasing of goods or services, and a supplier should not supply goods or services without first obtaining one of these numbers from the Council officer.

The official Council purchase order will be authorised and will include the name of the supplier, ABN number, contact details, the description of goods/services required, delivery details and price exclusive of GST. Council's Standard Terms and Conditions for Purchase Orders will be provided with the purchase order. It is recommended that the conditions be reviewed prior to conducting business with Council to assess their impact, if any, on the business.

A purchase order is a legally binding document between a supplier and Council. It details the items the buyer agrees to purchase at a certain price point. It also outlines the delivery date and terms of payment for the buyer. The more specific and details included, the more efficient the purchase order will be.

When a seller (aka, supplier, vendor, etc.) accepts a purchase order, a legally binding contract is formed between the two parties. Also, the buyer should always clearly and explicitly communicate their requests to the seller, so there is no confusion when the purchase order is received.

If the purchase order is being raised as part of a contract agreement, the conditions of the contract will prevail over the conditions of the purchase order. If for any reason a supplier/business has concerns or queries regarding a purchase order, please contact the Council’s Contract Administration.

It is essential, and a requirement of Council's Procurement and Tendering Policy(PDF, 560KB), that ALL purchases of goods and services must not proceed unless an AUTHORISED purchase order has been issued to the supplier.