Developing specifications

What is specification development? 

The ability to define and document the requirements of the services and/or goods contract, the process by which the procurement will be completed, the award criteria and evaluation approach and the wider contractual obligations the supplier will need to meet within the contract lifecycle.   

Knowledge 

• Knowledge of procurement and contract law. 
• Knowledge of social value policy. 
• Understanding of best practice public sector commissioning, sourcing, and procurement processes.   

Skills 

Able to:  

• Define and prioritise requirements: Working with subject matter experts to elicit business requirements to translate into service specifications.  
• Collaborate with stakeholders: To gather inputs to strategic context, and wider strategic outcomes and risks which need to be embedded and mitigated within the service specification depending on the type of goods and/or service being procured.  
• Think strategically: To include considerations such as social value and climate change commitments, and non-functional requirements for technology procurement to mitigate organisational risk and align to council outcomes.   
• Define service or goods performance metrics: Which can be tracked and enforced within the contract to ensure goods and services delivered are to the right quality and within required timeframes.  
• Apply contract regulations and procurement policy knowledge: Ensuring compliance with the law in relation to specification development. 
• Manage risk: Identity, assess and manage the risks associated with specification development within the council’s risk appetite.