Task Item No. 5-10: Prepare and edit specifications sections and compile, review, and edit specifications sections written by others.

Question 1

You Should Understand

Task Item No. 5-10: Prepare and edit specifications sections and compile, review, and edit specifications sections written by others.

• Develop a knowledge of construction practices
• Understand the role of construction specifications and project manuals
• Understand the roles of team members related to tasks to be performed
• Read and understand construction documents, and their role in contract documents
• Compose written information and specifications
• Review written information and specifications provided by others for conformance to project requirements
• Coordinate written information and specifications of all disciplines for conformance to project requirements
• Maintain an up to date table of contents
• Read and understand contract requirements for submittals
• Create a project description for use in the Invitation to Bid and Summary of Work

Answer 1

Reading List

Task Item No. 5-10: Prepare and edit specifications sections and compile, review, and edit specifications sections written by others.

CSPG 1.5.5, 1.5.8, 1.9 through 1.10, 1.12, Figure 1.4, 8.1, 10.1, 10.4 through 10.4.5, 11.5, 11.8, and 14.9.1

Question 2

Refer to Task Items 5-2 and 5-3

Question 3

1.5.5 Preparing Specifications

Answer 3

Specification sections can be newly written, derived from a previous project specification, or edited from a master guide specification. With the use of commercial master guide specifications, editing rather than writing is usually the primary means for producing project manuals or specifications. Copies of previous project specifications should be used only for reference and should not be edited for a new project.

Question 4

1.5.8 Coordinating with Consultants

Portions of the project specifications may be written by consultants. Theshould assume responsibility forof the specifications. Information regarding the type of project, contract, specifications formats, general conditions, and especially Division 01 requirements should be made available to consultants prior to their preparing any sections. Input from them for Division 01 sections should be requested at the same time.

Answer 4

1.5.8 Coordinating with Consultants

Portions of the project specifications may be written by consultants. The prime A/E should assume responsibility for overall coordination of the specifications. Information regarding the type of project, contract, specifications formats, general conditions, and especially Division 01 requirements should be made available to consultants prior to their preparing any sections. Input from them for Division 01 sections should be requested at the same time.

Question 5

1.12 Preliminary Review and Coordination of the Project Manual

After the first draft of the specification has been prepared, a preliminary review and coordination of all the construction documents is performed. Copies of edited sections should be reviewed by members of the project team who are familiar with design and detailing to identify errors, oversights, and new or changed decisions. Drafts of sections from consultants should be collected and reviewed so the entire project manual can be coordinated. Sections should be checked and compared to eliminate omissions, overlaps, duplications, and inaccurate cross-referencing. Particular attention should be given tosections. Where appropriate, procurement requirements should be prepared. These documents should be coordinated with applicable specifications sections. Alternates, allowances, and unit prices relate to the bid/ proposal form and are cross-referenced to the instructions for procurement. The preliminary review of the project manual should also include coordination with the drawings

Answer 5

1.12 Preliminary Review and Coordination of the Project Manual

After the first draft of the specification has been prepared, a preliminary review and coordination of all the construction documents is performed. Copies of edited sections should be reviewed by members of the project team who are familiar with design and detailing to identify errors, oversights, and new or changed decisions. Drafts of sections from consultants should be collected and reviewed so the entire project manual can be coordinated. Sections should be checked and compared to eliminate omissions, overlaps, duplications, and inaccurate cross-referencing. Particular attention should be given to Division 01 sections. Where appropriate, procurement requirements should be prepared. These documents should be coordinated with applicable specifications sections. Alternates, allowances, and unit prices relate to the bid/ proposal form and are cross-referenced to the instructions for procurement. The preliminary review of the project manual should also include coordination with the drawings

Question 6

11.5.1 Establish a Specification Type

Answer 6

The A/E should determine the extent of the project types and establish the level of detail the various specification sections must contain. This will help determine which method of specifying is best suited to achieving the required detail. Where the level of extent of a project requires a greater degree of detail, full-length specification sections should be used. The shortform master guide specification for each project type can have combinations of Level 2 and Level 3 MasterFortmat® section titles.

Question 7

14.9 Using Federal Government Guide Specifications

Answer 7

Before entering into a design contract with a federal agency, the A/E should determine whether the agency has master guide specifications, whether their use is required, and whether copies will be provided free of charge.

Question 8

14.9.1 Editing Master Guide Specifications

Answer 8

The agency master guide specifications are just that—guides—and must be edited to suit each project. Guide specifications are usually written for new construction and may require considerable modification for repair or rehabilitation projects. A number of guidelines should be followed when editing agency master guide specifications:

• The sections should be tailored to suit the project, not simply copied in their entirety.
• Identification markings should be deleted on the master (such as headers or footers with the section number or revision number, and revision notations within the text of the section).
• The sections should be edited to avoid conflicts related to products occurring in more than one section.
• Additional information should be added as necessary.
• Paragraphs should not be selected by title alone.
• The entire section, not just the bracketed text, should be read and edited.
• All required selections should be made and all blanks edited.
• Applicable requirements from the editing notes should be incorporated.
• Requirements in the editing notes should be coordinated by the A/E.
• The references listed at the beginning of the section should be edited to include only the standards remaining within the body of the edited specification.
• Each reference listed should indicate the current issue or revision date, unless there is a specific reason to reference an older standard or unless the agency directs otherwise.
• The written instructions from the client agency should be carefully followed for page format, layout, and placement of the agency’s contract number.
• All specifications should be proofread; do not depend on client agency reviewers to find errors and discrepancies.
• The index in the front of each section should be deleted after the editing process is complete, unless the agency requires otherwise.
• If the agency requires submittal of the marked-up section:
  
  • A readable copy of the original should be used so that it can be reproduced for the submittal.
  • Use of a highlighter on a review copy should be avoided, as some highlighting photocopies solid black.
  • Pencil should be used for additions and deletions, marked dark enough so notations will photocopy clearly. If permitted by the agency, make the insertions and deletions electronically using the redline and strike-out features of the word processing software.
  • Some agencies require redlining on the electronic media rather than markups of hard-copy originals