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Change Orders SOP

Application

This Standard Operating Procedure (“SOP”) is subject to the University Policy on the Procurement of Goods and Services. Change Orders are subject to a review and approval process.

Definitions

TermDefinition
Change OrderA change in scope, specification(s), value and/or details of an original Purchase Order or awarded contract.
Change of scopeA change to the original overall project expectation.
Change in specification(s)A change to the original project requirements – typically used when a product or service is amended.
Change in valueA change that increases or decreases the overall dollar amount to be paid to the vendor/contractor/service provider
Change to detailsA change that affects vendor information, budget details or any other non-financial details of the original Purchase Order

Process

Departments and Units can change a PO after it has been issued whenever there is a change to:

  1. Scope of a project,
  2. Specifications(s) of a project
  3. Value of a project
  4. Detail(s) of a project

Signing authority for any changes remains with the original Purchasing Requisition approver. Where the Change Order increases the PO dollar amount in excess of the original approver’s signing authority the next level of signing authority must approve the Purchasing Requisition.

For Change Orders related to Purchase Orders issued prior to March 2024, a Purchasing Requisition needs to be completed and submitted to purchase@yorku.ca for processing. For Purchase Orders issued from Sm@rtBuy, Change Order requests are completed in Sm@rtBuy (non-catalogue Purchase Orders). For more information on how to complete a Change Order in Sm@rtBuy, please refer to the following resources:

Supporting Documentation

Additional documentation is required when a Change Order significantly alters the overall value of an original Purchase Order, due to changes in scope and/or value as follows:

  1. Overall value of the original Purchase Order is increased by 20%
  2. Overall scope of the original Purchase Order is increased by 20%

In such cases, a Non-Competitive Procurement Approval must accompany the Change Order with a rationale for the increase. For more information on how to complete a Non-Competitive Procurement/Limited Tendering Exception form in Sm@rtBuy, please refer to the following resources: