conformance specification in procurement

Accompanying the actual test files is an XML test description file that contains pertinent information for each of the tests included in the distribution. As a practical matter, the board is usually comprised of representative from the testing laboratories and representatives from the standards body. These extensions may eventually migrate into future versions of the standard. These cast blades have to be x-ray checked to ensure no voids or cracks are evident. Equipment that only contains digital circuitry (does not contain a radio transmitter) such as computer peripherals, microwave ovens consumer ISM equipment, switching power supplies, LED light bulbs, radio receivers and TV interface devices are subject to approval using the SDoC procedure or may optionally use the certification procedure. Lets Start by looking at a Procurement functions relationship with Specifications. Conformance testing (also called conformity assessment) is a way of verifying implementations of a specification to determine whether or not deviations from the specification exist. An implementation is the realization of a specification -- it can be a software product, system, program, document, or web page. Ideally, we would like to be able to prove beyond any doubt that an implementation is correct, consistent, and complete with respect to its specification. >> Departments using performance Some importers choose to purchase components for their new products that are already certified to avoid needing to go through the testing and certification process. These are certainly all legitimate requirements but they are far from complete. What steps lead conformance to specification? Notwithstanding this spending, 50% to 70% of all major software projects fail due to software quality and interoperability problems. have been trained. Applications often do not require all the features within a standard. the sealed bidding terminology as used throughout these specifications is synonymous with their negotiated procurement counterpart unless specifically stated otherwise. represents the kind of thinking in which architects and engineers 0000005716 00000 n Substitutions or alterations will not be permitted without Company's written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned, or delayed. service that ill satisfy a particular need at an economical cost Thanks! 0000007885 00000 n Verifiability is related to the previous characteristic of the requirement being "Unambiguous". 0000066460 00000 n It is also possible that implementations may not be able to implement all the features. Conformance to specifications means to meet any requirements defined for the product, not only regulatory. This type of conformance testing makes use of publicly available test suites or tools and is not associated with any formal validation or certification program. 0000009883 00000 n Give examples of conformance specification. All the profiles would include level 1; this is basically a core + optional module approach. And, in some cases, specific documents are required for certification or to show the end user/customer, that the product is safe. The duty of Procurement to promote Vendors should be provided the If errors are found, one can correctly deduce that the implementation does not conform to the specification; however, the absence of errors does not necessarily imply the converse. 0000002922 00000 n There are many types of testing including testing for performance, robustness, behavior, functions and interoperability. Therefore, a CoC (whereby the blade manufacturer writes that the blades conform to specific checklists) must be provided. But what are specifications? Do you have any questions or experiences to share about certificates of conformity? A conformance test program needs to be supported by an advisory or control board, whose role is to resolve disputes and provide technical guidance. Shipping of cartons will be in 20 container & max optimization of container. Conformance testing is NOT a way to judge if one product is better than another. purpose intended. 4. Without a CoC, products may be impounded, confiscated, and in some case destroyed. Examples of what typical specifications may be like include; Compared to conformance specification, performance specification has a number of ADVANTAGES such as; When is it advisable to use performance specification? For example, ideally it should be possible to fully test a product's conformance before sign-off and deployment. DEVELOPING SPECIFICATIONS: Although A conformance testing program usually includes: A specification/standard that includes a conformance clause and a test tools are essential to defining and measuring conformance. controlled conditions and assessments made of their performance When a requisition does not include an existing standard, specification or purchase description, which the contracting officer considers . (a) Special marking as required under the applicable Military Specification [e.g. 5(1). DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS: Design Ready to get your copy? PFi@("$0 (JDbyHA': F$%BIPAl4FP'aFYlO2f)m8c4&3 o7q$e9(#yd: In some cases, it has to be provided for EVERY part with its own serial number. Marketing teams and customers view quality in terms of satisfying customer needs and meeting customer expectations. There are many organizations, including private sector companies, standards group, consortia, and government agencies that develop conformance tests and/or tools. The supplier has to supply this, even though the supplier may not know what the product is for. Java and all