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Specifications

Definition

A specification is a concise description of a good or service an entity seeks to buy and the requirements the vendor must meet in order to be considered for the award. A specifica- tion may include requirements for testing, inspection or preparing an item for delivery, or preparation or installation for use.

Purpose

The purpose of any specification is to provide purchasing personnel with a clear guide of what to buy and to provide vendors with firm criteria of minimum product or service acceptability. A good specification should:

• Set the minimum acceptability of the good or service. The term minimum ac- ceptability is key, since the vendor must know the minimum standard to deter- mine what to provide. Too high a standard could mean wasted tax dollars. Too low a standard, and the good or service may not meet the expectations of the user. • Promote competitive bidding. The maximum number of responsible vendors

should be able to bid to the specification. Restrictive specifications decrease competition.

• Include provisions for reasonable tests and inspections for acceptability of the good or service. The methods and timing of testing and inspecting must be indicated in the specification. Tests should refer to nationally recognized practices and standards whenever possible.

• Provide an equitable award to the lowest responsible bidder The buyer obtains goods or services that will perform to expectations, and the vendor is able to pro- vide the goods or services at an equitable, agreed-upon price.

Preparing Specifications

The purchasing office, the division that will use the item or service or an outside agency may prepare the specifications. The final acceptance of the specifications rests with the purchasing office. This ensures proper quality control and helps avoid the proliferation of conflicting specifications in different departments.

Where to Obtain Specifications

Each government may have to write its own specifications, but it is a good idea to first try to obtain existing specifications, at least to get a good idea what types of specifica- tions would help. Specifications may be obtained from:

• Other local governments. Contact cities, counties or other governmental entities. Purchasing agents from other government agencies should be helpful.

• The State of Texas. Access the State of Texas CO-OP Program website: http:// www.window.state.tx.us/coop.

• The federal government. Access the federal procurement data system website: https://www.fpds.gov/fpdsng_cms/.

• Trade associations and vendors. If using a vendor’s specifications, try to remove any “vendor bias,” e.g. specifications that fit only one brand name.

• Other public or private standards and specifications writing associations. Examples include Underwriters Laboratories and the American National Standards Institute); and

• Professional associations for procurement managers. Examples include the National Purchasing Institute and National Institute for Governmental Purchasing.

A state agency may not accept a bid or award a contract from anyone who received com- pensation from the agency to participate in preparing the specifications or request for proposals on which the bid or contract is based. This may serve as a guide for local policy in this area.

Types of Specifications

The Comptroller’s Texas Procurement and Support Services (TPASS) division develops formal standards and specifications for a number of commodities purchased in volume by the State of Texas. These standards and specifications establish minimum quality requirements and are identified by a standard/specification number and an effective or revision date. Access the Texas Comptroller’s TPASS Specifications Library online: http://www.window.state.tx.us/procurement/pub/specifications-library/.

Design Specifications

Design specifications are detailed descriptions of a good or service, including details of construction or production, dimensions, chemical composition, physical properties, materials, ingredients and all other details needed to produce an item of minimum ac- ceptability. Design specifications are usually required for construction projects, custom- produced items and many services.

Performance Specifications

Performance specifications have terms of required performance that describe the goods and/or services. They may include required power, strength of material, test methods, standards of acceptability and recommended practices.

Combination Specifications

Combination specifications contain elements of both design and performance specifica- tions. Some features of each are included to allow a vendor some freedom in meeting the performance needs of the government and to require certain necessary design characteris- tics. This is probably the most common type of specification.

Brand-Name Specifications

Brand-name specifications list a good or service by brand name, model and other identi- fying specifications to limit the bidding to a single preferred product. This type of speci- fication discourages competition and should be avoided unless the item is the only one that will satisfy the government’s requirement. It is useful for purchasing replacement

parts where only the brand name item will work. It should be noted that a local govern- ment might have to explain in a court of law why another brand will not work, so this type of specification should be used judiciously.

Brand-Name or Equal Specifications

Brand-name or equal specifications are similar to brand-name specifications, except that equal products are acceptable in place of the named brand.

Qualified Products List Specifications

Qualified products list specifications, also known as approved products list specifications are based on a list of products, identified by manufacturers’ names and model numbers, and are the only acceptable items. These are used when quality is a critical factor and testing other products would be too time consuming or expensive.

The list is prepared by testing products, either in the lab or in daily use. Vendors demon- strating their quality in comparison to those on the list may add items to the list.

Standard Specifications

Standard specifications include a single specification for one or more goods or services ordered on a recurring basis with the same general purpose. The same specification is used each time an order is placed or bids are advertised. Examples include office supplies, paper, janitorial supplies and copier service contracts. Standardized specifications will usually be more detailed than one-time specifications.

Numbering System for Specifications

The purchasing office should maintain a defined numbering system for its specification files. Any system that suits the department is acceptable. One way is to use a standard commodity classification and item numbering system. Most counties use the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing (NIGP) commodity code system.

The following procedures describe one numbering system that allows considerable expansion.

Step 1: The specifications are numbered using three sets of numbers and a designation alphabet letter, as follows:

• Commodity class. A three-digit number that designates the general classifi- cation of the commodity (e.g., Class 005 - Abrasives).

• Item number. A two-digit number further breaking down the main class into subcategories (e.g. Item Number 42 - Abrasives, Solid: grind-wheels, whetstones, etc.).

