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Purchase orders and invoicing

Invoices

To help us process your invoice quickly, it should be addressed to Middlesbrough Council and include:

  • your company name and address
  • your VAT registration number (if applicable)
  • invoice number
  • invoice date
  • valid purchase order number
  • name of the council officer or service area ordering the goods or services
  • full description of the goods or services supplied
  • for each line item: quantity, description, unit price, net value, VAT rate, VAT value, line total
  • invoice totals: net, VAT, gross

If you're signed up to the Supplier Incentive Programme you should email your invoice to sipinvoices@middlesbrough.gov.uk.

All other invoices should be emailed to ap.invoices@middlesbrough.gov.uk.

If you're supplying goods or services to a school, you should send your invoice directly to the school, not the council.

We aim to make payments within 30 days of receiving an undisputed invoice. There may be a delay with processing your invoice and making payment if your invoice is incomplete or you send it to the wrong email address.

If you have a question about an invoice, or any other queries, email ap@middlesbrough.gov.uk.

Purchase order numbers

Our purchasing system produces purchase order (PO) numbers in the format '8nnnnnn', for example '8123456'.

All orders must be accompanied by a PO number, either supplied by a council officer or sent automatically by our purchasing system.

If a council officer requests goods or services from you without providing a PO number, please tell them to refer to the 'no purchase order, no payment' policy. Do not accept the order until you've received a PO number.

'No purchase order, no payment' policy

You must not accept verbal or written instructions to supply goods or services from any council officer unless they provide you with a valid PO number. This will usually be sent directly from our purchasing system.

Submitting an invoice without a PO number included will result in your payment being delayed.

If you submit an invoice without a PO number, it will be sent back to you by 'noreply@proactis.com'. You must keep hold of that email. You'll need to put the PO number into the 'order number' box in the email. This will update the system and keep the original receipt date. If you do not have a PO number, you should contact the council officer who placed the order and get one.

You'll get a total of 3 reminders. If you do not respond to the email, the link will expire and you'll need to submit your invoice again.

Making sure you include a PO number on your invoice is one of the best ways to ensure your invoice is paid quickly.

If you have any questions about the 'no purchase order, no payment' policy, please contact procurement@middlesbrough.gov.uk.

Supplier Incentive Programme (SIP)

The Supplier Incentive Programme is an early payment programme which gives suppliers the opportunity to be paid earlier than normal.

You can find out more about the Supplier Incentive Programme on the Oxygen Finance website.