Lecture 8: Specifications Flashcards
- “A written or printed description of the work to be done,
forming part of the contract and describing qualities of
material and mode of construction and also giving dimensions and other information not shown on the drawings.” - Complements and explains the drawings.
- In case of conflict, the ___ override the drawings.
- Should be read in conjunction with the other contract
documents. - Encompasses the general conditions by reference.
- Prepared by experienced personnel within the design firm.
- Reviewed by both designer and specifier to ensure proper coordination.
specifications
Specs are written by the A/E or the Engineer for the use of:
- Owner
- GC
- SC
- Suppliers
- Manufacturers
- Inspectors
- Purchase agents
- Insurance Co.
- Bonding agencies
- Lawyers
- Banks
Specifications are used to set and explain what?
- Technical requirements
- Legal requirements
- Bidding procedures
- Alternates
- Options
- Limits
- Special precautions and installation / manufacturing procedures
- Testing and inspection procedures
- Assist in obtaining AHJ approvals for installation of products or processes
Technical Specifications cover:
- Dimensions
- Tolerances
- Installation procedures including workmanship
- Mixes
- Tests and expected performance criteria
Specifications Legal considerations cover:
- Order of precedence and hierarchy of
contract documents. - General and particular (special) contract
conditions.
Specifications Insurance considerations cover:
- Owner’s liability
- Contractor’s liability
- A/E’s liability
Specifications Bidding requirements cover:
- Invitation to bid
- Instructions for bidders
- Bid form
- Bid bond
Specifications Alternates and options cover:
- Additions
- Deletions
- Changes in quantities / scope of work
- Substitution of material / equipment
Specifications Limits cover:
- Duties/responsibilities of different contractors / sub-contractors.
- Sequences and time frames in case of multiple GC’s.
Specifications Inspection and testing procedures cover:
- Type of test
- Who will conduct it
- How should it be conducted
- Who will pay for it
- Procedure in case of failure to meet quality measures.
- Should complement drawings.
- Should not contradict with, duplicate, or
overlap with drawings. - Its preparation should be coordinated
with the drawings development including
schedules, checklists, notes of changes. - Standard terminology and legends used
whenever possible.
Specs relationship to Drawings
Drawings show:
1. Size, shape, and location of material, equipment, and fixtures. 2. Detail and overall dimensions 3. Schedules of finishes, doors, windows, etc. 4. Physical extent of alternates 5. Interrelation of material, equipment, and space
Specs show:
1. Type and quality of material, equipment, and fixtures. 2. Quality of workmanship 3. Methods for fabrication and installation 4. Test and code requirements 5. Allowances and tolerances 6. Alternates and options
also known as Descriptive or Design specifications
Method System:
also known as Performance or Output
specifications.
Results System:
Refer to established standards
Reference Specs:
also known as closed specs, specifying exact type and model.
Proprietary specs:
the 4 C’s:
- Clear
- Concise
- Correct
- Complete
describes in detail the method,
material, workmanship, and erection or
installation procedures.
Specifier
is responsible for the output, or
performance of the finished product, as long as instructions were followed by contractor.
Specifier
Descriptive specs can allow for approved substitutes, also
referred to as ________.
“or equal ” or “or approved equal ”
- Shifts part of the risk for non conformance to
the A/E or the specifier - Should be used only for well tested and
proven elements. - Can be open or closed specs.
Descriptive Specifications
- The specifier sets expected or required
output or performance criteria the contractor has to meet without unnecessary limitations on the method to be used. - The burden of compliance is totally shifted to the contractor.
- Used in cases where the contractor has
better experience with the system than the
specifier. - Used mostly in design/build projects.
Performance Specifications
- Refers to a standard established for material, test method, workmanship, or installation procedure.
- Standards can follow either design or
performance specs. - Examples include ASTM, ANSI, DIN, AASHTO, BSS.
- Contractor responsible for acquiring a copy of the referenced standard specs, and following its instructions.
Reference Specifications
The A/E may require the contractor to keep a copy of the ____ on site for supervision.
reference specs
- Specifier may use them as a template, or as a baseline with some modifications.
- Specifier must ensure referencing the correct specs.
- Danger of mixing and matching reference specs resulting in conflict and contradiction.
reference specs
- Specifier states clearly and definitively
information (actual make, model, catalog
number, color, etc.) for a product, Manufacturer,
or installation procedure. - Narrowest type of specs.
Proprietary Specifications
Advantages include of Proprietary specs include what?
- Product selection closely controlled
- Bidding simplified by narrowing
competition and removing product
pricing as a major variable - Reduced effort in preparing
specifications resulting in time
shortening and cost
savings
Disadvantages of Proprietary specs include:
- Competition is reduced or eliminated
- Certain products or manufacturers may be favored
by the specifier over others
- Used when several competing brands can achieve
same appearance, performance, or properties. - Mostly used in public projects to allow for fair
competition, lower price, and avoid nepotism and
favoritism. - May assist in Value Engineering.
- Contractor has burden of proving it equal to specified
item. - May also be listed as “Or approved equal”, clarifying
that it needs A/E’s approval.