• Sequence number. A two (or more)-digit number indicating the specifica- tion sequence number for that class and item number. The first specification written for that class and item number would be 01.

• Revision designation. A revised specification should be designated by a let- ter (e.g., the specification for abrasives, solid, first revision of the first specifi- cation written would be numbered 005-42-01A; the second revision would be 005-42-01B).

Step 2. A specification from an outside source should be renumbered to the govern- ment’s system and filed in the proper sequence.

Step 3. Specifications for standardized items should be designated as such (e.g., Standard Specification Number 005-42-01B).

Other numbering systems might include:

• Hierarchical system. Example: Class 000 Foods, Sub-Class 00 Dairy Products, Fresh.

• Numbering system. Example: Number 001 - Item Name Butter; specifica- tion for butter would be numbered 000-00-001.

• Calendar system. Using the date for the first eight digits and numbering specifications issued that day in sequence. Example: the first specification is- sued on Jan. 1, 2002 would be 01012002-1.

Writing Specifications

The first step in writing specifications should be to try to obtain an existing specification before starting to write a new one. Existing specifications will usually require rewriting. This section will help accomplish that task as simply and efficiently as possible.

Step 1. Receive a requisition and determine that an acceptable written specification is available.

Step 2. Gather data for the specification. Sources are:

• User department. Determine their needs and requirements). • Vendors and manufacturers.

• Trade associations for that commodity, service or product.

• Other local, state, and federal government specifications and standards. • Private or public standards-writing organizations. Such as American

Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), Society of Automotive

Engineers (SAE), and American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air- Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).

Step 3. Analyze and evaluate the data based on the government’s requirements.

Step 4. Decide on parameters for the item of service and set minimum levels of accep- tance so that the items purchased will meet the needs of the government.

Step 5. Write the proposed specification. Use a standard format for all specifications to ensure uniform preparation and easier understanding. Always write specifica- tions to encourage competition by including as little restrictive language as pos- sible. Use U.S. Industry and National standards and measures where appropriate to describe the items.

Step 6. Where applicable, and especially for standardized specifications, circulate the specification to:

• Vendors on the vendors list that supply the item of service. • Buyers in the purchasing office.

• Request their comments. Strongly suggest that vendors submit comments promptly, since the final specification will be binding on all vendors. Users should comment on unsatisfactory aspects of the specification to avoid pro- tests later.

Step 7. The purchasing office should:

• analyze and evaluate comments on the proposed specification; • tabulate recommended changes;

• evaluate the effects on the proposed specification; and • discuss them with users and buyers.

Step 8. Change proposed specification and if necessary, circulate the proposed specifica- tion again. Go back to Step 6, or if only minor changes were made, prepare final version.

Step 9. Assign a specification number.

Standards

Definition

Standards provide a universally recognized reference to measures of quality, quantity, size, weight, length, composition, purity, diameter or other measures.

Authority

A recognized body of authority in any field must determine the standards for that field. Organizations such as the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute and the Underwriters Laboratory, Inc. are examples of authorities that set industry standards. Standard-setting organizations may also be governmental organizations, such as the National Bureau of Standards.

Most governments buy large quantities of goods and services, such as office supplies, maintenance supplies and automobile supplies. In many governments, the individual departments buy these items, purchasing whatever kind and brand they want, as they need it. However, it is usually much more efficient and cost effective to consolidate these individual purchases and buy standardized items using standard specifications.

Benefits

Standardization enables local governments to get the best value for their money. It allows officials to establish a government-wide standard for needed items, while taking advan- tage of the ability to make larger purchases for lower costs, having fewer items to service, and having fewer orders to place. Many routinely needed items can be purchased on annual contracts at significant savings to the government.

Easy targets for standardization include office and maintenance supplies. However, con- sideration should be given to larger and more expensive items as well. For example, if the

government can efficiently use three automobiles of the same make and model instead of three different brands, then it will simplify parts stocking and engine maintenance if three vehicles are purchased at once. The government will probably also be able to nego- tiate a better price if it buys three cars at once.

Developing Standards

Standardization requires proper planning. A purchasing department, together with the user departments and suppliers, must decide on the requirements for items included in the standardization program. Then all purchases of standardized items must be made from that specification.

Here are the steps for establishing a standardization program.

Step 1. Determine the good or service to be standardized. A products standardization committee selects items based on established criteria. The standard specification may need to include a qualified product list, depending on the criteria adopted.

Step 2. Develop selection criteria. Few governments will select a product based solely on quality. Criteria should include minimum acceptable quality, availability, cost, service requirements plus the cost and availability of service. Remember that the item selected should be as compatible as possible with those already in use.

Step 3. If required, develop a standard specification for the good or service. See previ- ous section on Writing Specifications. A standard specification will allow the purchasing office to proceed in a routine way to procure the items.

Step 4. Evaluate the products if the committee determines that products are from a qualified products list. Use consumer reports, experience and actual testing. The capabilities of the government may limit the evaluation. For example, a large school district with many schools can efficiently test a variety of floor-care prod- ucts while a small county with four or five buildings might not be able to.

Step 5. Purchase all items on the list of standardized products from the specifications developed. Exceptions should only be on an emergency basis with full justifica- tion provided for any exceptions.