§ 513.7001 - Certified invoice procedure for procurements not requiring a written purchase order.

(a) When advantageous to the Government, supplies or services may be acquired on the open market from local suppliers using vendors’ invoices instead of purchase orders. Certified invoice procedures may not be used to place orders under established contracts unless authorized in the contract.

(b) Such purchases must comply with FAR Part 13 and Part 513, subject to the following:

(1) The amount of any one purchase is $2,000 or less for construction services and $2,500 or less for supplies or service other than construction.

(2) A purchase order is not required by either the supplier or the Government.

(3) The supplier does not accept the Government commercial purchase card or the individual making the purchase does not have a purchase card.

(4) Appropriate invoices can be obtained from the supplier.

(c) For special rules governing purchases of hand and measuring tools and stainless steel flatware see 525.105-70 and 525.105-71.

(d) Use of the certified invoice procedure does not eliminate the requirements to:

(1) Verifying price reasonableness in accordance with the conditions contained in FAR 13.603.

(2) Certify that the quality and quantity of items/services furnished are in accordance with the verbal agreement made with the vendor;

(e) Quotations may be solicited by authorized personnel without contracting officer warrants. Placement of any orders must be approved in advance by a contracting officer. The approval shall be in writing unless geographic distances make it impracticable to obtain a written approval on the GSA Form 2010 or other documentation. In those cases telephonic approval may be obtained and a notation of the approval recorded.

(f) Contracting officers using this purchasing technique shall require the suppliers to immediately submit properly prepared invoices which itemize property or services furnished.

(g) Upon receiving the invoice, the receiving office shall time-stamp the invoice to indicate the date the invoice is received, verify the accuracy of the invoiced amount, and verify that the supplies and/or services have been received and accepted. The contracting officer or a designated representative shall obtain a certification of receipt and acceptance from the individual that actually inspected and accepted the supplies and/or services before certifying the invoice and forwarding to the appropriate Finance Division for payment. Supplies and/or services should be inspected and accepted or rejected within 7 calendar days of delivery/completion. The invoice must be forwarded to the appropriate Finance Division for payment within 5 workdays after receipt of the invoice or acceptance of the supplies and/or services, whichever is later. Before forwarding the invoice to Finance, the contracting officer shall stamp it with the Certified Invoice Stamp, complete the accounting information, type of business (corporation, sole proprietorship/partnership, or other), and certification, and affix the ACT number label. If a Certified Invoice Stamp is not available, place the following statement on the invoice along with the ACT number label, accounting information and the type of business. (Note: In some organizations, the ACT number label is affixed by a budget or executive office within the service or staff office.)

“I certify that these goods and/or services were received on [Date] and accepted on [Date]. An oral purchase was authorized and no confirming order has been issued.”