Table of Contents

What is a specification?

• A precise description of the physical or functional characteristics of a product, service or combination;
• A description of what the purchaser seeks to buy and what a bidder must respond to in order to be considered for award of a contract.
• Specifications generally fall under the following categories:
  • Design
  • Performance
  • Functional
  • Combination (design and performance)
  • Brand name or approved equal
  • Qualified products list and samples.

What is a design specification?

• It details physical characteristics, materials, and product features, as well as details of the manufacturing process. Engineering plans, drawings, or blueprints may be included.
• The objective is to meet a custom or unique requirement.
• Because a design specification is complete and limits the options of the contractor/manufacturer, this places a higher level of risk on the University for design errors or omissions.

What is performance specification?

• It describes the desired end-result, outcome or intended use for the commodity and how the commodity performs. Focuses on outcome(s).
• Performance metrics are essential for acceptance testing and successful achievement of the desired outcome. Metrics may be linked to incentives or disincentives.
• It may also utilize a functional description to define the task or desired result of the commodity and is most commonly used for technology-related commodities.

What is brand name specification?

• It is a title, term, symbol, design, or any combination thereof used to describe a product by a unique identifier and its producer.
• A performance specification may use brand names to describe a certain level of desired output and quality levels of the commodity.

Are there things I should avoid when writing specifications?

• Conjunctions (and, or, also, with)
• Escape clauses (if, when, but, except, unless, although)
• Mixing different types of requirements (combining system, business and design requirements in the same section)
• Run-on sentences
• Speculative language (usually, generally, often, normally, and typically)
• Unverifiable or vague terms (flexible, proper, suitable, reasonable, appropriately, user-friendly, approximately, as possible)
• Absolute terminology (100% sage, totally reliable, runs on all platforms, functioning 100% of the time, fully compatible)
• Assumptions
• Over or understating the desired quality, output or function

What are some questions I should consider when developing specifications for Goods?

1. Quantity
   • Do you anticipate a future need beyond an initial purchase?
   • How many are needed quarterly, bi-annually, annually, as needed (JIT)?
   • Size, weight, color, nutrient content (for food), chemical content, generic drug name, generic market name, etc.
2. Packaging
   • If multiple items, how should they be packaged (bundled, rubber-banded together, etc.)?
   • What packing material should be used to protect goods while in transit?
   • Should the items be boxed, palletized, or shrink-wrapped?
   • Should the packaging be environmentally friendly?
   • Should the packaging be retained at CSU for future repair shipments?
3. Accessories
   • Do the goods have accessories that are purchased separately, or are they standard included options?
   • Do you anticipate a future need for any accessories?
   • Should the accessories be included in the solicitation for a complete procurement of all needs?
4. Delivery
   • What is the physical location of the delivery?
   • Are goods to be delivered to the dock or inside the location (where, what floor)?
   • Are there docking facilities?
   • Is there a freight elevator or truck liftgate needed?
   • Who is to dispose of any and all packing materials?
   • How should the packing materials be disposed of? Offsite or your location?
   • Are there any hazardous disposal guidelines that must be followed in the disposal?
   • What is the contact name and information of the primary person responsible at the delivery location?
   • Do we have a required delivery window/timeframe?
5. Installation
   • Is installation required?
   • Who will complete the installation (if required)?
   • Who removes the existing item (if necessary)?
   • How is the old equipment to be disposed of?
   • If the disposal of the old item is to follow certain guidelines such as the EPA, what documentation is needed to certify the item was properly disposed of?
   • If electrical/plumbing/software connections are needed, are they compatible with new equipment?
   • Have you consulted with Facilities Management?
6. Training
   • Is operational training required?
   • How is the training to be administered (supplier provided onsite training, supplier site, online training, etc.)?
   • If onsite training is needed, will entity pay for lodging, travel expense, per diem of training team?
   • Should supplier include training costs in bid price? Is pricing to be provided as a separate line item?
   • Are the standard courses enough for the needed training?
   • Is the course syllabus enough for needed training or customization?
   • How many participants will be trained and at what levels (i.e. researcher, PI, research associate, technician, etc.)?
   • How many days will the training take?
   • Will there be additional training needed after implementation?
   • Is train-the-trainer needed?
7. Warranty
   • What is the manufacturer’s standard warranty?
   • Will additional warranties be needed? For how many additional years?
   • Who can perform warranty work?
   • Is warranty work performed on-site at CSU or at an off-site vendor/manufacturer location with shipments required?
   • Who pays shipping each way if off-site shipments are required?
8. Maintenance Agreements
   • Is there a standard manufacturer maintenance agreement?
   • What is the length of the agreement?
   • Will additional maintenance agreements be needed?
9. Inspection, Quality Control or Acceptance
   • What are the details of the inspection process (if any)?
   • What, if any, is the acceptance criteria for satisfactory performance?
   • Is a third party certification required prior to acceptance (i.e. radiation or imaging systems)?
   • What constitutes acceptance after inspection?
10. Samples
    • Are no cost samples needed?
    • If multiple evaluators, how many pre-labelled (vendor/part #) samples are needed per supplier?
    • How are samples handled (e.g., kept and stored by entity, returned to supplier, destroyed, etc.)?

