Specification

Specification means the Specification of the Works/Products/Service included in the Contract and any modifications
or additions to the specifications made or approved by the authority in accordance with the Contract.

Specification defines the Client/Procuring Entity’s requirements. Errors, or lack of clarity in specification preparation
can result in problems in delivering through contract and product/service life management. When drawing up a
specification, we should ask at the least ask open-ended questions like:

 What is this product or service for?

 Who will be the users of it?
 What problem will this solution solve?

We have to make sure that the functions, attributes, constraints, preferences and expectations for the product/works/
service are fully explored and any trade-offs between them are agreed. There should be sufficient information in the
specification to allow the contractor to quickly and accurately develop a price for the product/service and to minimize
risk later in the through life contract.

The role of a specification

• To define the requirement
• To communicate the requirement
• To provide a means of evaluating the quality or conformance of the products or services supplied

Advantages of using specifications

• The process of drawing up specifications is a useful discipline. It helps to translate the requirement into
document and also helps to accommodate and clarify conflicting needs from different stakeholders.
• If items are to be purchased from more than one source, the use of conformance specifications may be
essential to ensure uniformity
• Specifications provide useful criteria for measuring the quality and acceptability of purchases once
delivered
• Specifications provide evidence, in the event of a dispute, as to what the purchaser required

Disadvantages of using specifications

• Detailed specification can be expensive and time consuming process
• The costs of inspection and quality control are greater for complex specifications than if simple
specification is used
• Specifications can become too firmly embedded
• Specifications can create a temptation to over-specify, adding cost and increasing stock variation and
proliferation

Types of specification

Conformance specification

• The client details exactly what the required product, part or material must consist of. This may take the form
of an engineering drawing or blueprint, a chemical formula or ‘recipe’ of ingredients, or a sample of the
product to be duplicated, for example. The supplier/contractor/consultant may not know in detail, or even at
all, what function the product will play in the client’s operations. His/her task is simply to conform to the
description provided by the client. S/he must conform to this; there is no scope for supplier innovation.
• It could also be called Input Specification.
Performance specification

• The client describes: what it expects a part or material to be able to achieve, in terms of the functions it will
perform and the level of performance it should reach; or what outputs or outcomes (results) it expects to be
delivered by a service. It is up to the supplier/contractor/consultant to furnish a product or service which will
satisfy these requirements: the client specifies the ‘ends’, and the supplier has relative flexibility as to ‘means’ of
achieving those ends.
• If conformance-based specifications are used, the risk of not having products/works/services- fit for purpose lies,
with the client. Conformance specifications are usually derived after detailed analysis and design. In business
fitness-for-purpose means how well the delivered products/works/service meet the user's requirements for use,
functionality, etc. If performance-based specifications are used, the risk moves towards the supplier/ Contractor/
Consultant in as much as the Client has specified accurate performance characteristics. Performance
specifications are derived normally after basic analysis and needs assessment.

• Performance Specification could be of following types:

✓ Outcome specification - identifies what needs to be achieved (the outcome) and the capabilities required
to achieve the outcome. The process and inputs are left to the suppliers to determine.
✓ Output specification - assumes that the outputs will deliver the outcome even if the outcome is not
formally measured. The output is a deliverable that can be measured in terms of time to deliver, quality
and cost.

• Hybrid Specification
✓ Specification can also be hybrid- mixture of conformance and performance specification.

The nature of the description of requirement is determined by the type of specification.

 A conformance specification will be a precise set of instructions to which the supplier must comply
 An output specification will consist of a description of clear functions and the performance required
 An outcome specification will have a broad description of the end results and vision for delivery. (Focus on
the key needs of the user to prevent the list getting too long and unmanageable. We should not suggest a
precise solution).
Types of conformance specifications
• Technical or design specifications
• Specification by chemical or physical properties
• Specification by brand
• Specification by sample
• Specification by market grade
• Specification by standards

Technical or design specifications

• The scope of the specification (its objectives and content)
• Definitions: explanation of any technical or specialised terms used
• The purpose of the equipment or material that is the subject of the specification
• Reference to any related documents (such as standards or legislation) which apply
• Materials requirements, properties, tolerances and permissible variability
• Desired appearance, texture and finish requirements of the finished product
• Drawings, samples or models of the required product (where available)
• Conditions under which the item or material is to be installed, used, manufactured or stored
• Maintenance and reliability requirements
• Specification of packaging and protection
• Information to be provided by the supplier for users

Performance specifications
A performance specification would typically include:
• The functionality, performance, capabilities, outputs or outcomes to be achieved, within specified
tolerances
• The key process inputs which will contribute to performance
• The operating environment and conditions in which the performance is to be achieved (and extreme or
unusual conditions in which it is not expected)
• How the product is required to interface with other elements of the process
• Required quality levels (including any relevant standards)
• Required health and safety levels and controls
• Required environmental performance levels and controls
• Criteria and methods to be used to measure whether the desired function, performance or outcomes
have been achieved

Drafting specifications

An effective specification is one that is:

• Clear and unambiguous as to what is required
• Concise
• Comprehensive
• Compliant with all relevant standards, and health, safety and environmental laws and regulations
• Up-to-date
• Expressed in terms which can be understood by all key stakeholders
• Value-analysed
Drawing up specifications

Product • Performance objectives: functionality, outputs, outcomes

• Process needs and input parameters
• Features
• Aesthetics
• Compatibility
• Reliability
• Durability
• Maintainability
• Ease of use
Price • Purchase price
• Life time costs (maintenance, operating, disposal)
Quantity • One-off or scheduled ongoing requirement
• Forecast demand: supplier production and delivery capacity to supply
Quality • Desired level of quality
• Acceptable tolerances (range of variance)
Timing • Time-phased requirements (daily, weekly or monthly schedule)
• Acceptable tolerances (range of variance)
Place • Delivery address
• Delivery requirements (e.g. breaking of bulk, or consolidation)
• Packaging requirements
• Transport requirements (mode preference, special conditions)