Any thoughts on how best to incorporate major national hotel brand material guidelines/spec sheets into our project specifications? Do I transfer the info 1:1 to the spec? Reference the spec sheet in an appendix? Thoughts?
It depends on what type of information is in the spec sheet - is it just the manufacturer’s standard cut sheet for a product, or is it actual performance criteria?
If it’s just a product cut sheet, then all you need to do is name that product, and say “no substitution” in Part 2, since the hotel chain is not subject to public contract requirements.
If it’s performance criteria then duplicate it in the specs.
Because the document seems well-conceived and presented in a clear, succinct format, it seems worthwhile to incorporate it directly into the specifications. Some items will undoubtedly warrant a 3-part spec to augment requirements that aren’t fully addressed by the spec sheet. So with two document types specifying requirements, the question is whether it would be less cumbersome for the user to have them together – say the spec sheet immediately following each 3-part spec – or have each set of documents in a different location or as separate bound manuals. Either method could work – it might just be a matter of preference.
Jeffrey, I disagree, in my practice I control the contents of the Project Manual am aware of the author of all the documents included in the Project Manual. I would include the Spec Sheet as a Submittal or in the Appendix as additional information.
I get that, Jerome. If I understand Brian’s question correctly, though, these spec sheets establish the owner’s standards. The information contained in those documents is to be incorporated into the CDs. There is the option to write specs that cover everything, in which case the spec sheets would be superfluous. It seems to me the job is more than half done if the spec sheets are accepted as reliable information. The job of 3-part specs would be to cover anything that isn’t addressed by the spec sheets.
So to me it’s a choice between repeating the information or augmenting it. The latter would presumably be a simpler task.
btw, I wouldn’t suggest incorporating the spec sheets in the Project Manual unless the information is useful. To my eye, Brian’s example looks like a really smart method for conveying product requirements. The people and organization that conceived of this format clearly know what they’re doing and created what looks to me like a very good method to record their standards and convey them to users.
I’m with Jeffrey’s suggestions. We try to avoid specifics on items that come from interior designers. We pick up the related administrative and installation issues, and the accessory products that they do not identify, and then reference their documents for identifying required or basis of design products. That way, their design can evolve without having to modify our documents. Seeing Owner’s ID documents are not prepared by the Architect of Record, placing them in an Appendix along with some type of disclaimer statement may be prudent.
Phil makes a good point. The spec sheets should definitely be identified as to source and intent, which argues for locating them separately from the specs.
This would also align w/ Jerome’s suggested approach.
I withdraw my suggestion for inserting them at the end of each spec section.