Successful Int. Projects thru Effective Contract Docs - Specifications Flashcards
What are proprietary specifications
They call out specific products by name
What are descriptive specifications
They relate pertinent features of a selected material
What are performance specifications?
They call for certain attributes that are suitable for obtaining the desired result
What are reference standard specifications?
They establish minimum levels of quality and/or workmanship
The following are advantages of what type of specifications: 1. Designer maintains control over all components and materials that are included in the project 2. The owner may express a preference for specific products based on previous experience 3. If the owner has several similar facilities he/she may wish to standardize materials for ease of maintenance, replacement, configuration, storage. or a variety of other reasons 4. The designer is able to prepare detailed drawings based on the selected product and is able to rely on exact dimensions and other physical characteristcs 5. Bidding procedures are generally simplified because of narrower competition 6. No drawing revision or field coordination is required to accomodate products with physical characteristics than those in which the drawings are based 7. The specifications are typically shorter and more easily enforced since the product supplied is either the one called for and is accepted, or it is not and is not accepted
Proprietary specifications
Some disadvantages of proprietary specifications are:
- Competition is virtually eliminated which causes the price to become non-competitive 2. If a bidder is unfamiliar with a selected product he/she may overestimate the cost of installation 3. Bidders may be reluctant to guarantee installation of a material with which they have no previous experience 4. The selected product may not be available from sources with whom the bidder normally does business and therefore may not be available at favorable terms 5. The designer may unwitting assume liablity for the failure of the selected product if it doesn’t perform as expected 6.Normally prohibited on publicly funded projects
Descriptive specifications may appear to be non-proprietary, but in actuality they are:
They are almost always invariably loaded with requirements that are exclusive to a particular product and cannot easily be supplied by competitors
The following are disadvantages of what type of specification: 1. A great deal of research is usually required to reduce the content of the specifications to those attributes that are truely essential and can be met by a reasonable number of potential suppliers 2. They are almost always too long and often too obsure to be easily referred to and enforced 3. Bidders tend to regard them as an elaborate guessing game 4. They place the burden of performance on the designer. If what you so carefully describe fails to meet the project requirements your liablity is substantially increased
Discriptive Specifications
Reference standard specifications allow you to write a shorted specification based on standards that people in all aspects of the design industry are typically familiar with. What precautions should you take when writing this type of specification
If you use these make certain that you have a complete copy of the standard that is in the current addition and that it applies to your intended uses. Become familiar with both the scope and content of the standard, and know how to apply and enforce it, and examine the standard for conflicts with other project requirements and resolve those conflicts so that ambiguities do not result
When are cash allowance specifications used?
When certain products can be selected during the coarse of construction, when more time can be devoted to their selection
CSI Master Format Divisions:
1 - General Requirements 2 - Site Work 3 - Concrete 4 - Masonry 5 - Metals 6 - Wood & Plastics 7 - Thermal & Moisture Protection 8 - Doors & Windows 9 - Finishes 10 - Specialties 11 - Equipment 12 - Furnishings 13 - Special Construction 14 - Conveying Systems 15 - Mechanical 16 - Electrical
What does a broadscope specification section encompass?
An entire family of work
What does a smallscope specifiction section cover?
A small stand-alone segment of the overall subject
What are the three (3) basic issues that must be covered in each specification section?
Part I - General; Part II - Products; Part III - Execution
Summary, References, Definitions, Submittals, Quality Assurance, Product Handling, Project Conditions, Schedule & Maintenance are covered under which part of the specification?
Part I, General Specifications
