Recurring Purchases: MarketPlace, PCards and Blanket POs

Need to make recurring purchases for your department? Understanding when and how to use the NC State Procurement Services guidelines is vital for staying compliant and within budget.

Shop the MarketPlace First!

For recurring supply and equipment purchases, the NC State MarketPlace is always your primary option. If your items are not available, use these secondary procurement paths:

• PCard: Best for low-dollar, immediate or standard recurring purchases.
• Blanket Purchase Order: Use only when the purchase meets specific contract or dollar-threshold requirements.

What Is a Blanket Purchase Order, and When Can You Use It?

Per Section 3.1.6.5 of the NC Procurement Manual, a Blanket Purchase Order streamlines recurring purchases. They remain open for exactly one fiscal year and must meet one of three compliance paths:

• Covered by a Contract: Must reference an underlying competitive agreement (NC State Contract, Request for Proposal (RFP), Invitation for Bid (IFB) or Request for Quote (RFQ) or national consortium).
• No Contract (Under $31K): If no contract exists and the fiscal year total is under the $31,000 bid threshold, please add: “Not to Exceed $31,000.” to the requisition comment section.
• Items for Resale: If items are intended for resale, note “For Resale” in the comments and attach a pricing quote.

Types of Blanket Purchase Orders

Regardless of your compliance path, the Blanket Purchase Order will fall into one of these three operational types:

• Term Contracts: Prices are locked for 1–5 years via a specific contract number.
• Standing Orders: Used for continuous, predictable deliveries (e.g., weekly lab gases, monthly uniforms).
• Open Market Blankets: Funds are “held” in the accounting system to cover unpredictable, low-dollar invoices from a specific vendor.

How Payments Work

• PO Vouchers: Invoices are paid at the department level via PO Invoice Upload by referencing the Blanket Purchase Order number.
• Standing Orders (compressed gas and dry ice): Processed as MarketPlace orders and paid with a dedicated PCard and billed directly to your project ID.

Blanket Purchase Order Best Practices

• Plan Ahead: Evaluate your recurring or unpredictable needs at the start of the fiscal year to budget properly.
• Estimate for the Entire Fiscal Year: To avoid the hassle of future change orders, calculate and request enough funds to cover your projected needs for the entire fiscal year right from the start.
• Watch the Calendar: Blanket Purchase Orders expire at the end of each fiscal year. You must reassess and re-initiate them annually.

Next Steps and Resources

Ready to set up a recurring purchase order or have questions about the best path? The Procurement Services team is here to help you navigate the process.

• To initiate a Blanket Purchase Order: submit a Non-MarketPlace requisition with all the supporting documentation and special instructions. Learn how: Non-MarketPlace Requisitions
• For Policy Questions: contact your designated procurement specialist.
• General Support: Contact the Procurement team. 
• Learn more: Purchasing Manual: Introduction to Procurement