Contents

Introduction page 2

Objectives of the specifications page 3

General tender procedures page 3

The complete specification page 3

Use of the specifications page 4

Part A - Standard general conditions and preliminary clauses page 4

Part B - General clauses common to building services, plant and equipment page 4

Part C - Particular technical sections for building services, plant and equipment
page 4

Part D - Detailed description of the works page 4

Parts, sections, elements and clauses page 5

Designer's notes page 6

Feedback of information page 6

A summary of rules for users and typical examples page 6

2
Introduction

The model specifications set standards for mechanical, electrical and public health engineering in the
National Health Service.

They have been produced and refined over the past 20 years under the guidance of NHS Estates (an
Executive Agency of the Department of Health). During this time they have been successfully used in
the NHS capital building programme, including refurbishments.

Although primarily written for NHS projects, the concept and technical content is equally suitable for
commercial or industrial use (protected by Crown copyright).

The basic concept of the model specification is the provision of a set of documents which can be used
to specify particular engineering applications found in NHS properties. The documents are intended
to be quoted in contract documents in the same way that British and European Standards are quoted.

The object has been to write the clauses in as concise a manner as possible in order to convey to the
reader exactly what is required.

The specifications can be used for:

• briefing design teams;

• procurement contracts;
• construction and manufacturing;
• commissioning.

When used for building procurement, detailed building service specifications can be produced from
the models to cover:

• major projects:
• minor works;
• all forms of contract with or without bills of quantities;
• pre-tender enquiries for major plant and equipment items;
• specialist services.

The model specifications must not be copied or altered.

They should be read in conjunction with the relevant Health Technical Memorandum and Health
Guidance Notes.

A complete specification has four parts as follows:

Part A Standard general conditions and preliminary clauses

Part B General clauses common to building services plant and equipment
Part C Particular technical sections for building services plant and equipment
Part D Detailed description of the works. This is explained in paragraph 4.

Part A refers to the contractual agreement and the model specifications are Parts B and C. Part D is
work-specific (see page 4).

3
Objectives of the specifications

These are:

• to set the minimum acceptable engineering standards which can be used with
confidence knowing that the installations will be within stringent NHS cost limits as
well as meeting the special requirements imposed on health buildings;

• to form the basic standard for quality assurance systems;

• to set a standard for briefing consultants;

• to provide a set of documents which can be easily used or referred to in contract

documentation for contractors and manufacturers;

• to improve efficiency and reduce design costs;

• to harness NHS specialist knowledge;

• to enable periodical updating as standards and clinical requirements change;

• to discourage the proliferation of unique standards by NHS trusts and authorities and
the engineers working for them, so that designers, contractors, manufacturers,
operators and maintenance staff can benefit from one national standard.

General tender procedures

The general procedure adopted by the National Health Service is to have buildings and building
services, plant and equipment provided by appointed contractors following the acceptance of
competitive tenders based upon a set of documents and drawings which have been drawn up to
accurately specify the NHS trust or authority's requirements.

The model specifications form the major part of this documentation.

The complete specification

The model specification consists of Parts B and C. These parts join with Parts A and D to form the
complete specification as follows:

Part A Standard general conditions and preliminary clauses

+
Part B General common clauses
+
The parts C
Particular technical sections
(only the sections applicable to the contract would be specified)
+
Part D Detailed description of the works (written for each particular project)
-
the complete specification.

The specifications cannot be used without Part D.

Use of the specifications

4
The model specifications parts B and C are intended to be referenced in contract documents in the
same way that British and European Standards are used.

Parts B and C in the tender documentation need therefore only be a list of the relevant sections for the
works.

All those receiving the contract documents for tendering, installation or manufacture are expected to
have their own licensed parts B and C, they must not be copied except for use on the licensee's
premises.

Part A Standard general conditions and preliminary clauses

Most users insist on their own documents for this important part of the contract. A guide for NHS
requirements is given in Part A.

Part B General clauses common to building services, plant and equipment

This part has been written to avoid repetition, in the various Part C documents, of clauses that are
common to all installations.

Part B is required for each specification.

Part C Particular technical sections for building services, plant and equipment

There are a number of Sections in Part C, each covering a specific service in which elements describe
a proven and acceptable basic standard of technical requirement. Standards include type, materials,
construction, quality and installation requirements.

The clauses include references to British or European Standards where they apply, and to which the
components must conform as a minimum requirement.

The designer does not therefore need to write clauses for these basic requirements each time he draws
up a specification.

Only the Part C sections appropriate to the project should be referred to in the contract documentation
and in some instances, as in Section C01 Common services - Mechanical (which covers a range of
piped services), those service elements and tables of materials which will not be required for the
project must be deleted by a clause in Part D.

