A fair specification.

Most of us expect and prefer that their doctors prescribe the best medicine available, and we hope what is prescribed is not based solely on the influence of a persistent pharmaceutical salesperson. We also hope that our financial advisors provide the best choices for our investments - not only

those focusing on products specific to their firm. The medicine and financial services businesses are a couple of examples where success is dependent on establishing ongoing, repeat business from customers. Success comes from choosing the products that absolutely get the best results. This is especially true in the building products industry.

Building owners - our consumers - deserve the unbiased recommendations of an architectural hardware consultant (AHC) for the successful completion of their building. The practice of unknowingly providing a proprietary specification may not be in the best interest of the building owner. Many manufacturers have representatives that serve the dual function of architectural hardware consultant and architectural hardware sales professional. So, how can the words "consultant" and "sales professional" co-exist when a specification is prepared? Let's look at the components of preparing a specification to better understand the process.

Who prepares specifications?

Specifications are typically prepared by one of four groups of professionals. Each type of specification writer has his or her own set of advantages and disadvantages with respect to the owner's needs. Issues that affect the owner's receiving a fair specification include the following:

Unknown use of proprietary products for benefit of the specification writer.

Use of boilerplate specification sections.

No substitution style specifications that are not directly requested by the owner.

All parties involved in specifying should keep sight of the fact that the owner must be considered above all else when deciding hardware choices for a project.

Distributors are often asked to prepare specifications by contractors and architects. A large portion of specification writers may have gained their AHC credentials. Most distributors sell the products of several different manufacturers, allowing the building owner a competitive edge for their project. One of the benefits of using a distributor for spec writing is that distributors are often up-to-date on new product information that may be useful for the project. If there is a drawback, it may be that, pending payment for specification services and products accessible to them, interests may be swayed for a competitive edge.

Manufacturers/factory sales representatives are often called on to prepare specifications for an architect or end user. Their relationship with the project planner or final user of the building often places the representative close to the heartbeat of the owner's needs for the building. He or she may be aware of special keying or proprietary requirements or products typically accepted by the owner. As with the distributor, the manufacturer/factory sales representative may have close knowledge of new products that could be advantageous to the project. Similarly, pending the payment structure for the specification writing services, the representative may be working off of a hidden agenda to gain a competitive edge for the project. Many representatives charge for the services rendered, while others offer their services gratis in hopes of securing the project during the bid process.

Independent specification writers have likely served in the distribution or sales representative fields, making them a sought-after commodity due to their years of service. Typically, they do not have an allegiance to any one manufacturer and are therefore probably the most objective type of specifier. However, as with many professional services, the independent specification writer's livelihood is based on the compensation for the project. Preparation of the specification along with review services can be time-consuming and expensive. The architect in many situations may not have considered or budgeted for the expenses an independent consultant may command and therefore must look for other specifying solutions.

Many larger architectural firms hire in-house specification writers exclusively for their projects. The individual may be schooled in doors and hardware and may be responsible for other specification sections. Many of these in-house writers use a specification software package. Each project should be viewed as a separate entity, with the specification modified to suit.

The guidelines

In all cases, the specification writing process should include the following to ensure that the owner receives the best possible project at a fair price:

Whether the original contact point is the architect or contractor, the specifier should request a meeting with the owner's representative to review the basic hardware requirements.

The specification should list the accepted products and manufacturers to avoid interpretive differences in approved products. An owner may often have a history of acceptable products used on previous projects that they wish to include on future work.

The project should be reviewed for existing conditions such as: keying, finish, existing hardware and design features.

The need for "no substitution" products should be reviewed. Many times an owner has a need for a specific product or manufacturer related to maintenance and stocking issues.

Any unsolicited, proprietary products should be eliminated from the specification. Some products required by the owner are proprietary by design or function; however, the practice of slanting a specification for the financial gain of the specification writer should be avoided.

Each specification should be tailored to the needs of the project. Avoid the use of boilerplate style specifications; modify them as necessary.

Specification preambles should be reviewed and reference standards updated as required. Use clear, concise language. Avoid ambiguous terms.

The soap box

When preparing specifications, architectural hardware consultants should first and foremost think about the building owner's needs for the facility, whether they are representatives of a distributor, manufacturer, architectural firm or independent contractor. The primary responsibility of the consultant is to provide a fair specification; the possible financial gain from a specification should be secondary.

As the consultant, if we present ourselves as focused on the owner's requirements, we will also reap the benefits as a successful sales professional. The two roles can co-exist as long as consultant responsibilities are placed in front of sales professional priorities. The owner benefits, the architect benefits and the consultant benefits.