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Performance versus prescriptive specifications · Lesson 1 of 4

Performance versus prescriptive specifications: principles and terminology

The four kinds of requirement, how performance and prescriptive wording differ, who carries the risk when plans are prescribed, the federal preference for performance, and a real federal section sorted sentence by sentence.

You will be able to: Name the four kinds of requirement this course uses, say what each states and who carries the result, and sort the sentences of a real specification section by kind.

11 min · 12 slides · 7 questions

All lessons in this module
Slide 1 of 12

Four ways to write a requirement

The trade educator Archtoolbox names three types of specification: performance, prescriptive and proprietary.

This course sorts a requirement into four kinds: prescriptive, reference standard, performance, or proprietary.

Reference standard as a separate kind is framing added by this course, not by Archtoolbox; later claims rest on federal rules, a test standard and a court opinion.

Four ways to write a requirementFour rows. Prescriptive: materials and method are written and the specifier chose the means. Reference standard: a standard to meet, such as ES-1, whose own content is the test, not the pressure. Performance: result, number, test and evidence are written and the means are left open. Proprietary: a named product with its salient traits. A foot band says most real sections mix them and that the federal guide specification UFGS 07 60 00 mixes three of the four.Four ways to write a requirementPrescriptiveWritten: materials and methodSets: the means, chosen by the specifierReference standardWritten: a standard to meet, such as ES-1Sets: the test it must pass (ES-1)PerformanceWritten: result, number, test, evidenceSets: the result; the means are left openProprietaryWritten: a named product, its traitsSets: the named productMost real sections mix themUFGS 07 60 00 mixes three of the fourFederal guide specification

Four rows. Prescriptive: materials and method are written and the specifier chose the means. Reference standard: a standard to meet, such as ES-1, whose own content is the test, not the pressure. Performance: result, number, test and evidence are written and the means are left open. Proprietary: a named product with its traits. A foot band says most real sections mix them and that the federal guide specification UFGS 07 60 00 mixes three of the four.

The module in one picture. Prescriptive, performance and proprietary are the three types Archtoolbox names; reference standard is the fourth kind this course adds. The federal guide specification mixes three of the four.

Sources

Glossary

Performance specification
A requirement that states the result the finished product must achieve, with a criterion and a way to verify it, and leaves the means to the contractor.
Prescriptive specification
A requirement that names the materials, thickness, spacing or method to use, so the specifier has chosen the means.
Reference standard
A published standard, such as a test standard, that a specification cites and asks the product or work to meet.
Brand name or equal
A description that names a product and also lists the salient characteristics an alternative must meet (FAR 11.104).