Purchase orders
We do business with suppliers on a regular basis.
You need a Purchase Order (PO) before you supply anything to us. To request a PO, contact the officer you’ve been speaking with about goods or services. They will email it to you.
PO format
Purchase order numbers are made up of 9 digits.
PO value
The invoice value should match the value of the PO.
If you’re asked to provide more goods or services you must ask us to raise a new PO. This must be for the correct total value.
The new PO number must be given to you before you start providing any extra goods or services and incur any additional costs.
New suppliers
If you’re a new supplier, you will need to follow our procurement process or our temporary worker recruitment process.
You’ll need to be set up in our finance system before a PO can be raised.
Your contact at Medway Council will need the following documents to request setting you up as a new supplier:
- a signed PDF letter on company headed paper that includes bank account name, account number and sort code or a snip from a bank statement.
- the VAT registration number.
Our procedure
We have a ‘no purchase order, no pay’ procedure. This means we will not pay invoices that do not contain a valid purchase order (PO) number.
As a supplier, you must not provide any goods or services to us unless you have a valid PO number. You also need to include this PO number on any invoices related to that order.
This ensures all purchases are approved before any goods and services are supplied. It also lets you send invoices straight after an order is complete, speeding up the payment process.
Invoices which do not contain a valid PO number will be returned to you.
Our procedure applies to all suppliers unless you are covered by an exception. We will have informed you if an exception applies.
Exceptions
Most invoices require a valid PO number, but there are some instances where it does not need to be included.
Exceptions include:
- telecommunication services (landline and mobile)
- utilities, for example electric, gas, water, refuse
- postal services
- grant (payments)
- special compensation payments
- one off payment to an individual
- rent (where covered by a signed long-term lease agreement)
- s106 or CIL payments
- credit card purchases
- any payment to reimburse money
- VAT only invoices
- enforcement Agent charges.
This list is under regular review and is subject to change.
Check with your council contact if you’re unsure if an exception applies to you.
We'll return an unpaid invoice to you if it does not contain a PO number and an exception does not apply.