NCARB Project Development And Documentation (PDD) Practice Exam

Performance specifications state what the finished result must achieve, not how to achieve it. By describing the required performance—such as energy efficiency, fire rating, acoustical targets, or durability—the owner communicates design goals while leaving the means to meet them open to bidders. This keeps bidding competitive because contractors can propose any product or method that meets the specified performance criteria, rather than being restricted to a particular brand or installation approach. Choosing a proprietary specification would lock in a specific product or system, narrowing the field of bidders. A reference specification points to standards or test methods, which can still constrain solutions to those references. An open specification can offer flexibility, but the emphasis here is on expressing goals as outcomes that bidders must meet, which is the essence of a performance-based approach.