Drawing Notes

In the digital world, engineering drawings are more important than ever. They provide details on what is being built, along with requirements for how it should be built, and by whom.  Sadly, most engineering drawings omit critical details about vendors. Below are some suggested drawing notes to address this.

THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL APPLY (UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED) 

VENDOR TO COMPLY WITH STANDARD ENGINEERING PRACTICES

1. VENDOR CONFIRMS THEY HAVE REVIEWED ALL DRAWINGS FOR ACCURACY.
2. VENDOR CONFIRMS THEY ARE CAPABLE OF PROVIDING PARTS THAT MEET SPECIFICATIONS.
3. VENDOR AGREES TO TRY THEIR BEST TO MEET SPECIFICATIONS (WINK, WINK, NUDGE, NUDGE).
4. VENDOR ADVISES THAT ALL REFERENCES TO INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS (ANSI, ISO, I SAID, HE SAID, SHE SAID, ETC.) SHOULD BE TAKEN WITH A GRAIN OF SALT.
5. VENDOR CONFIRMS THE EXISTENCE OF A QUALITY PROCEDURE.
6. UPON REQUEST, VENDOR AGREES TO PROVIDE VERIFICATION THAT THE WORD “QUALITY” IS SPELLED PROPERLY ON ALL INTERNAL DOCUMENTS.
7. UPON REQUEST, VENDOR CONFIRMS THEY WILL PROVIDE CLIENT WITH GENTLE ASSURANCE THAT “THEY CAN DO THE JOB” AND THAT CLIENT “HAS NO NEED TO WORRY.”
8. VENDOR AGREES TO RESPOND TO ALL CLIENT INQUIRIES IN A TIMELY MANNER.
9. VENDOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO DETERMINE WHAT IS – AND IS NOT – A TIMELY RESPONSE.

VENDOR TO COMPLY WITH STANDARD BUSINESS PRACTICES

1. VENDOR AFFIRMS THAT ALL STUFF DISPLAYED ON THEIR WEB PAGE AND/OR COMPANY LOBBY ARE STRICTLY FOR SHOW. ITEMS MAY – OR MAY NOT – REPRESENT ACTUAL WORK PERFORMED. CLIENT AGREES THEY LOOK NICE.
2. VENDOR AFFIRMS THAT ALL CERTIFICATIONS, PLAQUES, AND/OR AWARDS REFERENCED HAVE SOME SEMBLANCE OF REALITY. THEY MAY – OR MAY NOT – REPRESENT ACTUAL WORK PERFORMED. CLIENT AGREES THEY LOOK NICE.
3. VENDOR ADVISES THEIR QUOTE IS MERELY A STAB IN THE DARK AT THE ACTUAL COSTS INVOLVED, AND MAY NOT HAVE A BASIS IN REALITY.
4. VENDOR AGREES TO PROVIDE AN UPDATED QUOTE FOR ALL ACTIVITY DETERMINED TO BE  “OUT OF SCOPE”  OR REQUIRING  “ADDITIONAL EFFORT.”
5. VENDOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO RENEGOTIATE ALL TERMS, INCLUDING PRICING, DELIVERY, AND QUALITY STANDARDS.
6. VENDOR ADVISES THEY ARE WORKING HARD TO STAY IN BUSINESS. VENDOR REQUESTS THAT CLIENT CUT THEM SOME SLACK.
7. IN THE EVENT VENDOR IS UNABLE TO DELIVER PARTS AND/OR ASSEMBLIES THAT MEET SPECIFICATIONS, VENDOR WILL ADVISE CLIENT TO POUND SAND.
8. POUNDING EFFORT TO BE MONITORED BY A CERTIFIED POUND SAND  INSPECTOR.
9. SAND TO BE DRY AND FIRMLY PACKED, WITH A DENSITY OF 80-100 LBS PER CUBIC FOOT.

VENDOR TO PROVIDE CLEAR AND EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS

1. YES MEANS YES (THIS INCLUDES WORDS AND TERMS SUCH AS YEAH, UH-HUH, WAY, WADDUP, BABY, MAMA, DADDY, MONEY, AND ANY PHRASE WITH THE WORD GO).
2. NO MEANS NO (THIS INCLUDES WORDS AND TERMS SUCH AS DOH, UH-OH, NO WAY, BEAT IT, GET OUTA HERE, OR ANY PHRASE INVOLVING PROFANITY).
3.  MAYBE MEANS MAYBE (THIS INCLUDES WORDS AND TERMS SUCH AS WHATEVER, I DUNNO, GO FIGURE, HMMM, LET ME THINK ABOUT IT, PERHAPS NEXT TIME).
4.  DOUBLE NEGATIVES ARE POSITIVE (E.G. THE PHRASE “CAN’T NOT” MEANS YES).
5. DOUBLE POSITIVES ARE NEGATIVE (E.G. THE PHRASE “YEAH-YEAH” MEANS NO).
6. TRIPLES OF ANY KIND, EITHER NEGATIVE (SUCH AS NO-NO-NO) OR POSITIVE (SUCH AS YEAH-YEAH-YEAH) MEAN THAT IT IS TIME TO PARTY.