Procurement Specification is the documented description of the products, services and evidence a buyer requires.

What it means in a workplace context

For furniture it may state quantities, dimensions, performance, finishes, delivery, installation and lifecycle criteria.

Why it matters

A clear specification makes quotations comparable and reduces substitutions and disputes.

Questions to ask

• What decision or requirement does Procurement Specification support?
• Which evidence or record is required?
• Who owns the information and keeps it current?
• How does it affect furniture selection, service or future change?

Applying the concept

When Procurement Specification appears in a project brief, define the users, space, timing, owner and decision it affects. State how the requirement will be tested at design, installation or post-occupancy review.

Related Myntwork resources

• Office Planning & Procurement
• Office Fit-Out Process
• Choosing Office Furniture

Using the term in procurement

When Procurement Specification appears in a procurement document, explain what suppliers must provide and how the response will affect evaluation. Avoid requesting evidence that is not used in the award decision, and distinguish mandatory requirements from preferred information.

After delivery, verify that promised documents, services or product information were supplied. A controlled handover and clear ownership make the term operational instead of leaving it as wording in the original quotation.