How do you write a brand-neutral PSA plant specification?

Rules in World Bank-financed procurement

The World Bank's Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers (seventh edition, September 2025) say that standards and technical specifications shall promote the broadest possible competition while ensuring performance or other requirements (5.25). To the extent possible, in international competitive procurement, the borrower shall specify internationally accepted standards, and the procurement documents shall state that equipment meeting other standards that are at least substantially equivalent will also be accepted. Under 5.26, specifications shall be based on relevant technical characteristics and/or performance requirements, and references to brand names, catalogue numbers or similar classifications shall be avoided; if a brand name or catalogue number is justified to clarify an otherwise incomplete specification, the words 'or equivalent' shall be added. Under 6.9(e), direct selection may be appropriate where standardization of goods that need to be compatible with existing goods justifies additional purchases from the original firm, if the advantages and disadvantages of another brand or source of equipment have been considered on grounds acceptable to the Bank.

Starting from the WHO specifications (December 2024)

WHO's Technical specifications for health facility based medical oxygen systems were developed as generic minimum requirements in a standard format and require adaptation to project-specific requirements, using tick boxes and fields marked to be specified; WHO says clear project-specific specifications enable a comprehensive evaluation and comparison of offers. Compliance with each listed standard, or an equivalent, may be necessary, and national or regional standards take precedence over international ones. The generic specifications should be adapted before being considered binding; where a vendor's offer deviates, the vendor must provide justification and the solution must be agreed by all parties, and where a criterion cannot be met exactly the vendor is to provide justification or evidence that the proposed system meets or exceeds it. The specifications do not preclude appropriate upcoming products and technologies, and their use can only begin after a needs assessment and a feasibility study, with financing secured.

Neutral on brand, specific on performance

PATH and CHAI (July 2021) say that, irrespective of the technology, the most important thing is that the tender includes robust technical and performance requirements based on the intended use case and location. UNDP (REQ-OXY-001, effective 1 January 2025) asks products to conform to ISO standards or equivalent standards published by similar organisations recognised by the founding members of the GHTF/IMDRF. A PATH analysis of PSA plant failures (November 2023) counted 29 PSA plant brands from companies headquartered in 12 countries, and 20 air compressor brands from 9 countries, across 84 plants, describes a complex supply system in which suppliers have limited contact with customers and lack a local presence in the countries they supply, and recommends procurement specifications that effectively consider manufacturing quality. A Global Fund note of 4 March 2025 names the oxygen generating technology already common and functional in the region as the most important factor when choosing between PSA, VPSA and VSA. See how to compare PSA bids and what a PSA tender should specify.