for Highway Construction Page 1 of 715 SECTION 100 – GENERAL PROVISIONS for Highway Construction Page 2 of 715 SECTION 101 – GENERAL, ABBREVIATIONS, AND DEFINITIONS
101.01 Active Voice, Imperative Mood.
These Standard Specifications are written with an emphasis on the active voice. In a sentence written in the active voice, someone acts on something. For example: "The Contractor will place the concrete ." A similar sentence in the passive voice – "The concrete will be placed" – would be unclear about who was responsible for placing the concrete. The Standard Specifications also are written in the imperative mood. The i mperative mood is used when the party issuing an instruction and the party receiving it are already understood. The Department is stating its requirements or directions for the work to the Contractor; such statements have the same force as if they contained the words "the Contractor will." In an imperative sentence such as, "Place the concrete ," the Department is indicating that it requires the Contractor to place the concrete. Before contract award , imperative statements are directed to the bidder(s). After contract award, imperatives are directed to the Contractor . The Department will identify parties other than the bidder or the Contractor to whom it gives a responsibility in these Standard Specific ations. In phrasings where the responsible party is clearly identified or in factual statements when it is not import ant to do so, the Department may use the passive voice. All approvals and consents are granted and all direction is given by the Engineer. All submittals are sent to the Engineer.
101.02 Organization of Specifications .
A.General. With the exception of Section 100 “General Provisions” and Section 700 “Materials” Standard Specification sections are writt en in a five part format. Each section contains the following primary subsections: XXX.01 Description. XXX.02 Materia ls. XXX.03 Construction Requirements. XXX.04 Method of Measurement. XXX.05 Basis of Payment . The subsections contain varying numbers of titled subordinate subsections composed of higher and lower levels.
B.Hierarchy of Organization . Subsection requirements apply to subordinate subsections. In addition, many subsections begin with a lower - level subsection titled General. General subsection requirements apply to the associated same- level subsections that fol low; they do not apply to the higher level.
C.Title (or Headings). Sections and subsection titles or headings are for referencing conveni ence, and do not necessarily bear on the text meaning or interpretation.
Source: Idaho Standard Specifications for Highway Construction, 2023 Edition. Pages 37–37 of 768.