Australian guide
What Is a Technical Submission in Australian Construction?
Quick answer
A technical submission is the package a contractor sends before buying or installing a product, to show it meets the specification. It holds the product data sheets, evidence of compliance with the nominated AS/NZS standards, and any shop drawings, samples and warranties the NATSPEC worksection asks for. The architect, engineer or Superintendent reviews it, and work can't go past a hold point until it is accepted. In the US the same thing is called a submittal.
What belongs in a technical submission
Each worksection in a NATSPEC specification has a Submissions clause that lists what the contractor must provide. Most packages draw from the same set of documents.
- A cover sheet or transmittal: project, worksection number, revision and date
- A product schedule that keys each item to the drawings and specification
- The manufacturer's product data sheet for every item, with the exact model marked
- Evidence of compliance with the AS/NZS standards the worksection nominates (test reports, certificates, CodeMark where used)
- WaterMark licence and WELS registration for plumbing and water-using products
- Shop drawings where the worksection calls for them
- Samples or prototypes when the specification needs visual approval
- Warranties, and operation and maintenance information
Who prepares it and who reviews it
The subcontractor usually prepares the submission for their trade and sends it to the head contractor, who checks it and passes it on. The design team — the architect or the services engineer for that trade — reviews it against the specification. On an AS 4000-style contract the Superintendent administers the process and returns the result to the contractor.
Review responses vary by consultant, but they boil down to three outcomes: accepted, accepted with comments that must be picked up, or rejected and resubmit.
Hold points, witness points and why timing matters
NATSPEC worksections mark some steps as hold points: work stops until the Superintendent releases it. Many submissions are tied to a hold point, so a late or rejected submission holds up ordering and installation. A witness point is softer — you give notice so someone can attend, but you don't have to wait.
Long-lead items such as switchboards, lifts, façade systems and imported fittings should go in first, so the review doesn't sit on the critical path.
Common rejection reasons
Reviewers send packages back for the same handful of reasons. Check these before you send.
- Data sheet doesn't show the exact model, finish or option being supplied
- No evidence of compliance with the AS/NZS standard the worksection nominates
- WaterMark or WELS details missing for plumbing products
- Product differs from the one nominated in the specification, with no substitution request
- Items not keyed to the schedule or drawing references, so the reviewer can't tell what goes where
- Out-of-date data sheets, or US data sheets with imperial sizes and no Australian approvals
Technical submission vs. submittal vs. shop drawing
A submittal is the US word for the same package, keyed to CSI MasterFormat divisions instead of NATSPEC worksections. A shop drawing is one part of a technical submission: a drawing the contractor or fabricator makes to show how something will be built or installed. Some packages are all data sheets, some are mostly shop drawings, and many have both.
Let the builder put the submission together
List the products on your schedule — or upload the worksection — and Submittal.app finds the data sheets, adds a cover and transmittal, and lets you refine it in chat. First packages are free.
Start freeCommon questions
Is a technical submission the same as a submittal?
Yes. Australian projects say technical submission (or just submission); US projects say submittal. The content is the same idea: proof, before you buy or install, that the product meets the specification.
Where does the specification say what to submit?
In the Submissions clause of each NATSPEC worksection, with general rules in 0171 General requirements. The project specification can add to or change those lists, so always read the project's version.
Can I submit an equal product?
Usually, if the specification allows it. Send a substitution request with the data sheet and evidence that the product meets the same standards and performance as the nominated one, and wait for acceptance before ordering.
How long does review take?
It depends on the contract and the consultant. Many contracts set a review period in days; plan around it, and submit long-lead items early.