Writing a specification
The document you give to suppliers explaining what you want to buy.
No matter what procurement process you use, always write a specification describing what you want to buy. It helps to make decisions later and tells suppliers exactly what you need.
It may help to write a draft to use in your business case for buying something.
Before you write a specification:
- talk to people who will use the thing you plan to buy, to make sure you get what they need
- talk to people who will approve the purchase
- talk to suppliers, to get an idea of prices and what’s available
- think about whether you need expert help with writing your specification or the whole buying process
Your specification should include:
- a precise description of what you need
- an explanation of what it should do, if needed
- the amount you need
- what quality it should be
- when you need it
Think about what is essential, what would be nice to have and what you will need in 1 or 2 years time.
Check you have included everything you need. If you miss something out it may cost more once you have a supplier, as there will no longer be other people competing to supply it cheaper.
If you’re buying catering services or multi-functional devices, you can use our tool to create a specification.
If you cannot work out all the things you need to know for your specification there may still be other ways to buy, but you should get expert advice.