Java based marks are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc., in the United States and other countries. Each TA should be as simple as possible and narrowly focused on an atomic (simple) functionality, must not contradict another TA, and must have some testable consequence. Well explain what a CoC is, what its used for, and what it includes. goods or service must perform. It should be possible to know by observation of the finished system/product that the requirement has been met. purchased under indefinite quantity term contracts and definite ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Departments wishing to It's important to have several calls/meetings with the requesting department to get more clarity about their needs, ask them to get piece of paper and write on it what they need whatever they can write! Some clients have asked us what is a certificate of conformity over the years, and we wrote this article to answer that question. Define conformance specification. 0000009860 00000 n Finally, the testing policy and procedure should identify and define the actions of the organization(s) responsible for conducting the tests, handling disputes, and issuing certificates (or brands) of validation. %PDF-1.2 Purchasing will assist and advise you in In many of these cases the problem is not that the scope changed but that the original Specification was incomplete. How to Market Your Business with Webinars. When all deviations and omissions are eliminated, the implementation conforms to the specification. the methods for establishing and maintaining a QPL varies widely Determining whether a product faithfully implements a standard or specification is essential to creating robust, interoperable solutions. Alternatively, the Java test suite can be downloaded and run locally. SPECIFICATION DEFINITIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS. 5. These will be cheaper, more reliable and easier to source. How do you know that the software conforms? Used wooden pallets are Euro-pallets type (120cm x 100cm). 136 Conformance vs. You must translate the EU declaration of conformity into the language or languages required by the EU country in which your product is sold. An official website of the United States government. Conformance Specification (Technical) which focuses on inputs and provides specific details of what the product/service should consist of, and how the product should be manufactured as well as what materials and process should be followed. This is a waste of human intellect and simply not good enough. Conformance Test Suites for XML Technologies. There are different types of technical or engineering specifications (specs), and the term is used differently in different technical contexts. The responsible party has the option to use the certification procedure in place of the SDoC procedure. Supplier Resources. How To Manufacture A Product In China (without losing your shirt)? If such a list is provided, the starting point for the development of the test suite is the list of assertions for the standard. Click here for Terms & Conditions. DOM Test Suite - NIST has developed a comprehensive set of tests that will check for compliance with the Document Object Model (DOM) Level 1 Recommendation. There are two main types of specification when contracting namely: #1 CONFORMANCE SPECIFICATION With this type of specification the buyer says what they want and how they want it and the supplier has to meet this Examples of conformance specification are: Engineering drawing A chemical formula Model name, number or brand etc "functional" and "performance" are used 1. This bulletin presents an overview of conformance and addresses conformance to the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Recommendations for the Extensible Markup Language (XML) family of specifications. Examples of Conformance to specifications in a sentence. Nevertheless, the larger and more varied the set of inputs is, the more confidence can be placed in an implementation whose testing generates no errors. Its relatively easy, faster & straight forward to complete procurement process with conformance specs; however, it limits innovation as you dont really give chance to suppliers to suggest different solutions. This button displays the currently selected search type. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Operational teams view quality in terms of conformance to specifications. activity involved in developing specifications for items 2) Actions - related to things such as functions, processes,. The rationale for an expiration date is that the technology, test suite, and/or specification will probably change and this forces the implementation to be retested. 7. Project Managers, in the pursuit of successful project management and to provide a timely, cost effective, quality service to their clients, may acquire personnel, goods and services during project execution; or personnel and services may be acquired by others, both within or outside the organization, to provide service in their specialty areas. ", Webmaster | Contact Us | Our Other Offices, Created September 8, 2010, Updated August 25, 2016, Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), conformity - fulfillment of a product, process or service of specified requirements. This would include the documentation of how the testing is to be done and the directions for the tester to follow. When does a buyer ask the supplier for a CoC? programs and staff activities. Conformance to specification means to meet the regulatory requirements; Customer needs means to meet the customer reasonable specific requirements. The testing program should strive to be as impartial and objective as possible, i.e., to remove subjectivity of both the procedures and the testing tools. A buyer would typically ask for a CoC on products/components that are critical or high risk. The test suite should be platform independent, and should generate repeatable results. specifications; brand-name-or-equal specifications; design Buyer requires conformance to the Specification. Date and place where the product was manufactured. 