It must be emphasised that the specifications are 'models, and that they do not relieve the designer of
this responsibility for the complete specification.

Each section has a companion set of 'designer's notes' which will assist in making selections of
options, and providing supplementary information in Part D.

Part D Detailed description of the works

The designer must write this document to suit the project and to take into account the NHS trust or
authority's policies.

5
An appropriate level of specification must be selected for the health building being designed, with
particular reference to the guidelines contained in HTMs, HGNs and Building Notes. However, other
factors such as the proposed life of a building or refurbishment must be taken into account. Costed
options, with advantages, disadvantages, capital and revenue consequences, must be discussed and
agreed with the client.

Part D must refer to the selected Part C documents and should contain at least the following basic
technical information together with any special requirements not contained in the model
specifications:

• general building description;

• departments in the buildings;
• scope of the engineering works;
• general service description;
• programme of work;
• access to site and description of the site;
• site communications;
• schedules of drawings;
• descriptions of each service;
• performance and design requirements;
• reference to the Part C specifications that are specified;
• list of deleted clauses;
• selection of materials;
• details where Part C clauses state 'to be specified in Part D';
• schedule of items;
• setting to work, commissioning and acceptance requirements.

Much of this information can be provided in the form of data schedules, thereby reducing the number
of lengthy technical clauses.

This layout of the data schedules should be such that all necessary technical requirements are covered
in a standard form and none are overlooked.

The schedules should require the tenderer to complete any details to match their tender and should
provide the data for setting-to-work, commissioning and acceptance data.

There are advantages if Part D is numbered to correspond with the relevant Part C documents.

Parts, sections, elements and clauses

The specifications contain parts, sections, elements and clauses as follows:

Parts

There are four parts, and Part C for example contains the particular technical specifications.

Sections

The list of the technical sections in Part C is given at the front of this guide. For example, Section 7
of Part C is Heating, hot and cold water systems equipment (C07).

Elements

6
Each section is split into elements. For example, Element 04 of C07 is Cold water storage vessels.

Clauses

Each element is split into clauses. For example, Clause 15 is Ball float valves, and this is broken
down into paragraphs.

Designer's notes

As a guide to the interpretation and use of the specifications each section has companion 'Designer's
notes'.

The notes draw the designer's attention to certain clauses and explain important points. They also
advise the designer of certain information to be included or augmented in Part D. The design notes,
however, must not be included in the contract documentation.

Feedback of information

As with all specifications, there will be an ongoing need for updating. A database is held for changes
to be made at the next licence issue.

Users are encouraged to submit comments using the forms in the binders.

A summary of rules for users

Avoid repetition in Part D of anything in the other parts.

Work through the designer's notes as an aide-memoire for Part D.

Only specify those Part C documents that are relevant.

Insert a master index and explanation of layout of the specifications

in the front of the tender documents.

Do not issue parts B and C with tender documents.

Do not copy parts B and C.

7
Specifications issued with the 1998 licence

The specifications together with their associated designer's notes appear in four binders
as follows:-

Ref Title Volume

A Standard general conditions and preliminary clauses Mechanical

B01 General clauses common to building services, plant and Volume 1
equipment
C01 Common services - Mechanical
C02 Thermal insulation
C04 Mechanical ventilation and air conditioning systems
C07 Heating, hot and cold water systems equipment
C09 Central heating and LTHW boilers
C10 Refrigeration
C10a Body stores and cold rooms

C11 Medical gases Mechanical

C14 Sterilizers Volume 2
C16 Boilers and firing appliances
C17 Oil and dual fuel firing equipment, handling and storage
C22 Steel chimneys
C24 Fire extinguishing installations
C81 Above ground sanitation systems
C82 Colour coding for identification of building services
D08 Thermostatic mixing valves – healthcare premises

A Standard general conditions and preliminary clauses Electrical

B01 General clauses common to building services, plant and Volume 1
equipment
C41 Common services - Electrical (low and extra low voltage)
C42A Electric traction lifts
C42B Hydraulic lifts
C42C Service lifts
C43 External lighting
C44 Diesel engine driven automatic standby generator sets
C45 Electric sub-station equipment (high voltage)

C46 Fire detection and alarm systems Electrical

C47 Telephone exchanges more than 150 extensions Volume 2
C48 Radio paging systems
C49 Nurse call systems
C50 Cordless telephony
C51 Electrical requirements for specified equipment
C53 Lightning protection system
C54 Building management systems
C55 SPC telephone systems (small)
C56 Internal security systems
C57 Security of access and control
C58 Closed circuit television (CCTV) systems
C82 Colour coding for identification of building services