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Chapter 8 - Describing the Need - Specifications and Requirements

Chapter highlights:

Purpose: This chapter sets forth VITA's policies and guidance on preparing effective specifications and requirements for the procurement of information technology (IT) goods and services.

Key points:

  • By their nature, specifications set limits and thereby eliminate or restrict items that are outside the boundaries drawn. Technology specifications should be written to encourage, not discourage, competition consistent with seeking overall economy for the purpose and technology solution intended.
  • Specifications constitute the heart of a contract document that will govern the supplier of required goods or services in the performance of the contract as well as the basis for judging compliance.
  • Fixing a requirement error after delivery can cost up to 100 times the cost of fixing the implementation error.
  • The procurement requirements are the foundation for the solicitation's and contract's scope and statement of work.

In this chapter

8.6 Brand name specifications
8.9 Building IT requirements