diff --git a/frontend/src/__tests__/settings-permissions.test.ts b/frontend/src/__tests__/settings-permissions.test.ts
index 1b6321f84..13f4333ad 100644
--- a/frontend/src/__tests__/settings-permissions.test.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/__tests__/settings-permissions.test.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,14 @@
 /**
- * Settings page permission gating for issue #365.
+ * Settings page permission gating for issue #365 and issue #870.
  *
  * The /admin/general + /admin/purchasing sub-tabs are reachable for
  * every signed-in role (only /admin/accounts and /admin/users are
  * navigation.ts-redirected). Render the form read-only for non-admin
  * sessions: disable every control, hide Save and Reset.
+ *
+ * Issue #870: the Purchasing Policies panel (#purchasing-panel) is a
+ * sibling <section> outside #global-settings-form. The viewer role must
+ * see all its inputs as disabled and both Save/Reset buttons hidden.
  */
 import { loadGlobalSettings } from '../settings';
 
@@ -130,7 +134,30 @@ const setupDom = () => {
   err.id = 'settings-error';
   err.className = 'hidden';
 
-  document.body.append(loading, form, err);
+  // Purchasing Policies panel: a sibling <section> outside #global-settings-form.
+  // Only the grace-period inputs (unique to this panel) and the action buttons
+  // are included here to avoid duplicate IDs with the form above. In the real
+  // HTML the term/payment/coverage selects also live in this panel; that does
+  // not affect the read-only gate logic since applyReadOnlySettings queries
+  // #purchasing-panel independently of #global-settings-form.
+  const purchasingPanel = document.createElement('section');
+  purchasingPanel.id = 'purchasing-panel';
+  for (const id of ['setting-grace-aws', 'setting-grace-azure', 'setting-grace-gcp']) {
+    const inp = document.createElement('input');
+    inp.id = id;
+    inp.type = 'number';
+    inp.value = '7';
+    purchasingPanel.appendChild(inp);
+  }
+  const savePurchBtn = document.createElement('button');
+  savePurchBtn.id = 'save-purchasing-btn';
+  savePurchBtn.type = 'button';
+  const resetPurchBtn = document.createElement('button');
+  resetPurchBtn.id = 'reset-purchasing-btn';
+  resetPurchBtn.type = 'button';
+  purchasingPanel.append(savePurchBtn, resetPurchBtn);
+
+  document.body.append(loading, form, err, purchasingPanel);
 };
 
 describe('Settings page permission gating (issue #365)', () => {
@@ -187,3 +214,58 @@ describe('Settings page permission gating (issue #365)', () => {
     expect(emailInput.disabled).toBe(true);
   });
 });
+
+describe('Purchasing Policies panel permission gating (issue #870)', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    jest.clearAllMocks();
+    setupDom();
+  });
+
+  test('admin: purchasing inputs enabled and Save/Reset buttons visible', async () => {
+    mockUser('admin');
+    await loadGlobalSettings();
+    const save = document.getElementById('save-purchasing-btn') as HTMLButtonElement;
+    const reset = document.getElementById('reset-purchasing-btn') as HTMLButtonElement;
+    expect(save.hidden).toBe(false);
+    expect(reset.hidden).toBe(false);
+    const inputs = document.querySelectorAll<HTMLInputElement | HTMLSelectElement>(
+      '#purchasing-panel input, #purchasing-panel select',
+    );
+    expect(inputs.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+    inputs.forEach((el) => expect(el.disabled).toBe(false));
+  });
+
+  test('readonly role: purchasing inputs disabled and Save/Reset buttons hidden', async () => {
+    mockUser('readonly');
+    await loadGlobalSettings();
+    const save = document.getElementById('save-purchasing-btn') as HTMLButtonElement;
+    const reset = document.getElementById('reset-purchasing-btn') as HTMLButtonElement;
+    expect(save.hidden).toBe(true);
+    expect(reset.hidden).toBe(true);
+    const inputs = document.querySelectorAll<HTMLInputElement | HTMLSelectElement>(
+      '#purchasing-panel input, #purchasing-panel select',
+    );
+    expect(inputs.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+    inputs.forEach((el) => expect(el.disabled).toBe(true));
+  });
+
+  test('user role: purchasing inputs disabled and Save/Reset buttons hidden', async () => {
+    mockUser('user');
+    await loadGlobalSettings();
+    const save = document.getElementById('save-purchasing-btn') as HTMLButtonElement;
+    const reset = document.getElementById('reset-purchasing-btn') as HTMLButtonElement;
+    expect(save.hidden).toBe(true);
+    expect(reset.hidden).toBe(true);
+    const graceInput = document.getElementById('setting-grace-aws') as HTMLInputElement;
+    expect(graceInput.disabled).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  test('null user: purchasing inputs disabled and Save/Reset buttons hidden', async () => {
+    mockUser(null);
+    await loadGlobalSettings();
+    const save = document.getElementById('save-purchasing-btn') as HTMLButtonElement;
+    expect(save.hidden).toBe(true);
+    const graceGcp = document.getElementById('setting-grace-gcp') as HTMLInputElement;
+    expect(graceGcp.disabled).toBe(true);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/frontend/src/riexchange.ts b/frontend/src/riexchange.ts
index 8f51cdfcc..55bd6a31e 100644
--- a/frontend/src/riexchange.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/riexchange.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import type {
 import { openModal, closeModal } from './modal';
 import { showSkeletonRows, teardownSkeleton } from './lib/skeleton';
 import { canAccess } from './permissions';
+import { applyReadOnlySettings } from './settings';
 import { showToast } from './toast';
 import { getCurrentUser } from './state';
 
