UFC 1-300-09N
25 May 2005
(UFGS), and construction contract documents for all MCON/MILCON, BRACON, and
family housing regardless of acquisition method.
Public Law 94-168 designates the SI system of measurement as the preferred system
of weights and measures for United States trade and commerce. Executive Order
12770 requires the use of the metric system in Federal acquisitions except when such
use is "impracticable or is likely to cause significant inefficiencies or loss of markets to
United States firms." Public Law 104-289 exempts concrete masonry units and
recessed lighting fixtures from the metric policy until January 2007. Until that time they
should not be specified in SI units.
Generally, design and construction of new or renovated facilities shall use the SI system
of measurement, unless such use leads to inefficiencies or would be otherwise
impractical. Increased initial cost or life cycle cost is certainly an indicator of
inefficiencies. The design agent / project manager is responsible for making the
determination on whether or not to use the SI units of measurement on a project-by-
project basis. Customer preferences or limited designer experience are not adequate
justifications on their own for eliminating SI use, but may be part of the decision
process. Decisions to not use the SI units must be justifiable and documented in
permanent project files. Where request for proposals (RFP) or similar alternatives to the
design-bid-build process are used, the RFP may be issued in dual units (inch-pounds
and SI) with the requirement that each proposal indicate the system of units to be used
by the contractor throughout. For any type of project for any service, do not use dual
units on the drawings. UFC 1-300-01, Criteria Format Standard, provides guidance on
the use of SI units in criteria documents. UFC 1-300-02 Unified Facilities Guide
Specifications (UFGS) Format Standard, provides guidance on the use of SI units in
and specifications.
2-2.1
SI Definitions.
A Hard Metric measurement indicates a non-interchangeable SI value and
is based on SI values that change in size and properties from Inch-Pound
(IP) values.
A Soft Metric measurement is a mathematical approximation or equal unit
conversion of an IP product.
2-2.2
General Policy.
Design host country projects using hard metric units except in cases where items that
are unavailable in hard metric manufactured equivalents are procured from U.S.-based
manufacturers and only obtainable in IP units or their soft metric equivalents. Plan and
design CONUS and OCONUS projects in US states and territories in a combination of
soft metric and hard metric units.
Strive to use as many hard metric products as possible. Only where hard metric
products are determined to be unavailable or uneconomical should soft metric products
be used.
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