Drafting a specification for whatever is required is one of the most important tasks in the procurement process. The specification must give potential suppliers enough information to know what it is needed, however, it cannot be too prescriptive or target a particular brand or product.
There is no pre-determined length for a specification it may be simply a few words (e.g. boxes of 100 x 25mm paperclips) or run to many pages and contain technical drawings etc. (e.g. the specification for the design of a new building).
There are a number of simple rules to remember when drafting a specification:
Write it as an output specification. Describe what you want the supplies/services to do.
The following are not intended as detailed specifications rather they are to encourage you to think about how you describe what you want:
Equipment
Rather than getting into very detailed descriptions of equipment it will be preferable to state the level of accuracy required or desired. For example, you may want a car, capable of carrying at least 4 people, with a fuel economy of 40+mpg.
Cleaning contract
Rather than telling potential suppliers the number of staff and hours of work, the specification should outline what is required, for example: the building is to be cleaned before 8am Monday to Friday. There will be details of what is expected as part of the cleaning process such as bins emptied, what surfaces are to be dusted, or perhaps laboratory worktops are to be excluded. However, the tenderers would be free to develop proposals where they provide staff to complete the work at stated times between 6pm in the evening and 8am the following morning.
Don't use brand names to describe a product:
IT equipment
Ask for a tablet not an iPad.
Stationery
Ask for a ballpoint pen, not a Biro.
Vehicles
Ask for a vehicle capable of carrying up to 20 people with an engine capacity of not less than 2L, not for a Ford Transit Minibus
Don't use vague words, think about what the words mean and whether the reader will understand their context.
Vague words are those that can have an ambiguous or unknown meaning when used without clarification. Try to use these as little as possible. For example:
What does the word 'clean' mean in respect of say a vehicle? Does it mean just washed and polished? Or there's no rust on it? Or there’s a full-service history available, or it hasn't been in any accidents, had panels replaced etc.
Other words/phrases to avoid are:
'Reliable' By whose standards? You may want equipment that can work flat out 24/7 whereas someone else may consider 10% down time acceptable.
'As Soon As Possible' In respect of delivery, do you mean you want it very quickly or as soon as the supplier can deliver?
Don't use jargon, this should be avoided where possible.
Sometimes words can mean different things to different people. So words or phrases used within your specific area of work should not be used unless all the potential suppliers will understand what you mean. Remember that with the globalisation of suppliers, those responding may not have English as their first language.
Don’t use acronyms which are not commonly known.
If you are starting to draft a specification it may be worth checking to see if something similar already exists. You should find that it is easier to modify an existing specification (assuming it is relevant) than to start from scratch. Use the document as a starting point, think about each aspect of the description and challenge it. Ask yourself:
Is the element relevant to my needs?
Does it describe what is required?
What words need to be changed, removed etc.?
Action Points
Decide which categories and sub-categories would be suitable for procurement through consortia or another contracting body
Research the different consortia and contracting bodies and decide which would fit your institution’s requirements and offer the best value for money
Ascertain which supplies/services you could buy in collaboration with other organisations based on either:
Geographical: local, regional or national
Needs
Areas of specialisation
Investigate suitable procurement ‘partners’ or framework agreements
Draw up a collaboration agreement and set out the terms and conditions with your collaboration partner
Decide which procurement methods will maximise efficiency and value for money for particular categories
Templates
CPC has produced several templates covering this element of the procurement lifecycle, you can find the in the Define section of the Procurement Toolkit. These are provided at no cost to our members and can be downloaded / adapted for your institution’s use.
Further reading
The Cabinet Office has produced a range of guidance notes covering the ‘define’ phase of the procurement lifecycle. This is aimed at those working in a procurement function within the wider public sector and you may find some additional useful information you begin the process of planning procurement activity.
School / MAT members - the information on this page aligns with the following ISBL Professional Standards: 3.21, 3.22, 3.23, 3.24, 3.33, 3.34, 3.35, 3.36