Purchase Orders

Certain goods and services require the issuance of a Purchase Order (PO). A requisition, which is a request for a Purchase Order, must be submitted to the Purchasing Team in order to be initiated. Any goods and services that require the issuance of a Purchase Order, cannot be ordered and work cannot commence until a requisition has been approved by Central Purchasing and a Purchase Order has been issued. Central Purchasing can and has in the past rejected Purchase Order requests for work already completed. If you have questions, please contact the Purchasing Team at purchasing@law.columbia.edu.

Noteworthy
  • PO eligible vendor profile must be available in ARC to request a PO
  • Work must not commence until after the Purchase Order has been approved by Central Purchasing. NO work can be billed until a PO is issued.
  • PO in the amount of $10,000 or more require a minimum of two (2) competitive bids
  • Consultants must include their travel expenses on the invoice as part of their service as it is work-related and therefore taxable to them. 

Request a Purchase Order

Review this training guide to learn what goods and services require a PO and what documents you need to submit in support of your PO request/requisition:

The Unabridged, Comprehensive Catalogue of Goods & Services requiring a PO and the mandatory documents you will submit in support of your requisition

Request a PO

Submit a request to purchasing@law.columbia.edu with the Subject: Purchase Order - Vendor Name and include all appropriate information, and attach all required documents for a requisition to be initiated.

Required Information

  • Vendor Name
  • Vendor E-mail Address
  • Purchase Order Amount
  • Start and End Dates
  • SpeedChart Key & SpeedChart Description (where the PO is being charge to)
  • Goods/Service Summary (what the Purchase Order is for)

Required Documents

  • Quote(s) – Purchases over $10,000 require a minimum of two bids
  • Client List – If the vendor is not able to provide a list of customers, an email is required stating the reason.
  • Resume/Company Brochure
  • Scope of Work (SOW)
  • Certificate of Insurance (COI) – Only applicable if the service was provided on-campus, view sample of a Certificate of Insurance
  • NYS Liquor Permit – If applicable
  • Service Provider Agreement – If applicable
  • Independent Contractor Certification (ICC) – Required each time they are engaged. “The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York” must be listed as the Certificate Holder and under Description of Operations it should read "The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York, its trustees, officers, agents and employees as additional insured."

Goods & Services Requiring a PO

The Unabridged, Comprehensive Catalogue of Goods & Services requiring a PO and the mandatory documents you will submit in support of your requisition

The following requires the issuance of a Purchase Order prior to commencing work, when the amount of the purchase is $2,500 or more: 

  • Promotional Purchases 

The following requires the issuance of a Purchase Order prior to commencing work, when the amount of the purchase is $10,000 or more:

  • Advertising
  • Printing
  • Subscriptions
  • Rental Services

The following requires the issuance of a Purchase Order prior to commencing work:

  • Presenter/Speaker
  • Seminar/Workshop Facilitator
  • Graphic Designers
  • Audio/Video Editors
  • Software/Licensing
  • Translators (on-campus)
  • Interpreters (on-campus)
  • Catering (on-campus)
  • Business & Strategic Consultants
  • General Research