0000007164 00000 n Although the terms validation and conformance testing are often interchanged, they are not the same. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards (OASIS) are addressing XML-related interoperability issues by jointly developing test suites that are intended to complement the W3C Recommendations. at least two brand names that will satisfy the This is called strict conformance. What makes a good specification in procurement? Testing should be performed by an FCC-recognized accredited testing laboratory.. Generically, a conformance test suite is a collection of combinations of legal and illegal inputs to the implementation being tested, together with a corresponding collection of "expected results." ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Provide the date(s) and place when the product was tested for compliance with the consumer product safety rule(s) cited above: Provide the location(s) of the testing and the date(s) of the test(s) or test report(s) on which certification is being based. And just as important, why is this important? to a single product and is the most restrictive kind of @hA hbF`h`. Specifications sometimes need to address: Specifications may describe several different ways to accomplish its operation (e.g., a choice of file formats or codes). and more interested in what a product does. Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines When BioPreferred and CPG are both required, the agency shall purchase the item that meets the CPG requirements (per FAR 23.405 Procedures (c) and Farm Security and Rural Investment Act, Section 9002 (b)). Falsification testing can only demonstrate non-conformance. The general definition for conformance has changed over time and been refined for specific standards. The Procurement cycle is covered extensively within the CIPS . A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. legitimate needs. In my opinion, as the data requirements on projects become more complex and we strive for more collaboration, it is crucial that everyone has the same basis of project requirements, and this makes specifications as essential now as they have ever been. The following are illustrative examples. Depending on the type of specification (e.g., application programming interface (API), protocol, programming language, metafile), there are various methodologies that can be used in developing conformance test suites. procurement program and to evaluate the implementation of quality assurance (QA) program requirements that ensure that the appropriate structural concrete meeting approved concrete specifications is used in the UPF construction activities. 7. The validation process consists of the steps necessary to perform the conformance testing by using an official test suite in a prescribed manner. The conformance clause of a standard specification is a high-level description of what is required of implementers and application developers. When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. specifications by bn reviewed by rh this procurement is being solicited as a small purchase request for quotation (rfq). Brand-name-or-equal specifications have a prepare all specifications. Typically, the decision to establish a testing program is based on weighing the benefits achieved by obtaining conformance versus the costs of creating and running a validation and certification program. requirements of the item being purchased. The procurement function generally acts as the middle-man between the customer whether it be internal or external and suppliers. of function and cost. 2. Well also examine in more detail the type of CoC you need to import consumer and electronic products into the USA and EU, as well as covering some other points on the topic, too. %PDF-1.3 % Request for Proposals and purchase agreements commonly require conformance to these standards. This more common approach usually includes some additional, more specific, requirements in the conformance clause, along the lines of: One approach that has been used successfully is to have a register for extensions. Specifications can be prepared in a A specification becomes an essential contract management document which is used to ensure that the chosen supplier provides what is specified. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. 1.1 This specification covers the fabrication and supply of bare overhead transmission line conductors. What is specification? specifications must submit complete specifications with more interested in how it performs, how well it performs, and at A specification is often a type of technical standard. Bidders offering an equal Using this set of TAs, a set of tests that will exercise each of the requirements is developed. The initial version of the test suite will not include the formatting objects part of XSL; however research is underway to determine how NIST can make a contribution to this part of the specification. What is the difference between conformance specification and performance specification? The work is accomplished under the auspices of OASIS Technical Subcommittees, with contributions from OASIS member companies and in close coordination with the appropriate W3C Working Groups. Dimension of the box Length, Width & Height. 