@@ -987,6 +988,12 @@ function renderAutomationSettings(container: HTMLElement, config: RIExchangeConf
       }
     });
   }
+
+  // Issue #870: re-apply the purchasing-panel read-only gate after rendering
+  // so the dynamically-injected RI Exchange inputs are covered for non-admin
+  // sessions (loadGlobalSettings runs concurrently and may complete before
+  // these inputs exist).
+  applyReadOnlySettings(null);
 }
 
 export async function saveAutomationSettings(): Promise<void> {
diff --git a/frontend/src/settings.ts b/frontend/src/settings.ts
index 8f76f8e8a..1d74ab92d 100644
--- a/frontend/src/settings.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/settings.ts
@@ -2700,21 +2700,34 @@ async function confirmAndPropagatePayment(select: HTMLSelectElement): Promise<vo
  * even start editing, and hide Save / Reset / Delete-override CTAs.
  * Backend remains authoritative; this is a UX gate.
  *
+ * Issue #870: also covers the Purchasing Policies panel (#purchasing-panel),
+ * which is a sibling <section> outside #global-settings-form. Called from
+ * riexchange.ts after the RI Exchange Automation form is rendered so
+ * dynamically-injected inputs are covered too.
+ *
  * The form stays VISIBLE so non-admin sessions can still inspect the
  * configured providers, default term/payment, and grace windows.
  */
-function applyReadOnlySettings(formEl: HTMLElement | null): void {
+export function applyReadOnlySettings(formEl: HTMLElement | null): void {
+  const purchasingPanel = document.getElementById('purchasing-panel');
+  const controlSelector = 'input, select, textarea, button';
+
   if (canAccess('admin', '*')) {
     // Admin: ensure controls are enabled in case a prior session
     // (e.g. role downgraded mid-session) left them disabled.
     if (formEl) {
       formEl.querySelectorAll<HTMLInputElement | HTMLSelectElement | HTMLTextAreaElement | HTMLButtonElement>(
-        'input, select, textarea, button',
+        controlSelector,
       ).forEach((el) => { el.disabled = false; });
     }
-    document.querySelectorAll<HTMLButtonElement>('#save-settings-btn, #reset-settings-btn').forEach((el) => {
-      el.hidden = false;
-    });
+    if (purchasingPanel) {
+      purchasingPanel.querySelectorAll<HTMLInputElement | HTMLSelectElement | HTMLTextAreaElement | HTMLButtonElement>(
+        controlSelector,
+      ).forEach((el) => { el.disabled = false; });
+    }
+    document.querySelectorAll<HTMLButtonElement>(
+      '#save-settings-btn, #reset-settings-btn, #save-purchasing-btn, #reset-purchasing-btn',
+    ).forEach((el) => { el.hidden = false; });
     return;
   }
 
@@ -2724,12 +2737,17 @@ function applyReadOnlySettings(formEl: HTMLElement | null): void {
   // fires even if a control sneaks past the disable.
   if (formEl) {
     formEl.querySelectorAll<HTMLInputElement | HTMLSelectElement | HTMLTextAreaElement | HTMLButtonElement>(
-      'input, select, textarea, button',
+      controlSelector,
     ).forEach((el) => { el.disabled = true; });
   }
-  document.querySelectorAll<HTMLButtonElement>('#save-settings-btn, #reset-settings-btn').forEach((el) => {
-    el.hidden = true;
-  });
+  if (purchasingPanel) {
+    purchasingPanel.querySelectorAll<HTMLInputElement | HTMLSelectElement | HTMLTextAreaElement | HTMLButtonElement>(
+      controlSelector,
+    ).forEach((el) => { el.disabled = true; });
+  }
+  document.querySelectorAll<HTMLButtonElement>(
+    '#save-settings-btn, #reset-settings-btn, #save-purchasing-btn, #reset-purchasing-btn',
+  ).forEach((el) => { el.hidden = true; });
 }
 
 /**