Purchasing supplies at CERN Technical Specification Writing Bertrand

Purchasing supplies at CERN Technical Specification Writing Bertrand Nicquevert and Pierre Bonnal EN-ACE on behalf of the Accelerators & Technology Sector’s Pro. Li. QS François Angerand HSE-SEE on behalf of the Occupational Health & Safety and Environmental Protection Unit

Outline Why releasing a nicely edited document? The structure of the technical specification Before starting writing… The writing style Some typing rules The Microsoft Word template(s) Case study no. 2 CERN — 2016 -11 -22 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Purchasing Supplies — Technical Specification Writing 2

0 Short summary

CERN — 2016 -11 -22 Purchasing Supplies — Technical Specification Writing 4

Dispatching Process Now: e-Tendering Tomorrow: Requirements Engineering Req. IF STEP CERN — 2016 -11 -22 A few years ago Purchasing Supplies — Technical Specification Writing 5

1 Why releasing a nicely edited document? In two quotes

CERN — 2016 -11 -22 Purchasing Supplies — Technical Specification Writing 7

« Ce que l'on conçoit bien s'énonce clairement, et les mots pour le dire arrivent aisément. » Nicolas Boileau L’Art poétique “What is well conceived is expressed clearly, and the words to say it come easily. ” “What is badly conceived is expressed gloomily, and the words to say it come painfully. ” Purchasing Supplies — Technical Specification Writing CERN — 2016 -11 -22 « Ce que l'on conçoit mal s'énonce obscurément, et les mots pour le dire arrivent péniblement. » 8

Enhancing the TS Writing Process “Good enough” Competitive advantage Well organized Low/affordable cost products/services They can choose their customers They prefer well organized customers Have adopted or adopting requirements engineering tools Purchasing Supplies — Technical Specification Writing CERN — 2016 -11 -22 High/good quality products/services 9

2 The structure of the document i. e. the sectioning

1. INTRODUCTION 2. SCOPE OF THE SUPPLY 3. TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS 4. 1 DELIVERY SCHEDULE 5. CERN CONTACT PERSONS Purchasing Supplies — Technical Specification Writing CERN — 2016 -11 -22 4. PERFORMANCE OF THE CONTRACT (– 4. 1) 11

1. Introduction Standard text (see Microsoft Word template) Do not reinvent! CERN — 2016 -11 -22 Choose relevant sub-sections Purchasing Supplies — Technical Specification Writing 12

2. 1 Deliverables The supply shall include… 2. 1. 1 Activities at the Contractors’ Premises The contractor shall execute… 2. 1. 2 Activities on the CERN Site The contractor shall execute… 2. 2 Items and Services Supplied by CERN will supply… 2. 3 Options Purchasing Supplies — Technical Specification Writing CERN — 2016 -11 -22 2. Scope of the supply 13

3. Technical Requirements • Manufacturability Requirements • Maintainability Requirements • Other Specialty Requirements Purchasing Supplies — Technical Specification Writing CERN — 2016 -11 -22 • Functional Requirements … shall do. . . • Performance Requirements • Interface Requirements • Safety Requirements … shall • Operational Requirements be. . . • Reliability / Availability Reqts 14

3. 1 3. 2 3. 3 3. 4 3. 5 3. 6 3. 7 3. 8 3. 9 3. 10 3. 11 General Description Design Criteria Materials Dimensions and Tolerances Manufacturing and Tooling Performance of the Supply Safety Aspects for the Supply Operational Conditions Environmental Conditions Industrial Controls Information and Documentation Purchasing Supplies — Technical Specification Writing CERN — 2016 -11 -22 3. Technical Requirements 15

Safety Requirements 3. 2 list applicable CERN safety rules which may refer to national regulations and standards and where no such rules exist: 3. 3 list the requirements of the material e. g. : • Fire resistance • Radiation resistance… 3. 7 list the requirements of the supply e. g. : • Noise • Environmental protection aspects • CE marking… Purchasing Supplies — Technical Specification Writing CERN — 2016 -11 -22 list applicable national regulations and standards 16

Safety Requirements (cont’d) As a prescribing service, HSE Unit shall be contacted Purchasing Supplies — Technical Specification Writing CERN — 2016 -11 -22 3. 9 identify the environmental conditions that may affect the safety of the supply e. g. : • Radiations • Explosive atmospheres (Atex)… 3. 11 specify requirements in matter of safety documentation (safety file) 17

4. 1 Delivery Schedule 4. 2 Contract Follow-up & Progress Monitoring 4. 3 Documentation Handling… 4. 4 Detailed Design 4. 5 Tests (at Contractor’s Premises / at CERN) 4. 6 Packing and Shipping 4. 7 Installation and Commissioning 4. 8 Measurements and Re-measurements 4. 9 Warranty 4. 10 Maintenance and Spare Parts 4. 11 Dismantling Purchasing Supplies — Technical Specification Writing CERN — 2016 -11 -22 4. Performance of the Contract 18

