A master guide specification should be developed by an experienced individual or a team of individuals who are thoroughly familiar with specification principles and formats and electronic software capability. The office master specification may be pre- pared as a separate effort following an established office procedure and drawing from all available resources. The text can be developed in two ways: (1) by compiling and editing sections from previous project specifications and industry association guide specifications or (2) by utilizing commercially available master guide specifications, edited to suit office practice. In planning and preparing an office master specifica- tion, carefully analyze the various electronic technologies and methods of editing, storing, and retrieving text for the required sections and for reproducing the final project manual.
10.4.1 Master List of Section Numbers and Titles
When starting the development of an office master specification, first prepare a master list of section numbers and titles needed, along with a scope statement for each section. Dur- ing development, a comprehensive list facilitates coordination, avoids duplication, and helps prevent omission of required sections. The master list can also be used as a checklist for project specifications. Section numbers and titles should be in accordance with those listed in MasterFormat® . The office master list should designate:
• The number and title permanently assigned to each section, with gaps in the num- bering of Level 3 sections to allow the addition of other sections needed for a specific project
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10.4 Strategies for Developing and Organizing an Office Master Specification 135
• A brief description of the work included in each section and related work specified in other sections
• Current status of the development of each section
• Date of the initial preparation and the date of the latest revision of each section
• Name of the individual responsible for preparing and updating each section
• Order of priority for the completion of incomplete or unprepared sections The more commonly used sections should be prepared first, with other sections post- poned until needed for a particular project or available labor permits development. If a commercial master guide specification is being used as the initial basis of the office master specification, the checklist should clearly identify which sections have been edited to suit the practice and which have not, to avoid the assumption by novices that uncustomized sections are acceptable for use.
When setting up the master list of section titles from scratch, as opposed to using the list provided by the commercial master guide specification being used, determine the required scope of each section, on the basis of the work to be covered and the ultimate size (number of pages) of a typical project section. A master guide specification may con- tain any combination of sections at MasterFormat® Level 2 or Level 3. Each firm must make its own judgment on the basis of its practice. The following are some suggestions for scope of master sections:
• A single section may be written covering the entire scope of a division. For exam- ple, a single section for a division such as concrete can be useful for small projects.
• Separate sections for Level 2 titles listed in MasterFormat® can divide the extent into more manageable pieces.
• If a Level 2 section is too broad for general use because it contains too many types of products or would be unwieldy in size, several Level 3 sections may be written in lieu of the single Level 2 section.
• In some instances, it may be useful to prepare both a Level 2 section and correspond- ing Level 3 sections for the same scope. The Level 2 section can be used for less com- plex projects, and the Level 3 sections can be used for more detailed requirements.
• Level 3 sections permit a detailed subdivision of the specifications, making a con- siderably more modular system. Sections for which decisions have already been made can be started very early in the project without requiring delay until other related product selections have been made.
10.4.2 Standard Formats and Language
Standard section and page formats should be used in the development of a master guide speci- fication, to promote consistency from section to section. The easiest way to do this is to create a master section pro forma or template from which new master guide specification sections or custom project specifications are developed. The pro forma should follow the CSI SectionFor- matTM and PageFormatTM and should contain the standard articles, paragraphs, and statements used most often, to make it easy to use consistent language throughout the master guide specification system. Refer to Figure 10.1 for an example of a partial section pro forma. Master guide specifications and the master section pro forma should follow the principles of specifica- tion language and the use of streamlining for brevity, as discussed in this practice guide.
136 Chapter 10 Master Guide Specifications
SECTION [NUMBER]
[SECTION TITLE]
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SECTION INCLUDES [___________________________].
EDIT ENTIRE MASTER TO SUIT PROJECT REQUIREMENTS: MODIFY AS NECESSARY. DELETE ITEMS WHICH ARE NOT APPLICABLE.
♣ SYMBOL IN LEFT MARGIN INDICATES ACTION IS REQUIRED: EDIT/SELECT/
ADD/DELETE TO SUIT PROJECT REQUIREMENTS. INFORMATION BETWEEN BRACKETS [ ] WILL BE DELETED AUTOMATICALLY UNLESS SPECIFIC INDICATION IS MADE TO RETAIN INFORMATION.
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PART 1—GENERAL 1.01 SUMMARY
♣ A. Section Includes: [__________________________]
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EDIT PARAGRAPH BELOW TO SUIT PROJECT REQUIREMENTS: ADD SECTIONS AS APPLICABLE.
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B. Related requirements:
♣ 1. Section [________] - [_______________________]
♣ 2. Section [________] - [_______________________]
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RETAIN ARTICLE BELOW IF APPLICABLE.
