HOW TO WRITE EQUIPMENT SPECIFICATIONS
Purpose
Specifications are used by the University to describe what it intends to purchase. They are
used by vendors to prepare bids to supply the items or services requested. During the
evaluation of bids, the specifications are used to determine each bidder's compliance with
the requirements and ultimately to select the contracted vendor. For this reason specifications must
be as generic as possible and not express the University's minimum needs, without any unjustified
bias toward a specific brand. After an item has been delivered or a service performed, the
written specification--to which the vendor bid--is the key legal document in settling any
dispute concerning the quality of the product or service received.
Determining Your Requirements
If you have experience with different varieties and models of a product, it is much easier
to document your requirements in the form of specifications. If you do not have this
experience, it is helpful to discuss your options with a purchasing agent and often it
is most helpful to have vendors demonstrate equipment for you. Although vendors
obviously wish to sway your choice toward their equipment, a demonstration can be an
enlightening experience which will make you much more knowledgeable of different
products and their capabilities.
However, a vendor should never be given the impression that providing a demonstraton will advantage the vendor, which would be unfair to other vendors.
Brand-Specific Specifications
Brand-specific specifications are not to be used unless the particular requirement can only
be met by the exact specifications offered by a particular piece of equipment. These items
are generally more expensive since they often contain additional features. Generic specifications encourage competition. They should be used wherever
possible. If a brand-specific requisition is submitted, it must be accompanied by a written
justification explaining why the product is singularly able to meet the requirements.
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