Open specifications
Open specifications are specifications of products of manufacturers which state both physical and chemical properties and such other information of the product, but not description of workmanship to be achieved during construction. The physical properties specify mainly the strength, weight, thickness or size and such other physical properties of the product. The chemical properties specify mainly the composition of chemical contents of the product and precautionary measures if any required for storing the product.
An authority requiring a product such as steel, cement, pipes, valves, wire, paints, bricks etc. specifies the minimum requirements of properties of a product through open specification. Manufactures who can produce materials satisfying the open specification may be permitted to supply the materials at an agreed cost.
Advantages of open specifications
- When procurement of materials are not restricted among a few traders with their respective trade marks and any trader can supply materials satisfying the open specifications, progress of work does not suffer due to short supply of materials.
- Due to open specifications materials can be procured at more competitive rate.
- Regional or local manufactures can take the advantage to manufacture the materials as a result the transportation charge and delivery time may be reduced.
- Due to open specifications, the quality of material is standardized and, as a result, private parties can easily select a material depending on its quality.
Disadvantages of open specifications
- Frequent checking of materials of various manufactures becomes necessary. But checking of properties of materials is done mainly from Govt. test laboratories. Due to heavy rush from different manufactures the result of test reports are delayed. As a result procurement order to a new manufacturer cannot be placed timely.
- Due to limitations of open specifications interest to further improvement of the quality of materials is hampered.
- New manufacturers may receive the order offering very low rates but after a short supply may fail to supply or maintain the quality of materials throughout the supply period.
Restricted specifications
In restricted specification the material for an item of work is described and the procurement among some approved manufacturers or brands of the material is restricted. Thus, the standard of materials such as for plumbing, painting, fittings etc. are assured to be of a certain degree of quality up to the satisfaction of the Owner. The materials of the approved manufactures should be equivalent in quality and more or less as per cost.
To provide restricted specification for materials an up-to-date knowledge of the market for the quantities and cost of the different manufacturers to improve the quality of their products with competitive rates in order to be included in the approved list of the restricted specification. Otherwise, due to monopoly, the cost of such materials provided in the restricted specifications may be increased.