What are some questions I should consider when developing specifications for Services?

1. Length of Service
   • Is service needed one time only? Will service be required over a specific timeline?
   • Should a renewal clause be identified in the solicitation for additional definite or potential periods of service?
2. Tasks to be performed
   • Does the end user have a detailed plan for required services? Has the plan been reviewed for completeness?
   • Do we describe what our end result is and how to get there?
   • How often are the services required? Daily, weekly, monthly, etc.?
3. Service Period
   • What days are the services to be provided? M-F, Weekends, Holidays? Office Open? Office Closed?
   • What hours are the tasks to be performed (afternoons, mornings, 24/7, etc.)?
   • Is the supplier required to perform the tasks after hours (M-F 8am to 5 pm)?
   • Will the supplier be supervised by agency staff? Caution: Independent Contractor vs. Employee.
   • What hours is the service performed?
   • If unsupervised by agency staff, will supplier be required to have an onsite supervisor?
4. Supplier versus Agency
   • What activities are the responsibility of the supplier, and what activities are the responsibility of the agency?
   • What are the timelines for the project delivery?
5. Transition Plan
   • Do the specifications address transition from one vendor to another?
   • What are the supplier’s responsibilities?
   • What are the agency’s responsibilities?
   • Does the plan cover the commencement and the end of the service?
6. Risk Mitigation (in all areas of procurement)
   • Is there sufficient insurance for the required services?
   • Are bonds required?
   • Are liquidated damages needed?
   • Is a contract needed?
7. Travel Requirements
   • Is travel required to perform the services?
   • Should travel be a separate line item or included in the total cost?
8. Payments
   • At what milestone are payments due?
   • What are the deliverables for payment to take place?

What are some questions I should consider when developing specifications for Software?

1. Has the appropriate due diligence been conducted on the supplier?
2. Does the agreement clearly define the applications?
3. Does the agreement define what the software is supposed to do and not merely refer to the supplier’s “then current documentation”?
4. Are there specific performance requirements in the agreement?
5. Is the agreement prepared to encompass all possible users of the software? What are the terms of the license?
6. What fees are due under the agreement?
7. What is the expected useful life of the application?
8. Have all unique specifications, requirements, or functionality been expressly included in the agreement?
9. What warranties are provided?
10. Do you intend or foresee the future need to outsource this application to a third party?
11. How many user licenses are initially needed?
12. Will additional user licenses be needed? How many?
13. Read or write licenses?
14. Can supplier provide a copy of its service level agreement?
15. Travel
16. Training
17. Upgrades
18. Product roadmap