This unit of competency supports needs of builders, site managers, estimators, forepersons and other construction industry personnel responsible for preparing specifications for residential and commercial construction projects.

Nil

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1. Determine specification requirements.

1.1. Project brief, working drawings, development approval and other relevant documents are examined to identify essential information to be included in the specification.

1.2. Standard specifications are examined to determine suitability for adaptation to the current project.

1.3. Non-standard requirements are developed and where technical aspects require clarification, advice is sought from specialists.

2. Assess the nature and scope of the work.

2.1. Site inspection is conducted to establish site layout and preliminary site-work requirements, and site details and features are recorded.

2.2. Specification includes all relevant details at a level necessary to describe clearly the nature and scope of the work, including prescriptive and performance requirements.

2.3. Research is undertaken to establish appropriate schedules, using relevant data sources.

2.4. Details are tabulated and cross-referenced to ensure consistency between the design brief, working drawings and specifications.

2.5. Details in the specification conform to industry codes of practice, Australian standards and relevant statutory requirements.

2.6. Information requested from specialists, colleagues and clients is coordinated and added to the specifications where required.

3. Prepare the specification document.

3.1. Specification clearly identifies the contractual obligations and rights of the parties involved.

3.2. Specification document is complete, checked thoroughly for compliance with requirements and edited.

3.3. Specification is presented to the client in the required format and timeframe.

Required skills

Required skills for this unit are:

apply numeracy skills to workplace requirements

attention to detail in preparing documentation

client service standards

commonly used document management

communication skills to:

enable clear and direct communication, using questioning to identify and confirm requirements, share information, listen and understand

enable liaison with specialists to seek advice and request information

prepare, read and interpret:

codes of practice

design briefs

plans and drawings

regulations

use and interpret non-verbal communication

use language and concepts appropriate to cultural differences

written skills to prepare reports and specifications

construction work site teamwork

identifying specification requirements

identifying documentation requirements for a range of sources

product and service analysis

research methods and investigation techniques relevant to construction specification preparation.

Required knowledge

Required knowledge for this unit is:

client requirements

document control

documentation requirements for specifications

organisational policy relating to specifications

industry codes of practice

NATSPEC

relevant Australian standards

relevant legislation, including contract law and trade practices legislation

research sources to determine schedules

schedule of rates

standard specification documents

types of specification and their use.

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment

This unit of competency could be assessed by the effective preparation of a specification meeting NATSPEC and other relevant standards applicable to a building project.

This unit of competency can be assessed in the workplace or a close simulation of the workplace environment, provided that simulated or project-based assessment techniques fully replicate construction workplace conditions, materials, activities, responsibilities and procedures.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

A person who demonstrates competency in this unit must be able to provide evidence of the ability to:

use a range of research methodologies and tools

correctly identify and use specifications for the range of work

apply contractual principles to the specification drafting.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

This competency is to be assessed using standard and authorised work practices, safety requirements and environmental constraints.

Assessment of essential underpinning knowledge will usually be conducted in an off-site context.

Assessment is to comply with relevant regulatory or Australian standards' requirements.

Resource implications for assessment include access to documentation such as:

computer data files

detailed specifications that address specific components such as mechanical, structural, electrical or other requirements

documentation requirements arising from BIM

local, state and commonwealth government documents and registers

media reports

NATSPEC or other industry standard specifications

policy statements

preliminary, outline or developed specifications

publications and journals

statistical summaries

statutes.

Reasonable adjustments for people with disabilities must be made to assessment processes where required. This could include access to modified equipment and other physical resources, and the provision of appropriate assessment support.

Method of assessment

Assessment methods must:

satisfy the endorsed Assessment Guidelines of the Construction, Plumbing and Services Training Package

include direct observation of tasks in real or simulated work conditions, with questioning to confirm the ability to consistently identify and correctly interpret the essential underpinning knowledge required for practical application

reinforce the integration of employability skills with workplace tasks and job roles

confirm that competency is verified and able to be transferred to other circumstances and environments.

Validity and sufficiency of evidence requires that:

competency will need to be demonstrated over a period of time reflecting the scope of the role and the practical requirements of the workplace

where the assessment is part of a structured learning experience the evidence collected must relate to a number of performances assessed at different points in time and separated by further learning and practice, with a decision on competency only taken at the point when the assessor has complete confidence in the person's demonstrated ability and applied knowledge

all assessment that is part of a structured learning experience must include a combination of direct, indirect and supplementary evidence.

Assessment processes and techniques should as far as is practical take into account the language, literacy and numeracy capacity of the candidate in relation to the competency being assessed.

Supplementary evidence of competency may be obtained from relevant authenticated documentation from third parties, such as existing supervisors, team leaders or specialist training staff.

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Standard specifications include:

detailed specifications that address specific components such as mechanical, structural, electrical or other requirements

developed specifications

documentation requirements arising from building information modelling (BIM)

NATSPEC or other industry standard specifications

preliminary or outline specifications.

Scope of the work includes:

allowance for the provision of services

characteristics

compatibility

dimensions

fitout

lining systems

location

patterns

quantities

sizes

surfaces

type of product or service.

Prescriptive and performance requirements include:

performance requirements:

standards of work

work schedules

milestones

prescriptive requirements:

detail relating to materials and quality of work

nominated subcontractors

provision and costs of site access and facilities

quality assurance.

Data sources include:

computer data files

local, state and federal government documents and registers

media reports

policy statements

publications and journals

statistical summaries

statutes.

Contractual obligations include:

expected performance levels

insurance requirements

OHS issues

prescriptive requirements

type of tender.

Unit sector

Construction

Nil

This unit contains employability skills.