A Justification Memorandum may be in any format and of any length. It should be addressed to the Purchasing Division and should contain a thorough explanation for the request. State law requires the University to obtain competition for purchases whenever possible. For this reason, we normally use generic specifications to describe what we intend to purchase. Brand-specific rationale cannot be used unless the requirement can only be met by the exact specifications offered by a particular piece of equipment made by the manufacturer.
Generic specifications encourage competition.
They should be used wherever possible. A brand- specific justification must explain why the product is singularly able to meet the requirements of the user and conclusively support the determination that no other product can fulfill the user's needs. In the case of networks, standardization can be the basis for compatibility as different hardware and software configurations can make learning and actual use much more difficult. Any determination written to support this rationale must document the inadequacy of an alternative or the likelihood of another brand introducing an unsuitable or new variable into the operating environment or the research protocol. When using this rationale you must state that this same support is not available for other suitable brands or models.