In previous articles, I have promoted the benefits of writing brief and comprehensive purchasing specifications, claiming they’re easy to read by both purchasers and apparatus manufacturers (OEMs).
Concise and to-the-point specifications without superfluous and ambiguous wording leave little doubt what a purchaser expects. Superfluous and ambiguous wording includes overly descriptive adverbs and adjectives such as “top-of-the-line” and “premium grade.” They sound impressive, but they can’t be measured, evaluated, or compared.
Refutation of the brief specification concept has been expressed by several contemporaries including members of apparatus purchasing committees, former business associates, and people currently employed in the fire apparatus industry. They’ve individually asserted there are instances when specification requirements must be detailed to prevent a misinterpretation or misunderstanding of exactly what a purchaser expects. Their points are valid when made to support a purchaser’s expectation of the depth and scope of work to be performed. Tailoring specifications solely to favor features proprietary to one manufacturer is not appropriate.
1 This rig features a “swirl” finish on 304-2B stainless steel compartmentation. (Photos courtesy of CustomFIRE.)
2 This rig features a “swirl” finish on 5052 aluminum compartmentation.
Dictionaries define misinterpreting as “getting the wrong idea” or “misreading.” Misunderstanding is defined as “missing the point” or more directly as “making a mistake.” Some purchasing specifications do not definitively describe a fire department’s requirements. A specification requirement that can be interpreted differently or has multiple meanings is poorly written. Compliance cannot be measured when the correct answer is only in the eyes of the beholder. Personal interpretations should not be a factor when analyzing competitive bids. If a requirement is not in writing, it does not exist.
Some instances of negative experiences with abbreviated specifications can be minor inconveniences or misunderstandings that, although aggravating, can be easily resolved. Not every negative experience is newsworthy. However, some can result in a confrontational atmosphere that can be embarrassing, very costly to resolve, and detrimental to a successful apparatus purchase. When grouped together, they are worthy of discussion.
Vague and misleading purchasing specification requirements can result in a fire department disliking—for eternity—the apparatus, the manufacturer that built it, and the dealer that sold it. I concur with my peers that writing detailed specifications might lessen that possibility.
Not every requirement in a purchasing specification reflects the quality and type of materials used or the methods of construction. Some can address the extent and amount of work to be provided. They might not directly affect the overall design and integrity of the apparatus, but some can negatively address its level of performance. Some examples and considerations follow.
Dimensions
Some OEM blueprints note allowable tolerances in their written measurements. Some state there can be a plus or minus variation of an inch or more. Buyer beware. Most prints do not say if the tolerance can be more or less than what is written.
When a purchasing specification states a measurement shall not exceed a certain figure and that figure varies from the blueprint, which measurement prevails? Is it the written specification; the measurement written on a blueprint, or the print’s written measurement plus or minus the allowable tolerance? While such a discrepancy may seem minor, it could be very significant and costly. If the delivered apparatus does not fit into the fire station or can’t fit under the bridge at the end of town, who pays for that misinterpretation?
Some specifications state a rig’s overall height (OAH) is to the top of the body; some say it’s to the top of the cab. And some don’t say at all. They should. They also should detail if an OAH requirement is inclusive of accessories such as deck guns, air conditioners, light towers, and warning lights.
Is the overall height measurement taken when the rig is loaded or unloaded? The difference could be in inches. If you drain the booster tank and unload all the equipment inside the station, can you safely drive the rig out?
When a regulatory agency stipulates a maximum distance from the ground to the first step on a rig, is that measurement taken when the apparatus is unloaded, loaded, or delivered?
When specifications state a maximum overall width (OAW) of the apparatus, does that mean the body width, the cab width, or whichever is the widest? Does it include fenders, rub rails, and mirrors? Ask the vendors what the actual width is from outside tire wall to outside tire wall when the rig is fully loaded.
Applied Coatings
Most OEMs offer rust and corrosion protection, especially on the underbody and chassis components. Do purchasing specifications stipulate if the material and its application can be outsourced or must be supplied by the OEM? Specifications can be as brief as, “The cab and chassis shall be undercoated with Brand ABC protective coating with a lifetime warranty.” A more detailed specification for the same product could be, “The chassis frame rails, cross members, fuel tank, and air reservoirs shall be encapsulated with Brand ABC protective coating with a lifetime warranty. The air reservoirs, reservoir hanger straps, fuel tank and fuel tank straps shall be treated separately prior to assembly. The frame, cross members, bumper backing reinforcement plate, radiator skid plate, spring hangers, and cab lock mounts with all required bolts shall be in place prior to treatment to ensure complete coverage.”
3 DA finish on 5052 aluminum.
4 Swirl finish on 5052 aluminum.
5 Close-up of a swirl finish on 5052 aluminum – including the shelving tracks.
6 Three different finishes.
The latter specification explicitly details the scope and depth of the work desired. The earlier one does not. Does it matter? Neither specification states what the coating actually is. Does an authorized installer have to apply it to validate a lifetime warranty? How long is a lifetime warranty on the product? Is it pro-rated? Is the warranty honored by the OEM or a third party? Regardless of an OEM’s claim of a lifetime warranty, state laws may prevail if the law stipulates how long a lifetime warranty legally is when pertaining to motorized vehicles. You might be paying for an unenforceable warranty.
A recent trend is to have all chromed, stainless, and other shiny accoutrements blacked out on a fire truck. Do purchasing specifications state what materials are used? It might matter if the intent is to prevent rust and corrosion. What kind of warranty is provided on the blacking out material, and who provides it?
Specifications should state if applied coatings are decorative or mission specific such as being resistive to rust and corrosion. That way, the authority having jurisdiction can determine the value, if any, received for the monies expended.