6 What makes a good specification in procurement? Conformance specs: Paper combination is: 3 layers carton (Layer1 is Kraft liner of 125GSM + Layer2 is Test/Recycled liner of 100GSM + Layer3 is Kraft liner of 125GSM) with mentioning Flute type . If the criteria or requirements for conformance are not specified, there can be no conformance testing. Though there are so many things that make a good well rounded specification im going to narrow it down to 4 simple factors; There should be only one way to interpret the requirements of the customer. 6. The conformance clause is a part or collection of parts of a specification that defines the requirements, criteria, or conditions that shall be satisfied by an implementation in order to claim conformance. For example, Apple maintains a page about EU compliance, and here is one of their DoCs. The responsible party, who must be located in the United States, is not required to file an equipment authorization application with the Commission or a TCB. BRAND-NAME-OR-EQUAL SPECIFICATIONS: A should be put on notice that the criteria used to define Hit the button below: Filed Under: Certifications Tagged With: certificate of conformity, coc, critical products, customs, high risk products, product conformity, standards. Requisition 2 - A clear defined specification "I would like a knife and fork to eat my dinner with, They must be no more than 5 inches high and they must be made of metal. 0000004193 00000 n Ideally, it would be nice to prove beyond any doubt that an implementation is correct, consistent, and complete. In order to test that a specification is faithfully adhered to, one must carefully examine the specification and compare the implementation's result against the syntax and semantics contained in the specification. suitability of specifications, Procurement cannot initiate or The conformance clause is a part or collection of parts of a specification that defines the requirements, criteria, or conditions that shall be satisfied by an implementation in order to claim conformance. Specifications can be attributed in two ways; 1) Attributes - related to things such as the part, component or raw material. Product List (QPL). If the bid does not conform to the specification in all elements, it is not a bid at all; but a new proposition. arrived at by a systematic and formal process. 0000005693 00000 n These criteria may or may not require implementations to pass 100% of the specifications. Examples of certifying organizations include consortia, trade associations, standards groups, or government agencies. Written by Lewis Hutson - Thank you for taking the time to read my first of hopefully (dependant on the first ones reception)many articles. The conformance clause of a standard specification is a high-level description of what is required of implementers and application developers. 0000002442 00000 n article. There are many assumed requirements that are real requirements from the users perspective. 0000001115 00000 n Therefore, the list of assertions should be as comprehensive as possible. Another alternative is the requirement that As a procurement proffesional just think for a moment how many times has a fully agreed and signed of specification been put on your desk and requistioned without any prior input from your function? Not all specifications or standards need a testing program. In this example, while the mattresses were not required to be tested by a third party laboratory, the mattress manufacturer voluntarily chose to do so and must provide the information about that laboratory. Implementation dependent ranges, minimum or maximum allowed sizes, etc. Level 2 includes all of level 1 and also additional functionality. These criteria and Identification of any third-party laboratory on whos testing the certificate depends: Provide the name, full mailing address, and telephone number of the third-party laboratory. Furthermore, what is a conformance specification? In essence this is less rigid than conformance specification. According to a study by the Gartner Group[1], the private sector spends over $2.2 trillion on information technology (IT) annually. 9 0 obj ISO/IEC Guide 2 also mentions that "Typical examples of conformity assessment activities are sampling, testing and inspection; evaluation, verification and assurance of conformity (supplier's declaration, certification); registration, accreditation and approval as well as their combinations.". If you do not use a third party laboratory, you may label this section N/A. If the mattresses being certified are for cribs or childrens size mattresses, please see the requirements for issuing a CPC. John Spacey, May 01, 2017. They often refer to particular documents, and/or particular information within them. These requirements are specified in a standard or specification as either part of a conformance clause or in the body of the specification. Any other brands or models 0000008556 00000 n It should be possible to know where the Specification originated. Its use will not be permitted unless only one While actual testing (1st or 3rd party testing) and certification (branding) can be carried out by various organizations, it is essential that there be a centralized sponsor or owner of the conformance testing program. What we wrote above is based only on our understanding of the regulatory requirements. brand-name-or-equal specification cites one or more brand-names, Extensions shall follow the principles and guidelines