Or Equal Clauses
Related issues:
- Base bid or closed specs
- Bidder’s choice or restricted specs
- Open Specs
- Bidder’s list of substitutions
Related issues
- Bid includes substituted items
- Includes difference in price from originally
specified item - Adds burden on A/E to ensure compliance
Products are defined by stating:
- Spec standard
- Specific product name
- Number and names of substitutes
- Reason for substitution
Approved equals listed in ______ if
during bidding process, or in a contract
change after signing the contract
addendum
Written requests for approval of
substitutes should be presented by
vendors to:
- Form a basis of understanding and eliminate misrepresentation
- Eliminate non conforming items
- Permit objective review
- Show interest in bid
- Should be considered only from prime
bidders
- Is a warranty supplied by the owner to the
contractor that if the contractor builds
according to the plans and specs, a
satisfactory product will result. - In other words, if the contractor follows the
plans and specs correctly, he/she is not
responsible for the results.
Spearin Doctrine or Spearin Warranty:
If the specs listed an item that is not in
production, and the contractor cannot find
such a product, he/she can obtain relief using
the doctrine of _______.
“Impossibility of Performance”
Where time and/cost obstacles are so great to overcome within practical limits.
“Practical Impossibility”
This applies to design or descriptive
specifications only, as the Contractor selects
the products under performance
specifications.
“Impossibility of Performance” or “Practical Impossibility”
- Standards published by professional and
industry associations. - Recommended specs requirements
disseminated by material manufacturers. - Guide specs published by governmental
agencies. - Municipal, county, state, and federal codes.
Reference sources
Construction in a given area should
comply with the _________.
area codes and ordinances
In case of code overlap, highest one
should prevail ……..
Federal over state, State
over county, etc.
In case of absence of local codes, national codes may be used (e.g.____, etc.) as a base for doing work in
accordance with standards of good practice.
BOCA
Produced by the International Conference of Building
Officials.
UBC (Uniform Building Code)
Produced by American Insurance Association
NBC (National Building Code)
Produced by Building Officials and Code Administrators
International, Inc.
BBC (Basic Building Code)
Produced by the American Society of Mechanical
Engineers and the American Public Health Association
NPC (National Plumbing Code)
1. The use of these codes or standards saves time and space, since requirements are included by reference. 2. May be used “as is” or “with modification”. 3. Should be checked for compliance with codes.
Specification Codes
1. Several branches and agencies of the federal government have their own published standards and guide specs. 2. May pertain to materials and methods or to employment practices and minimum wages. 3. Examples include: Military Specs, Federal Specs, Corps of Engineers Regulations, FHWA Guidelines, etc.
Agency Standards
- Most major manufacturers publish
recommended specs for use by designers. - Some of these specs may be proprietary (Only
one manufacturer satisfies the requirements). - May include requirements for material,
equipment, and/or workmanship. - Examples include: F.W. Dodge (Sweet’s),
National Ready Mix Concrete Association, etc.
Manufacturers’ Specs
- Reduces time and effort needed to locate
particular parts or components specs. - Standardizes the order of listing of different
requirements. - Simplifies the review effort for omissions or
duplication. - Facilitates the use of information by
different project team members. - Includes a standardized numbering system
for work allocation and assignment.
Organizing the Specs.
- Most widely used type of organized specs.
- Developed and published by the CSI (Construction
Specifications Institute). - Aims at improving the quality of construction specs.
- Provides uniformity in specs writing by furnishing a
standard arrangement of specs material. - Project specs are divided into 50 divisions.
- Divisions are derived from an interrelationship of
material, trade, function, or space. - Leads to increased bidding consistency and
accuracy.
CSI Masterformat
is organized into 50 divisions.
Division 00 contains procurement
and contracting
requirements.
MasterFormat
®
Divisions 01 through 49 contain the ___________.
specifications
- Each item follows a five digit section number (e.g.
15010 Provisions common to mechanical installations). - Alphanumeric section numbers may be used instead of 5 digit numbers (e.g. 2A, or 4C).
- Division headings are based on 4 major categories:
a. Materials
b. Trades
c. Functions of Work
d. Place
e. Some of these headings may be predominant in some
divisions (e.g. materials in division 4, trades in division 5, functions in division 7, place in division 2, etc.)
Using the Masterformat
- Eliminates or reduces worries about
additions/ deletions. - Specs can be prepared in advance before
design completion. - Facilitates correspondence with reference
to material samples, shop drawings, submittals, etc. - Adopted by major organizations (AIA,
Government, etc.)
Advantages of Masterformat
- Standard part of the specifications that
defines the following: - Administrative and procedural requirements:
processes for contract administration, assignment of
contractual responsibilities, and methods for
communicating, controlling, and assuring quality. - Temporary Facilities and Controls
- Performance requirements
- Life cycle activities such as commissioning, facility
operation, maintenance, and decommissioning.
Division 01: General
Requirements
Conditions of the Contract
- Are inherent part of the agreement
- With the agreement govern the content of the entire contract.
- Contain conceptual principles applicable to most projects.
Division 01 - General Requirements
- Are inherent part of the specifications
- Administratively govern the specification sections
- Contains specifics directly applicable to a particular project
