Methods of Specifying

Review Questions

1. The four methods of specifying are:

a. Performance, descriptive, proprietary and alternate

b. Descriptive, performance, proprietary and reference standard

c. Open, closed, performance and descriptive

d. Tentative, standard, descriptive and performance

1. The four methods of specifying are:

a. Performance, descriptive, proprietary and alternate

b. Descriptive, performance, proprietary and reference standard

c. Open, closed, performance and descriptive

d. Tentative, standard, descriptive and performance

2. The difference between open and closed proprietary specifications concerns:

a. Allowances

b. Submittals

c. Substitutions

d. Alternates

2. The difference between open and closed proprietary specifications concerns:

a. Allowances

b. Submittals

c. Substitutions

d. alternates

3. Substitutions may do all of the following EXCEPT:

a. Limit competition

b. Increase the specifier’s work load

c. Be conductive to permitting products of lower quality

d. Increase maintenance costs

3. Substitutions may do all of the following EXCEPT:

a. Limit competition

b. Increase the specifier’s work load

c. Be conductive to permitting products of lower quality

d. Increase maintenance costs

4. A method of opening a proprietary specification to alternate products is to:

a. Request alternate proposal in the specifications.

b. Permit contractors to submit request for substitutions.

c. Define the procedures for controlled substitutions in Division 1 of the project manual

d. All of the above

4. A method of opening a proprietary specification to alternate products is to:

a. Request alternate proposal in the specifications.

b. Permit contractors to submit request for substitutions.

c. Define the procedures for controlled substitutions in Division 1 of the project manual

d. All of the above

5. The burden of performance is assumed by whom when a descriptive specification is used?

a. Manufacturer

b. Contractor

c. Architect/Engineer

d. Owner

5. The burden of performance is assumed by whom when a descriptive specification is used?

a. Manufacturer

b. Contractor

c. Architect/Engineer

d. Owner

6. Public projects generally forbid the use of ________ specifications, except under special circumstances, since they can effectively eliminate competition:

a. Descriptive

b. Performance

c. Reference standard

d. Proprietary

6. Public projects generally forbid the use of ________ specifications, except under special circumstances, since they can effectively eliminate competition:

a. Descriptive

b. Performance

c. Reference standard

d. Proprietary

7. Disadvantages of the proprietary substitution include:

a. Elimination or narrowing of competition

b. Requiring of products with which the contractor has perhaps had little or bad experience

c. Favoring of certain products and manufacturers over others

d. All of the above

7. Disadvantages of the proprietary substitution include:

a. Elimination or narrowing of competition

b. Requiring of products with which the contractor has perhaps had little or bad experience

c. Favoring of certain products and manufacturers over others

d. All of the above

8. Adherence to which of the following guidelines will help eliminate problems associated with reference standards:

a. Know the standard

b. Enforce the requirements of the standard

c. Incorporate the standard properly

d. All of the above

8. Adherence to which of the following guidelines will help eliminate problems associated with reference standards:

a. Know the standard

b. Enforce the requirements of the standard

c. Incorporate the standard properly

d. All of the above

9. Which two specification methods are both prescriptive, i.e., the products and processes are specified, but not the results:

a. Descriptive and Performance

b. Performance and Reference

c. Proprietary and Reference

d. Descriptive and Proprietary

9. Which two specification methods are both prescriptive, i.e., the products and processes are specified, but not the results:

a. Descriptive and Performance

b. Performance and Reference

c. Proprietary and Reference

d. Descriptive and Proprietary

10. Incorporating the reference standard properly requires the use of designations that distinguish each standard from all the others, which of the following would be included in a complete designation:

a. Name of the issuing organization

b. Number of the standard

c. Title

d. Date of issue

e. All of the above

10. Incorporating the reference standard properly requires the use of designations that distinguish each standard from all the others, which of the following would be included in a complete designation:

a. Name of the issuing organization

b. Number of the standard

c. Title

d. Date of issue

e. All of the above

Answers1. b2. c3. a4. d5. c6. d7. d8. d9. d10. e