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Western Dam Engineering 9 Special Series: What the Heck Should Be in My Spec? Part 3: The Devil is in the Details – Specification Tips to Help Your Job Run Smoothly A thorough set of technical specifications for a dam construction project helps ensure the owner and regulator that the desired product is attained, provides the contractor with a clear understanding of requirements for bidding and project execution, and helps reduce risks for construction claims. There are many considerations for technical specifications that are unique for dam construction projects. Previous installments of this specifications special series discussed earthwork considerations (Part 1 of the series) and team-effort specifications (Part 2). This third and final installment considers various details that are important to ensure a smooth-running project. The Project Team As discussed in the previous issue, all dam construction projects will require the assembly of a project team. This team will consist of the owner (or sponsor) of the dam, the design/construction engineer, the contractor and subcontractors, manufacturers and suppliers of materials, any governmental regulatory agencies having jurisdiction over the project, and organizations that may have provided portions of the project funding. In all cases, the various responsibilities of these entities should be clearly defined within the specifications to the maximum extent possible, so that confusion and overlapping responsibilities can be avoided. Some of these entities will be more intimately involved with the day-to-day project operations than others, but the roles of all must be considered and clearly defined within the specifications package. The Role of Regulatory Agencies Regulators are often viewed as an obstacle to overcome. However, the Dam Safety regulator can be everyone’s ally. The regulator provides an objective third party review of the project specifications, with no financial incentive to guide their comments. Often they have the benefit of having seen what works and doesn’t work for similar projects, and can provide meaningful suggestions based on that experience. The regulator should be consulted in the early phases of the design and plans development. All too often engineers miss the real needs of a given project as perceived by the regulator, requiring re-submittals that are time consuming for all parties. However, with regard to specifications, it is most beneficial to provide the regulator and other reviewers a complete set of specifications that are not too far from bid-ready. Specifications should not be submitted to the regulator for review until the design is well developed (80-90% level). On that same note, the designer should not spend time on the specifications until the design is well developed. The development of bid-ready specifications is typically a dynamic process for the designer. It is easy to accidently leave in a spec for a material you thought you were going to use, but decided at the 95% design level to delete. A thorough regulatory review commonly catches these and other oversights that can snag a project. The result will be a much more comprehensive review of all components, particularly how they all tie together. In addition to state dam safety agencies, other state and federal entities having jurisdiction over environmental issues, such as water quality, wetlands, threatened and endangered species, etc., must be consulted and informed of the plan, with appropriate permits obtained well in advance of construction. The specifications should clearly spell out the roles and functions of the various regulatory agencies involved, so that the contractor understands the working relationships required and knows what to expect. Any responsibilities the contractor has regarding permit compliance, monitoring, testing, and reporting should also be specified.