What should Quality Assurance Specifications identify?

Quality Assurance Specifications are critical in ensuring that the materials and processes used in construction meet predetermined standards and quality levels. By identifying the minimum contractor Quality Control (QC) activities, these specifications establish a baseline for what is expected in terms of the contractor's responsibilities. This includes various inspections, testing requirements, and documentation that the contractor must adhere to in order to ensure the quality of the work being performed.

Focusing on the minimum QC activities helps to ensure consistency in quality across different projects and allows for an objective measure of the contractor's performance. It also aids in setting clear expectations for both the contractors and the client or agency overseeing the project, creating a framework within which contractors can operate while still meeting quality standards.

In contrast, suggesting maximum acceptable costs, emphasizing only agency personnel activities, or including all activities regardless of quality would not serve the primary goal of quality assurance, which is to ensure the integrity and performance of the materials and workmanship. These alternatives would either focus on financial aspects rather than quality, restrict the scope to agency personnel alone, or fail to establish meaningful quality standards at all.