SpecsIntact is an automated specifications processing system for preparing certain government facility construction projects worldwide using standard UFGS Master specifications, called Master-text, maintained and supplied by each of the three government agencies.
As of April 2023, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) took over control and management of SpecsIntact. Originally, SpecsIntact was developed in 1963 by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for use by engineers, architects, specification writers, project managers, and construction managers. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) and the Air Force Civil Engineer Command (AFCEC) have also adopted SpecsIntact as their standard specifications system, greatly facilitating the effort to standardize construction specifications throughout these government agencies. The UFGS Master is marked up within the SpecsIntact application using a special tagging scheme, similar to the Extensible Markup Language (XML), which functions like the code that instructs web browsers on how to display a web page.
Master specifications are organized into Divisions, which contain groups of Sections. Within these Sections, key elements are marked up using a unique SpecsIntact tagging scheme. This system employs angle brackets as delimiters and functions as a descriptive markup system, separating and identifying the logical elements of the Section text.
Before beginning, the SpecsIntact Website offers a variety of tools located on the Support & Help Center page that will help you learn how to install and use the software to ensure a smooth installation or editing experience. Take a look at these helpful tools first!
Upon launching the SpecsIntact application, the SpecsIntact Explorer automatically appears, acting as your central interface. From here, you can efficiently create, process, and print your Jobs and Masters using its intuitive menus, Toolbar, and Tagsbar. For detailed editing of Job and Master Sections, the SI Editor is available, offering a familiar Windows-standard layout along with improved functions and automated features to streamline your work.
SpecsIntact Features Introduced by Versions
SpecsIntact has evolved significantly since its inception, with new features and improvements introduced in various versions to enhance its functionality, usability, and compatibility. The current SpecsIntact version is backward compatible, allowing you to edit Jobs and Masters created in earlier versions.
To make the most of your SpecsIntact experience, it's a good practice to consult the Release Notes for details on the latest features and improvements. Looking at Past Release Notes can also be helpful for understanding the history of the software's development.
For detailed information on the SI Editor's tagging system, refer to the SpecsIntact Tagging Structure Overview topic.