Engineering Construction Specifications The Road to Better Quality, Lower Cost, Reduced Litigation

For the past 25 years, Joe Goldbloom and I have conducted a running debate over whether specifications writers engage in the unlawful practice of law. Joe's position is that lawyers have no business writing specifications, that being the designer's province. Having been given the honor to write this foreword, I have the opportunity for the last word, at least for now. Joe Goldbloom and I first met in 1964, while serving together on the ASCE Committee on Contract Administration. Joe became my teacher, mentor, and friend. Underlying our good natured debate was the serious issue of the technical qualifications required of a specifications writer. As a matter of fact, specifi­ cations writing traditionally has fallen in a crack between the two professions. Specifications writing typically is neither taught in engineering school nor in law school. Engineers are taught how to design; lawyers are taught how to draft contracts. Specifications writing requires mastery of the technical elements of design as well as the skills of contract drafting. Specifications writing is neither glamorous nor sexy; it is often viewed as a necessary evil of the designer's job.

I—Explaining Engineering Construction Specifications.- 1, Construction Contracts.- 1.1 Introduction.- 1.2 Proposal Solicitation.- 1.3 Types of Contracts.- A. Fixed Price Contract.- B. Cost Reimbursable Contract.- 1.4 Contractual Relationships.- A. Construction by a Single Prime Contractor.- B. Design-Build Contract.- C. Multiple Prime Contracts.- D. Construction Manager.- 2, Function, Composition, and Arrangement of the Specifications.- 2.1 Introduction.- 2.2 Function of the Specifications.- 2.3 Composition of the Specifications.- A. The Bidding Documents.- B. The General Conditions.- C. The Technical Sections.- 2.4 Arrangement of the Specifications.- A. Users of the Specifications.- B. Optimum Arrangement for Users.- 3, The Technical Sections.- 3.1 Introduction.- 3.2 The Technical Section (Five Part Format).- 1. DESCRIPTION.- A. Shop Drawings.- B. Working Drawings.- C. Design Criteria.- D. Warranty.- E. Permits and Notices.- F. Work By Others.- G. Salvage.- 2. MATERIALS.- A. Physical and Chemical Requirements.- B. Samples.- C. Tolerances.- D. Mix Proportions.- E. Tests (Contractor).- F. Fabrication.- G. Certification.- H. Shop Painting.- I. Shipping.- J. Storage on Site.- 3. CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS.- A. Preliminary Preparations.- B. Disposition of Removed Material.- C. Procedures.- D. Allowable Tolerances.- E. Finishes.- F. End Results.- G. Inspections.- H. Tests (Engineer).- 4. METHOD OF MEASUREMENT.- A. Linear Foot.- B. Square Yard.- C. Cubic Yard.- D. Pound.- E. Each.- F. Lump Sum.- 5. BASIS OF PAYMENT.- A. Linear Foot Basis.- B. Area Basis.- C. Volume Basis.- D. Weight Basis.- E. Per Each Basis.- F. Lump Sum Basis.- 3.3 Section Arrangement.- A. Highway Project.- B. Large Bridge Project.- C. Concrete Dam.- 3.4 Sample Technical Section.- 4, The General Conditions of the Contract.- 4.1 Introduction.- 4.2 Definitions and Terms.- A. General.- B. Abbreviations.- C. Definitions.- 4.3 Scope of Work.- A. Intent of Contract.- B. Changes.- C. Differing Subsurface Conditions.- D. Variations in Estimated Quantities.- E. Extra Work.- F. Maintenance and Protection of Traffic.- G. Rights In and Use of Materials Found on the Work.- H. Cleaning Up.- I. Value Engineering Proposals by Contractor.- J. Temporary Utility Services.- K. Warranty of Construction.- L. Disposal of Material Outside the Work Site.- 4.4 Control of Work.- A. Introduction.- B. Authority of the Engineer.- C. Construction Manager.- D. Plans and Contractors’s Drawings.- E. Conformity with Plans and Specifications.- F. Coordination of Plans and Specifications.- G. Field Record Drawings.- H. Cooperation by Contractor.- I. Cooperation with Utilities.- J. Cooperation Between Contractors.- K. Construction Stakes, Lines, and Grades.- L. Engineer’s Field Office.- M. Inspection of the Work.- N. Removal of Unacceptable and Unauthorized Work.- J. Load Restrictions.- P. Maintenance of the Work During Construction.- Q. Failure to Maintain Project.- R. Acceptance of the Work.- S. Claims for Adjustment.- T. Automatically Controlled Equipment.- 4.5 Control of Materials.- A. Introduction.- B. Source of Supply and Quality Requirements.- C. Local Material Sources.- D. Samples, Tests, Cited Specifications.- E. Certification of Compliance.- F. Plant Inspection.- G. Field Laboratory.- H. Foreign Materials.- I. Storage of Materials.- J. Handling Materials.