An effective specification: 1. Defines the buyer's needs to enable providers to propose cost-effective solutions and allow for fair tender evaluation. 2. Includes minimum requirements like clear, concise descriptions of requirements, responsibilities, and evaluation criteria to form the basis for contract management. 3. Is important to avoid mistakes, undermine strategic aims, and ensure information is complete to prevent wrong assumptions.

1. Effective specification writing Dr J Gordon Murray

10. Which one was being specified? A B C G D E F

11. What do you consider to be the purpose of a specification?

12. A specification is a document describing the buyer’s needs, which enables providers to propose an appropriately costed solution to meet those needs. In parallel it provides a means to tender evaluation.

13. Procurement Cycle 8. Closure / Review Need 1. Identify Need 2. Develop Business Case 3. Define Procurement Approach 4. Supplier Appraisal 5. Tender Evaluation 6. Award Contract 7. Manage Implementation of Contract

14. What do you consider to be the minimum requirements of an effective specification?

16. Why are specifications important?

20. What would be a good specification writing process?

21. The specification process Define scope Identify info sources Gather info Agree Contract manager Decide Spec type Draft KPIs Draft Evaluation criteria Draft spec Reflect on consultation Amend spec Consult on draft QA Writing an effective specification requires good project management and time The market Current position Industry Stds. alts Respond to Clarification requests Despatch NB EU rules

22. Who should be involved in writing the specification?

24. Stakeholder Analysis Matrix Potential Strategies Assessment of Impact Stakeholder Interests Stakeholder

25. Pick a contract you are familiar with and conduct a stakeholder analysis

26. Stakeholder Analysis SUBJECTS Low power High interest +/- Management could encourage conditions to increase power of + ive and encourage to become Players or neutralise - ive Power Level of interest PLAYERS High power High interest +/- Significant stakeholders who deserve sustained management attention CROWD Low power Low Interest Potential rather than actual stakeholders Interest an/or power could be raised, but unlikely to be worth management time/effort CONTEXT SETTERS High power Low Interest Can influence overall future context Management should seek to raise awareness and develop + ive interest and convert to Players (Ackermann & Eden, 2011)

27. What could go wrong with a specification?

30. Risk assessment Mitigation Proximity Impact Probability Risk

31. Thinking of your spool of thread, carry out a procurement risk assessment

32. Outcomes, outputs and inputs: what’s the difference?

34. Using the thread example you worked on earlier: Define: outcome, output, input

35. What are the relative pros and cons of outcome, output and input specifications?

37. What’s the difference between a mandatory and desirable feature?

38. Evaluation criteria EU rules apply

40. Using the thread example you worked on earlier: Draft performance measures and evaluation criteria

41. What should be in the specification?

43. Using the thread example you worked on earlier: Draft a specification

44. How can you ensuring the spec is fit for purpose?

45. Market sounding

47. Pass your draft specification to a different team for QA

49. Recommended reading: CIPS Contract Management Guide by R.D. Elsey, 2007.

50. Effective specification writing Dr J Gordon Murray [email_address] www.Twitter.com/DrGordy www.slideshare.net/drgordonmurray

51. How can you use the specification to achieve cost reduction and policy through procurement objectives?