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♣ [1.02 PRICE AND PAYMENT PROCEDURES
1. Allowances: refer to Section 01 21 00 for allowances involving Work of this Section.]
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ITEMS LISTED UNDER FOLLOWING ARTICLE HAVE BEEN USED WITHIN OTHER PORTIONS OF THIS SECTION. IF PARAGRAPHS CONTAINING THESE REFERENCES ARE DELETED IN PROCESS OF EDITING, DELETE ITEMS HERE ACCORDINGLY.
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1.03 REFERENCES
A. American Society for Testing and Materials International (ASTM)
♣ 1. [_____-_____] - [______________________________]
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DEPENDING ON SCOPE OF WORK, A PREINSTALLATION CONFERENCE MAY NOT BE NECESSARY. RETAIN ARTICLE BELOW AND EDIT ACCORDINGLY.
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1.04 ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS A. Pre-installation Meetings
1. Conduct pre-installation meeting in accordance with Division 01 Section 01 31 19.
♣ 2. Convene pre-installation meeting [one week] [_________] prior to commencing work of this Section [prior to purchasing materials for field sample [mock-up]].
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INCLUDE SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS BELOW WHICH ARE CONSISTENT WITH SCOPE OF PROJECT AND EXTENT OF WORK OF THIS SECTION. ONLY REQUEST SUBMITTALS WHICH ARE ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.
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1.05 SUBMITTALS
A. General: Submit in accordance with Division 01, Section 01 33 00 B. Product Data:
[Project Name/Number/Date] [Page Number] [Section Title]
Figure 10.1
Example of Partial Section Pro Forma
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10.4 Strategies for Developing and Organizing an Office Master Specification 137
1. Submit manufacturer’s descriptive literature and product specifications for each product.
♣ 2. Include data to indicate [___________________].
C. Shop Drawing:
♣ 1. Indicate typical layout including dimensions and [_____________________________________].
♣ 2. Submit detail drawings of [____________________].
♣ [3. Submit drawings showing field measured dimensions.]
[4. Submit detail drawings of special accessory components not included in manufacturers product data.]
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INCLUDE QUALITY ASSURANCE REQUIREMENTS CONSISTENT WITH SIZE AND SCOPE OF PROJECT AND EXTENT OF WORK OF THIS SECTION. EDIT ARTICLE BELOW ACCORDINGLY.
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1.06 QUALITY ASSURANCE
♣ A. Manufacturer Qualifications: Company specializing in manufacturing products specified in this Section with minimum 5 [_______] years [documented] experience.
♣ B. Fabricator Qualifications: Company specializing in fabricating products specified in this Section with minimum 5 [_________] years [documented] experience.
♣ C. [Installer] [Applicator][Erector] Qualifications: Acceptable to manufacturer with [documented] experience on at least 5 [_____] projects of similar scope in past 5 [____]
years.
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INCLUDE DELIVERY, STORAGE, AND HANDLING REQUIREMENTS CONSIS- TENT WITH SIZE AND SCOPE OF PROJECT AND EXTENT OF WORK OF THIS SECTION. EDIT ARTICLE BELOW ACCORDINGLY.
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1.07 DELIVERY, STORAGE, AND HANDLING
A. Comply with requirements of Section 01 65 00 and Section 01 66 00.
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COORDINATE LENGTH OF WARRANTY PERIOD WITH ADJACENT CONSTRUCTION AND OWNER REQUIREMENTS TO OBTAIN UNIFIED SYSTEM WARRANTY. VERIFY AVAILABLE WARRANTY TIME PERIODS FROM SPECIFIED MANUFACTURERS. EDIT ARTICLE BELOW TO COMPLY WITH PROJECT CONDITIONS AND/OR OWNER’S INSTRUCTIONS. IF STATUTORY ONE-YEAR WARRANTY PERIOD IS SUFFICIENT, DELETE ARTICLE BELOW.
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1.08 WARRANTY
A. Comply with provisions of Section 01 78 00.
♣ B. Warrant installed units [____________] to be free from defects in material and workmanship for [______] years.
♣ C. Include coverage for [against][__________________].
PART 2—PRODUCTS
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EDIT LIST OF MANUFACTURERS BELOW TO SUIT PROJECT REQUIREMENTS.
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2.01 MANUFACTURERS
♣ A. Manufacturers’ Names: [________________]
*****OR*****
(Continued) [Section Title] [Page Number] [Project Name/Number/Date]
138 Chapter 10 Master Guide Specifications