Standards, specifications and purchase descriptions

In Canadian procurement, standards, specifications and purchase descriptions are the technical or descriptive documents used to define the goods or services a client needs. They set the requirements against which procurement officials assess whether the goods or services a supplier proposes meet that need.

Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) uses this wording in its guidance on defining requirements and reviewing requisitions. The guidance treats the three items as related but distinct forms of requirement documentation. Suppliers meet them in solicitation documents, where they usually decide whether a bid is compliant. See the CanadaBuys buyer's guide on standards and quality assurance for the source guidance.

How a standard, a specification and a purchase description differ

A standard generally states agreed technical, safety, quality or performance requirements. Standards are typically written by recognized standards-writing organizations and referenced by name and number in a solicitation.

A specification defines the required characteristics or performance of a product or service in sufficient technical detail for a supplier to respond and for an evaluator to check the response.

A purchase description describes the product or service being bought. It includes the mandatory requirements and lists the applicable publications, which often means named standards. In practice, one solicitation can combine all three: a purchase description that incorporates standards and specifications by reference.

The order of preference for Canadian standards

PSPC's buyer guidance sets out which documents officials should reach for first:

• Recognized Canadian standards or specifications must be used for goods and services, unless the purchase's volume or specific nature justifies an exception.
• Where Canadian standards are unavailable, Canadian specifications from a recognized standards-writing organization should be used wherever possible.
• Where neither is available, suitable U.S. or international standards or specifications may be used.

The Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB) is one source of Canadian standards. PSPC says procurement officials may consult it when judging whether a U.S. or international standard or specification is suitable. PSPC also maintains a catalogue of CGSB standards that lists document titles, publication dates and amendments or corrigenda.

Requisition review and the development of new documents

The requirement is checked before a solicitation is issued. PSPC's supply-management guidance instructs officials reviewing a requisition to verify whether appropriate standards, specifications or purchase descriptions have been included. If none is suitable, officials must consider whether an existing document can be used or whether a new one must be developed. The review step is described in the Supply Manual annexes on CanadaBuys.

A purchase description in a National Defence solicitation

A PSPC solicitation for National Defence's rough-terrain telescopic-boom forklifts shows the format in use. The forklift request for proposal contains a formal purchase description with these features:

• Requirements marked "must" are mandatory.
• Named CSA, UL and other standards are incorporated, including CAN/CSA-B335-04 for lift-truck safety and CAN/CSA Z107.56-13 for measurement of noise exposure.
• Where a standard is specified and the contractor offers an equivalent, the equivalent standard must be supplied at no cost to National Defence when the technical authority requests it.
• Technical certification, or an equivalent, must be provided on request.

Related terms in NATO procurement

NATO procurement documents use closely related concepts: technical specifications, technical descriptions, statements of work and performance work statements. NATO requires a clear problem statement, statement of work, performance work statement or technical specification describing the required goods, works or services. According to the NATO procurement manual, technical specifications or descriptions are the basis for solicitation documents, offer evaluation, contracts, agreements and purchase orders. The manual also states that the winning supplier is bound to perform in accordance with the specifications and with the terms and conditions of the purchase order or contract.

What this means for a supplier

Read the purchase description, specification and every referenced standard as binding requirements, not background. Items marked "must" are mandatory, so a bid that cannot meet them is exposed to being found non-compliant. Check the edition of each named standard, and confirm you can produce certification on request. If you plan to offer an equivalent standard, be ready to supply it at no cost to the buyer when the technical authority asks. On NATO work, the same documents also define what you are held to once the contract or purchase order is signed.