<HTML>In a message dated 11/7/03 3:37:23 PM Central Standard= Time, fssturm@unm.edu writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT= : 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">So I wonder if those of you in = similar circumstances, but with the advantage of actually having spent money for new piano purchases within the = last 20 years or so, would be willing to share whatever language you came <B= R> up with, or inherited or whatever. And suggestions from fellow inexperienced folks would be welcome as well. Thanks, Fred Sturm University Of New Mexico </BLOCKQUOTE> We just purchased 10 new pianos last year. We were bound and determined to g= et Boston pianos and a D. To do that, we had to fill out the paper work, and= documentation for what they call "Sole Source Purchase Request." It can get= very detailed, but if all the information is given, it will reduce the pian= os on your wish list to the ones you like. Ask if they have something like t= hat, provided you want to pick out only one brand of instrument. If you are not limited to one brand, then get the specifics on the instrumen= ts you do want to purchase. If you want to choose between Yamaha, Kawai, and= Young Chang, for instance, get the specifics, including price, model, size,= etc., for each one, and ask for bids on those instruments. Then, we have one more phrase on the bid sheet, that might help: "Each item quoted will be evaluated by qualified professional School of Musi= c faculty/pianist and the evaluation will include, but will not be limited t= o, size of tone, quality of tone, controllability of intensity of after touc= h, sensitivity of pedal mechanism, physical and aural evenness of registers = and apparent mechanical integrity and reliability." "Items that do not meet specification or fail to perform properly, as solely= determined by the University of Alabama will be rejected." This more or less says it is not just the objective characteristics of each = instrument that is important, but also the subjective characteristics. In ot= her words, how does the instrument feel and sound? That is something that ca= nnot be described on paper. We almost had an easy time, until one of the dealers who didn't get the bid,= decided to threaten law suit. So the legal department had to get involved, = and every time we thought we had answered all the questions, they came up wi= th more questions. Let hope you don't have to go through that. Good luck Wim University of Alabama </HTML>