Storage Modules
Most new apparatus feature fabricated storage modules custom-sized for specific equipment such as stokes baskets, air bags, backboards, hydraulic rescue tools and a myriad of other equipment from hand tools to ground ladders and suction hose. Modules can be fabricated in-house by OEMs or outsourced. If purchasing specifications do not stipulate, it is the OEM’s prerogative. Module specifications can be performance based or explicitly detailed by the purchaser. Purchasers might want to consider addressing the following:
- Performance-based purchasing specifications can be as brief as, “One module shall be provided for a Model XX stokes basket.” Whose responsibility is it to provide the dimensions of the stokes basket? Is the basket to be stored flat or on its side? In which compartment will it be stored? How high off the ground is it to be located?
- Is there a justifiable preference for the type of material (aluminum, stainless, or thermoplastic) or for the gauge (thickness) used?
- Is module construction to be welded or bolted? Welding may prohibit future modification.
- Who owns the problem if the fire department provides module dimensions and the equipment does not fit when delivered?
- Is the equipment to be stored in the modules required to be shipped to the OEM prior to module fabrication or will it be shipped to the OEM prior to delivery? At whose expense?
Purchasers should be advised that manufacturers of ancillary equipment may have their own tolerances in their advertised measurements. A purchaser may specify a module to hold a Model XXX 14-foot roof ladder. That roof ladder may have an actual plus or minus measurement several inches different than its advertised measurement. Who pays if a ladder ordered for a new rig does not fit?
Interior Compartment Finishes
Some purchasers specify that equipment compartment interiors are to be finished by painting, mechanically grinding/sanding, or covering with an applied coating similar to the sprayed-on liners used on a pickup truck’s bed. I am not second guessing why purchasers want to provide what could be construed as decorative finishes to compartment interior materials that are supposedly not susceptible to rust and corrosion. That is the department’s decision.
Aluminum and stainless-steel products are available directly from their mills with a multitude of finishes. Some mill-supplied finishes are architectural grade, dairy or sanitary grade (used in the medical and food industries), fine grain (polished) and mirror. The numerous methods of metal finishing are irrelevant for this narration. Thermoplastics do not have those concerns.
Regardless of the type, grade, and mill-supplied finish, some purchasers specify the apparatus OEM provide a mechanically applied “DA” finish or a “swirl” finish on metal compartment interiors. How and why those finishes are specified is between the fire department and the OEM. The scope and depth of the work expected should be addressed in purchasing specifications.
There are scenarios where an OEM may not “cover” all the surfaces that a fire department expects to be covered. Are the ceilings; floors; and the tops, lips, and bottoms of shelving and trays as well as shelving tracks to be “finished”? Again, if it is not in the purchasing specifications, the requirement does not exist. Does the fire department have to specify 100% coverage or specifically say the bottoms of shelves and drawers and the interior of equipment modules be treated?
Purchasing specifications should clearly state exactly how much of the compartments’ interior and accoutrements are to be finished. Regardless of the materials used and type of finishes desired, purchasers should ensure all potential bidders know exactly what is expected.
One OEM’s comments on the DA process: “As far as ‘bare’ aluminum finishes, we offer a ‘swirl’ finish and a ‘DA’ finish, both of which are done with hand held, air-powered orbital sanders. Both methods use 5-inch diameter 80-grit sanding discs. The DA finish is actually more time consuming than the swirl; however, the swirl requires more attention and steadier arms, to ‘index’ the pattern. The orbital sander pad is ‘locked’ when using for swirling and free to oscillate during DA operations. Due to surface hardness, smooth 304-2B stainless steel is difficult to ‘swirl’ so a DA finish is typically applied.”
When specifying compartment finishes, purchasers might want to consider stating what they are trying to accomplish. Do the materials and finishes specified address a specific need or are they merely for decorative purposes?
Operational Readiness
Paraphrasing an online dictionary, operational readiness is a fancy term to determine if the apparatus is capable of performing the functions for which it was designed. Military veterans call it combat readiness.
In this article, it refers to the myriad of tests performed by the apparatus manufacturer or a third party to make sure everything works. It includes tests required by regulatory agencies as well as those specified by the purchaser such as flow testing specific piping runs.
Should a purchaser “accept as gospel” the written results or verbal assurance of the OEM or a third-party testing agency? Does the purchaser want to witness some of the testing? An alternative to witnessing testing is on physical delivery to the purchaser’s location, the OEM performs abbreviated tests to ensure compliance; or, take the OEM’s word that “the testing company just did their work last week.” Driving a rig hundreds, or even thousands, of miles from the factory to the purchaser’s location might have “jarred” something loose.
Closing Thoughts
Some in the industry believe most misunderstandings and misinterpretations of purchasing specification requirements can be amicably resolved during a preconstruction meeting. Minor disagreements might be resolved; however, those requiring an expenditure of additional monies by either party may not. A preconstruction meeting may be “too late to negotiate” after a contract has been awarded—especially if the contract has been awarded to a nonpreferred vendor.
When a non-favored manufacturer is a awarded a bid, there may be elements in the fire department that will nitpick the rig in an attempt to substantiate personal beliefs a different manufacturer should have been awarded the bid. A pre-bid conference (or meeting) with the purchaser and all interested bidders may be an appropriate venue to identify potential misunderstandings and misinterpretations of purchasing specifications. Good luck.
BILL ADAMS is a member of the Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment Editorial Advisory Board, a former fire apparatus salesman, and a past chief of the East Rochester (NY) Fire Department. He has 50 years of experience in the volunteer fire service.