of the standard they extend, that is, the specifications must be extended in a standard manner. Conformance Clause Every specification SHALL contain a conformance clause. products, others may simply require that brands be tested under The advantages afforded by testing (and certification) are fairly obvious: quality products, interoperability, and competitive markets with more choices. The size of staff necessary to do 4 What are the characteristics of a good specification in procurement? In fact, specification writing should begin very early on in a project lifecycle. An airline buys fan blades for their planes engines. specifications customarily employ dimensional and other physical both product and price competition requires that specifications 0000003930 00000 n 0000005022 00000 n Dr. W. Edwards Deming is often linked with approaches to improvement that carry labels such as TQM, Six Sigma, and Lean. all necessary drawings, dimensions, terms, and specification is to provide a basis for obtaining a good or It is not sufficient to have this paper, of course. 0000003961 00000 n I will be discussing topics covering all aspects of the Supply chain (particularly Procurement) fuctions, Change Managment ideas and theories and IT software solutions (General focus being ERPSystems such as INFOR M3)For business needs. Note: it is still possible to see a CoC for importing into the EU here is an example onthis websitefor a medical device. /Filter /LZWDecode In other cases, batch CoC would be good enough. $*5QG)+cX3x It increases a buyer's confidence in a product and its ability to meet their needs. Procurement is responsible for final editing of A certificate of conformity, or CoC, is issued by an authorized party (sometimes the manufacturer, sometimes an independent laboratory) and states that the product meets the required standards or specification. Environment working temperature is between 15C 40C. 0000066233 00000 n or other required characteristics should be clearly The CoC is sometimes called Certificate of Conformance or Certificate of Compliance. [Importers Guide], What is a certificate of conformity (CoC). For any . Design specifications are an interpretation of what the customer needs. Here is one example. Chartered MCIPS. More recently with the advent of the Internet and rapidly changing information technology, the notion of conformance testing has become less formal allowing developers and users to assess for themselves the validity or correctness of the software or data with respect to the relevant specification. 0000009274 00000 n legitimate but limited place in public purchasing. Requisition 2 enables the buyer to go and research the market and benchmark against specific needs and where He/She can, achieve a cost reduction against the specification without delivering something that may not be fit for purpose. The conformance clause of a specification is a high-level description of what is required of implementations. The main reason a CoC is required at customs is to prove a product that the product . Conformance involves two major components: (1) a test tool and (2) a testing program (e.g., certification or branding). 0000066307 00000 n broad groupings are more particular types, including: brand-name Early stage specifications can be seen as part of the review with the customer (internal or external) about what they are looking to achieve on the project. The conformance clause may specify minimal requirements for certain functions and minimal requirements for implementation-dependent values. Conformance means that a product meets the minimum requirements in the standard. Identify minimum requirements, (2) allow for a competitive bid, CoC for importing consumer goods in the USA, Certification authorization vs. SDoC (Suppliers Declaration of Conformity) for electronics being imported into the USA, Certificate of Compliance vs. Requisition 1 provides the buyer with much more scope and freedom (you didn't want chopsticks then?). Contact information for the individual maintaining records of test results: Provide the name, full mailing address, e-mail address, and telephone number of the person maintaining test records in support of the certification. a. A certificate issuing organization is responsible for issuing certificates for products determined to be conformant. The prevailing style of management conditions people to "conformance to specification" as the aim, writes Nigel Clements. Define performance specification. When you get into a Commercial agreement (contract), you are simply intending that the law enforce whatever it is that you as a party in that contract desire. It will be super helpful to build on that. This free eBook shows importers who are new to outsourcing production to China or Vietnam the five key foundations of a proven Quality Assurance strategy, and also shows you some common traps that importers fall intoandhow to avoid or overcome them in order to get the best possible production results. The alternative is falsification testing, which subjects an implementation to various combinations of legal and illegal inputs, and compares the resulting output to a set of corresponding "expected results." In these cases, it may be desirable to partition the specifications into subsets of functionality. Conformance with Specification. These requirements are specified in a standard or specification as either part of a conformance clause or in the body of the specification. What is the definition of quality of conformance? There must be sufficient basis to determine that these Generally, the more critical the application, the more formal the testing.