- K. Unacceptable Materials.- L. Owner Furnished Material.- 4.6 Legal Relations and Responsibility to the Public.- A. Introduction.- B. Laws to be Observed.- C. Permits, Licenses, and Taxes.- D. Patented Devices, Materials, and Processes.- E. Restoration of Surfaces Opened by Permit.- F. Federal Aid Participation.- G. Sanitary, Health, and Safety Provisions.- H. Public Convenience and Safety.- I. Railway-Highway Provisions.- J. Construction over, In, or Adjacent to Navigable Waters.- K. Use of Explosives.- L. Protection and Restoration of Property and Landscape.- M. Forest Protection.- N. Responsibility for Damage Claims.- O. Third Party Beneficiary Clause.- P. Possession and Use Prior to Completion.- Q. Contractor’s Responsibility for Work.- R. Contractor’s Responsibility for Utility Property and Services.- S. Furnishing Right-of-Way.- T. Personal Liability of Public Officials.- U. No Waiver of Legal Rights.- V. Environmental Protection.- W. Minimum Wage Rates.- X. Equal Employment Opportunity.- 4.7 Prosecution and Progress.- A. Introduction.- B. Subletting of Contract.- C. Preconstruction Conference.- D. Notice to Proceed.- E. Prosecution and Progress.- F. Limitation of Operations.- G. Character of Workmen; Methods and Equipment.- H. Progress Photographs.- I. Suspension of Work by Owner.- J. Determination and Extension of Contract Time.- K. Failure to Complete on Time.- L. Default of Contract.- M. Termination of Contract.- N. Disputes.- 4.8 Measurement and Payment.- A. Introduction.- B. Measurement of Quantities.- C. Fixed (Plan) Quantities.- D. Scope of Payment.- E. Compensation for Altered Quantities.- F. Payment for Extra and Force Account Work.- G. Eliminated Items.- H. Progress Payments.- I. Payment for Material on Hand.- J. Lump Sum Breakdown.- K. Payment of Withheld Funds.- L. Acceptance and Final Payment.- AASHTO Sample of General Conditions of the Contract.- 5, The Bidding Documents.- 5.1 Introduction.- 5.2 Bidding Requirements and Conditions.- A. Notice to Contractors.- B. Prequalification of Bidders.- C. Contents of Proposal Forms.- D. Issuance of Proposal Form.- E. Examination of Plans, Specifications, Special Provisions, and Site of Work.- F. Interpretation of Quantities in Bid Schedule.- G. Pre-Bid Conference.- H. Preparation of Proposal.- I. Irregular Proposals.- J. Proposal Guaranty.- K. Delivery of Proposals.- L. Withdrawal or Revision of Proposals.- M. Combination or Conditional Proposals.- N. Public Opening of Proposals.- O. Disqualification of Bidders.- P. Material Guaranty.- Q. Non-Collusive Bidding Certification.- R. Escalation Clauses.- 5.3 Award and Execution of Contract.- A. Consideration of Proposals.- B. Award of Contract.- C. Cancellation of Award.- D. Return of Proposal Guaranty.- E. Requirements of Contract Bonds.- F. Execution and Approval of Contract.- G. Failure to Execute Contract.- AASHTO Sample of the Bidding Documents.- 6, Classifications and Types of Specifications.- 6.1 Classification of Specifications.- A. Introduction.- B. Standard Specifications, Supplemental Specifications, and Special Provisions.- C. Master (Guide) Specifications.- D. Outline Specifications.- E. Contract Specifications.- 6.2 Types of Specifications.- A. Introduction.- B. Proprietary Specifications.- C. Descriptive Specifications.- D. Performance Specifications.- E. Descriptive Versus Performance Specifications.- 7, National Reference Standards.- 7.1 Introduction.- 7.2 Standards Making Organizations.- 7.3 Presenting Reference Standards in the Specifications.- A. Material Standard.- B. Test Method Standard.- C. Construction Procedure Standard.- 7.4 Building Codes.- A. Standard Building Code.- B. Basic Building Code.- C. Uniform Building Code.- II—Preparing and Presenting Engineering Construction Specifications.- 8, Procedures and Practices in Specification Writing.- 8.1 Introduction.- 8.2 Study the Plans.- 8.3 Work Closely With the Designer.- 8.4 Using Standard Specifications.- 8.5 Utilizing Specifications of Previous Contracts.- 8.6 Using Reference Standards.- 8.7 Trade Names and “or Approved Equal”.- 8.8 Specifying New Products.- 8.9 Know Your Subject.- 8.10 Disclosure of Known Information.- 8.11 Tolerances.- 8.12 Quality Control and Quality Assurance.- 8.13 Identifying and Controlling Risks.- A. General.- B. Identifying the Risks.- C. Controlling the Risks.- 8.14 Payments and Payment Items.- A. Payments.- B. Payment Items.- 8.15 Limit the Engineer’s Involvement in the Work.- 8.16 Methods and Results.- 8.17 Presenting Instructions and Requirements.- 8.18 Multi-Contract Projects.- 9, Specification Language.- 9.1 Introduction.- 9.2 Guidelines.- 9.3 Prope