Before you send the invoice: a short checklist

Match the purchase order

Put the purchase order or contract number on the invoice exactly as the government issued it. Bill only what the order covers, at the prices it states.

If the scope changed, get the change in writing before you invoice for it.

Send it where the government accepts invoices

Many governments accept invoices at one address, mailbox or portal only. An invoice sent to the department that ordered the work can sit there. Use the address on the purchase order or in the contract.

Itemize

List each item or service, the quantity, the unit price and the dates of delivery or service. A single lump sum often comes back with a request for detail.

Use your legal name and current payment details

The name on the invoice should match the name on the tax form the government has on file. If your address or bank account changed, update the government's vendor record first, through its own process.

Attach what the contract requires

Delivery receipts, timesheets, payroll records, lien waivers or progress certifications, as your contract says. A missing attachment is a common reason for a hold.

Keep proof of the date you sent it

The date an invoice is received usually starts the payment period. Keep the sent email, the portal confirmation or the delivery receipt.

Ask who approves it and when the board meets

Some local governments can pay only after a board approves a list of claims at a public meeting. Ask for the meeting schedule and the cut-off for getting on the list.