Can I send a purchase order against an expired packaging quote?
Ask for a current written offer or explicit written extension tied to the exact specification before relying on the old commercial figures. Confirm what has been retained, revised or left provisional, then align the purchase order with that response. An unchanged design does not establish that material availability, capacity, freight assumptions or payment conditions remain available.
Consider a buyer who completed internal budget approval after the quotation's validity date. The immediate task is to refresh that offer, not restart a broad supplier comparison. Retrieve the original quotation and all accepted clarifications. Tell the provider which version you intend to order and request a reply that can become a reconciled purchasing record.
What does the old quote actually identify?
Check its reference, issue date, validity wording, quantity allocation and specification revision. Distinguish a preliminary estimate from a fully defined offer. If the quote preceded final sample approval, establish whether the approved pack differs from the quoted construction. A reply saying the price is unchanged leaves a scope problem if the insert or finish was added afterward.
Trade.gov's pro forma guidance identifies validity, payment, shipping and item details among quotation-related fields. It is useful document background, not a rule governing whether your particular offer remains binding. Questions about contract formation require advice for the actual agreement and jurisdiction; this guide addresses the purchasing handoff.
Scroll horizontally to compare all columns.
| Original input | Current confirmation needed | PO treatment |
|---|---|---|
| Specification and quantity | Exact approved revision and allocation still covered | Reference the reconciled baseline |
| Price and currency | Current amounts, inclusions and any adjustment conditions | Use the new confirmed schedule |
| Material and capacity | Availability and conditions for committing resources | State prerequisites and remaining provisional items |
| Delivery basis | Current destination, shipping assumptions and exclusions | Carry forward only confirmed scope |
| Validity and approval | New validity point and authorized offer reference | Submit within the confirmed process |
Ask what changed, and what the change affects
If the provider revises a line, request an explanation at the level needed to decide: different quantity, newly defined packing, changed delivery scope or another stated assumption. Do not infer a market trend from one revised quotation. A price increase is a proposal to review, not proof that the approved material must be replaced. Keep a cost-driven alternative separate from the baseline offer.
A lower-priced substitute needs its own technical review. Likewise, a quoted production duration should be linked to current start conditions rather than copied into a calendar as a reserved slot. Ask when capacity becomes committed and what approval or commercial action is required. Avoid sending funds solely because an old quote contains payment details; follow your established verified purchasing process.
Worked handoff: same box, different delivery request
In a hypothetical project, the original offer covers flat cartons collected at a named location. Before ordering, the buyer requests assembled boxes delivered to its packing site. Even if the carton construction is unchanged, assembly, shipping configuration and delivery responsibilities are different. Ask for those changes to be stated explicitly, including the packing assumptions used for the updated offer.
The buyer then compares the revised offer with its approved budget, records any required internal reapproval and issues the PO against the refreshed reference. It does not retain the old total in the PO while attaching a different scope in an email. The quote comparison guide can help resolve remaining inclusions; this refresh closes one specific offer-to-order gap.
Close the loop before treating the order as accepted
Request an order acknowledgment that identifies the PO and resolved offer. Check for newly introduced exceptions rather than assuming a receipt acknowledgment accepts every term. If the PO and acknowledgment disagree, identify the disputed line and obtain a reconciled response before the affected activity proceeds. This is document control for the transaction, not a claim that one document automatically takes legal precedence.
Preserve the old quotation for the history, mark the current commercial reference clearly and keep one owner for unresolved items. A useful closing message names the agreed baseline, current amounts, delivery assumptions, start prerequisites and remaining stop points. The repeat-order guide handles technical changes where an earlier pack is being reused.
Send PACKRIVA the quote reference, intended PO date, current specification and a short list of changes since quotation. As a packaging development and sourcing coordination partner, we can help clarify the current enquiry basis. Use the RFQ Builder to capture missing inputs, then request an updated packaging offer; do not assume the expired figures have been extended.