| 10511
Choosing the Item to be Purchased |
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Purchase Requisitions
directly reflect the quality, performance and cost of the
item being purchased. Specifications are the most detailed
aspect of the requirement. The resulting requisition will
outline the specifications to the buyer who will in turn communicate
to prospective suppliers and establish a standard to which
performance will be measured against. The best quality is
one which can be purchased at the lowest overall cost (life
cycle, total cost of ownership, etc.) to fulfill the need
or satisfy the intended function.
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| A.
While the decision to purchase is in the hands of the user,
the following factors must be considered; |
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For
small non-critical procurements, brand name best describes requirements.
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The
use of brand names can be a description of the level of quality
desired. For example, you may site a specific brand name/model
for which you will accept any quality equal to or better than
that specified. |
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Identification
of an item that is easily obtainable on the open market allows
for competition to meet cost and time requirements. |
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A review
should be performed internally to determine if the item can
be obtained via internal resources. |
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If brand
names or samples are inappropriate, some type of specification
will be required that is not restrictive and allows for competition.
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| B.
The following specification standards can be addressed when
one is defining the required items: |
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Commercial
standards: A complete description of the item standardized,
which includes quality of materials and workmanship, dimensions,
chemical composition, test procedures, and control issues. |
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Design
Specifications: Specifications prepared by the user detailing
how the product is to be manufactured. |
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Performance
Specifications: Specifications delineating what the item is
required is to do. |
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Function
and Fit Specification: A variation of performance. This specification
is used to describe how an item will work within a system. |
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Brand or Trade Name:
A combination of performance and design which has become the
industry standard. This is the most popular method and allows
the user to utilize brand names that indicate quality and outcome. |
