QF 39
Version 3
Issue date:
14/09/2015
Page 1 of 3
Procurement & Contracts Office
Guidelines for Specifying Equipment
Guidelines for Specifying Equipment
Please find below some guidelines for devising an equipment specification for tendering
purposes. The completed specification shall then be inserted into the Invitation to
Tender document when finally agreed.
General guidelines:
 When doing a specification, it is important to focus on the performance side of the
equipment rather than describing every physical aspect of the equipment (e.g.
dimensions, colour, surface finish). Define the purpose of the equipment in terms of
how effectively it will be performed in capability and performance terms. This
encourages bidders to offer alternative innovative solutions. Obviously, where there
are physical limitations in terms of space etc. then the bidders need to be aware of
this.
 Be aware that any minimum requirements you set will eliminate any bidders who fail
to meet them. List any ‘nice to have’ elements as desirable features etc.
 The use of trade names or reference to patents or individual companies should be
avoided i.e. keep things as generic as possible.
 Consider whether variants are acceptable in a specification also and state whether
this is the case or not.
Equipment Specifications (Template)
1.
Summary & Definition of Equipment Requirements
Short textual description of the equipment and its intended function
2.
Process Target Specifications
Try to be as definitive as possible while not making the specifications so tight as to eliminate
all but one vendor.
Use definitions such as “Iniformity +/- 10% across a 100mm wafer”
Minimum resolution 50nm
3.
Mechanical Specifications
Similar to above, try to be definitive
Procurement & Contracts Office
Guidelines for Specifying Equipment
QF 39
Version 3
Issue date:
14/09/2015
Page 2 of 3
Ultimate vacuum base pressure better than 5 x 10-7 torr
E-Beam power ≥10kW
3.2 Optional Extras
Nice to have at a cost
4.
Facility Requirements
The current standard facilities provided by UCC include:




Nitrogen pressure 6.0 bar
Compressed air pressure 7.0 bar
Electrical: 3 phase 400V supply
Single phase 230V supply
The Tenderer must supply details of facility requirements 2-3 months before equipment
delivery. Any deviation to the supplied specification on the delivered equipment causing a
reconfiguration of the facility supply will be at the tenderer’s cost. Any deviation to the
standard facilities supplied will also be at cost to the tenderer.
5.
Energy and Environmental Considerations
The buyer requires the equipment provided to be as energy and economically efficient as
possible. Where and if possible the equipment should include the following:




6.
Use of water cooled units, i.e. water cooled chillers/pumps instead of air cooled
chillers/pumps as the site recovers heat from the process cooling load to heat other
areas.
Use of a standby mode/reduced power mode of operation when not in use.
Programmable capability, i.e. equipment should come with the option of
programmable timers so that processes can start over night and the site can benefit
from reduced night time electrical rates(where possible)
Pumps to have a setback mode, i.e. loadlock pumps can be setback to a minimum
value when not in use. (where possible).
Maintenance
Vendors must supply the cost of a three year maintenance agreement that would begin at
the end of the warranty period (cost can be broken down on an annual basis)
7.
Training
Define training requirements, process maintenance etc
8.
Delivery
Procurement & Contracts Office
Guidelines for Specifying Equipment
QF 39
Version 3
Issue date:
14/09/2015
Page 3 of 3
Delivery requirements (standard semiconductor shipping procedures?) airbed truck? Forklift
requirements.
9.
Installation, Start-up and Acceptance
The buyer needs to consider if there will be factory acceptance before the equipment is shipped
(will the vendor have process gases available, will the cost of travelling to the vendor location be
prohibitive?). Has the buyer agreed a set of tests that can be run at installation to fully assess
the equipment?
Possible sub-headings to consider here:
A.
B.
C.
D.
Pre-Installation
Start-up
Installation
Equipment Assessment Programme
a. Define tests
E. Commissioning