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- Unit measurements (weight, volume).
- Packaging measurements (weight, volume).
- Coloring/Visual appearance.
- Chemical composition.
- Conformity to specific ISO standards.
- Strength/durability.
- Packaging and handling specifications.
- Branding and marketing marking specifications.
Following Specifications Throughout the Procurement Process
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Detailed specifications will vary depending on the item in question, the agency, the size of the procurement, and the market supplying the product.
| Item Type | Some products with well established designs - such as machine parts - might require less spelled out specifications, and might rely more on specifying product capacity or functionality. Other products frequently used by the humanitarian sector - such as household products - are far more defined by specific needs, and are often combined with mutually recognized standards such as SPHERE. Though humanitarian agencies may have specific needs, the global understanding of those needs among vendors may not be well understood. For this reason, specifications for products specially developed or used for humanitarian interventions tend to be more explicit - usually the product is "developed" along side the vendor to match the purchasing agency's needs. |
| Agency Needs | Humanitarian agencies purchasing a small quantity of an item, or who buy already standardized products may have very little need to explicitly state product material specifications. However, agencies that purchase large quantities of one product type of specialty product from a long term supplier or limited series of suppliers are more likely to have more advanced material specifications in their contracts. Detailed product specifications will help vendors source the correct raw materials, and will help keep quality assurance up. |
| Markets | Commonly used large international vendors are usually more likely to be able to meet detailed product specifications requested by humanitarian agencies. The manufacturing capabilities and raw materials available to local companies may not meet the overall requirements of the requesting agency for key relief items. The balance between international and local procurement is something agencies must weigh, depending on local laws, import and transport costs, the ethics surrounding procurement, the desire to support local markets, and overall project needs. |
Many large agencies that regularly procure typical relief supplies have material specifications readily available, including the ICRC/IFRC Catalog and the Oxfam Supply Center. These material specifications are useful as a reference point for any agency that wishes to enter into contracts for emergency relief supplies.
Example Material Specifications:
BLANKET, SYNTHETIC, 1.5x2m, high thermal | |
Samples for testing purpose | Samples of blankets must be from compressed bales. All criteria to be passed on the same sample. (Samples of compressed bales to be prepared with only 5 blankets folded once more than in normal bales, at 60% compression ratio, and to remain compressed for one week minimum before testing). |
Make | Knitted or woven, dry raised both sides. If any, inner layer can be non-woven type. |
Content ISO 1833 on dry weight | 100% pure polyester and/or acrylic fibres or polyester/cotton |
Colours | Other than black, red, or white, dark uniform colour. |
Size | 150 x 200cm +3%/-1%. To be taken on flat stabilised sample, without folds. |
Weight | 500g/m2 minimum maximum 1000g/m² weight determined by total weight/total surface. |
Thickness ISO 5084 | 9.5mm minimum (1KPa on 2000mm²) |
Tensile strength ISO13934-1 | 250N warp and weft minimum |
Tensile strength loss after washing ISO13934-1 and ISO 6330 | Maximum 5% warp and weft after 3 consecutive machine washing at 30°C and one flat drying. |
Shrinkage maxi. ISO 6330 | Maximum 5% warp and weft after 3 consecutive machine washing at 30°C and one flat drying. |
Weight loss after washing | Maximum 5% after 3 consecutive machine washing at 30°C and one flat drying. |
Thermal resistance ISO 11092 | Rct= 0.40m².K/W minimum, rounded to the nearest 0.01, passed on samples picked from compressed bales. Mechanical conditioning: after opening of the bale, the blanket shall be dry tumbled in a dryer (500l minimum capacity) without any other load for 15 minutes at a temperature of less than 30°C. Then, the blanket shall be conditioned for at least 24 hours by flat lying at ambient conditions (20°C and 65% Relative Humidity). |
Resistance to air flow ISO9237 under 100Pa pressure drop | Maximum 1000 L/m²/s |
Finish | Whipped seam at 10mm from the edge with 10 to 13 stitches/10cm or stitched ribbon or hemmed on 4 sides. Corners can be round up to 10cm radius, or square. |
Organoleptic test | No bad smell, not irritating to the skin, no dust. 4<pH<9. Free from harmful VOC (Volatile Organic Components). Fit for human use. |
Fire resistance ISO12952-1 | Resistance to cigarette - No ignition |
Fire resistance ISO12952-2 | Resistance to flame - No ignition |
Primary packing | No individual packing of the blanket, in order to reduce plastic wastes in the environment. |
Packing |
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Marking on the blanket | Every blanket should include a tag, stitched in the hem. The tag should include the manufacturer’s name, a unique reference batch number and the date of manufacturing. No company logo should be included with the manufacturer’s marking. |
Marking on the package | BLANKET, SYNTHETIC, 1.5x2m, high thermal – 15 pieces. Other markings as specified in contract. |
Source: ICRC/IFRC Standard Products Catalogue
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