Working on the CERN Site If the contractor is asked to perform some tasks on the CERN site: “ Any contractor working on the CERN site shall take into account and implement the rules and provisions defined in document entitled Working on the CERN Site: 2. 3. 4. Hours, Access and Sanitary Conditions Safety and Safety Co-ordination Storage, Transport and Handling Purchasing Supplies — Technical Specification Writing CERN — 2016 -11 -22 http: //procurement. web. cern. ch/key-referencedocuments. ” 19

5. CERN Contact Persons CERN — 2016 -11 -22 • For technical matters • For commercial matters Purchasing Supplies — Technical Specification Writing 20

3 Before starting writing the technical specification…

CERN — 2016 -11 -22 Technical auditing process Purchasing Supplies — Technical Specification Writing 22

Before starting writing… • Collect needs • Confirm constraints (incl. Safety constraints) • Agree supply approach (COTS or build-to-print or functional specification) • Agree supply scope Information gathering Document writing t Purchasing Supplies — Technical Specification Writing CERN — 2016 -11 -22 (pure supply, type of design, type of tests and QCs, installation works, commissioning, maintenance, dismantling, disposal…) 23

4 The writing style Requirement writing

The Writing Style Simplicity • Sentences short and simple • The reader is a technical person CERN — 2016 -11 -22 • Not trying for the Pulitzer Prize! Purchasing Supplies — Technical Specification Writing 25

The Writing Style “Shall” vs. “Will” • “Shall” is used to express a binding requirement • “Will” is used to express • “Should” “may” or “must” Purchasing Supplies — Technical Specification Writing CERN — 2016 -11 -22 a declaration of purpose 26

• “The contractor shall…” • “The supply shall…” • “CERN will…” Purchasing Supplies — Technical Specification Writing CERN — 2016 -11 -22 The Writing Style “Shall” vs. “Will” 27

The Writing Style Active voice Passive voice promotes ambiguity and leads to needlessly complex sentences. Purchasing Supplies — Technical Specification Writing CERN — 2016 -11 -22 Use active voice, not passive. 28

The Writing Style Ambiguities “Flying aircraft may be hazardous. ” CERN — 2016 -11 -22 “Flying” may act as a noun, an adjective, or a verb! Purchasing Supplies — Technical Specification Writing 29

The Writing Style Slash Mark “ / ” It’s the contractor who gets to decide which word is proper! Purchasing Supplies — Technical Specification Writing CERN — 2016 -11 -22 Dictionary “an oblique stroke used between two words to show that the appropriate one may be chosen to complete the sense of the text. ” 30

5 Some typing rules Appropriate use of the uppercase, and of the space

• Same rules throughout the TS • Same font throughout the TS • Avoid using uppercase • Maximum three levels of headings Purchasing Supplies — Technical Specification Writing CERN — 2016 -11 -22 Some Typing Rules Coherency 32

Scientific Typing Rules 150 k. N Nonbreakable space 100 × 200 mm 2 Math symbol 100 x 200 mm “x” letter Purchasing Supplies — Technical Specification Writing CERN — 2016 -11 -22 Right SI unit 150 KN 33

Number and Price Typing Rules … one two three … nine ten then 11 12 13 … … twenty thousand Swiss francs … Purchasing Supplies — Technical Specification Writing CERN — 2016 -11 -22 300 CHF 500 k. CHF 2 MCHF 34

6 The Microsoft Word templates Using style sheets

CERN — 2016 -11 -22 https: //cern. ch/quality/procuremen t Purchasing Supplies — Technical Specification Writing 36

CERN — 2016 -11 -22 Purchasing Supplies — Technical Specification Writing 37

Signed in as: trump Sign out Directory CERN — 2016 -11 -22 https: //cern. ch/procurement/en/procure ment Purchasing Supplies — Technical Specification Writing 38

CERN — 2016 -11 -22 Purchasing Supplies — Technical Specification Writing 39

Joker Case Study No. 2 “ Technical Specification for the Supply of 15 Tons of Magic Powder ”

Case Study No. 2 Background • To improve the reliability and availability of some critical components of the LHC • To speed up the reach of 1 ab-1 • Supply 15 tons of magic powder Melusine Gmb. H in Germany and Bafana Spa in Italy) • A technical specification prepared Purchasing Supplies — Technical Specification Writing CERN — 2016 -11 -22 • Price estimate = 1 MCHF • Three firms qualified (Harry Potter Ltd. in the UK, 41

Your task • Case analysis (30 minutes): • Make a few groups • Read this technical specification • Identify what is going wrong • Propose improvements • Case synthesis (15 minutes): • All together Purchasing Supplies — Technical Specification Writing CERN — 2016 -11 -22 Case Study No. 2 42