Computerized specifications on a small project

Since 1973, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has been conducting a Rehabilitation Program for the Midvale Irrigation District near Riverton, Wyoming. The work consists primarily of upgrading the distribution system of open ditches and constructing new buried pipe drains in the farmer’s fields. Work is done under eight to ten small contracts each off-irrigation season (October to April). Since the type of work does not vary from year to year, specifications writing is basically an updating and retyping of the previous year’s specifications. A system was developed using the Bureau’s dual CYBER 170/800’s (CDC) computer and Xerox 9700 Electronic Printing System in Denver; a LA36 DECwriter timesharing terminal in Riverton; and a versatile formatting system known as COMPOSE/RUNOFF. Specifications are now prepared at a considerable savings of time, manpower, and money.