Ken,

The job I am bidding now is due in two days.  We have yet to receive the
structural drawings, and the spec.'s really should come with a legal
allowance or perhaps if they provided us with the disc we could do our own
abstracts and re-write the document so that sections were actually trade
specific.  The start date for the job was last year, when they bid it and
there wasn't enough money.
For specifications I like plain English myself.  What is wrong with:
"Division:  Plumbing:  You will need to provide three plumbers between the
dates of x and y to do z.   We will provide scaffolding as shown in drawing
A.  You will be sharing the scaffolding with four masons during this time
period and will need to set up a meeting with the CM and Mason contractor
before date M.  You will be able to use this scaffolding and perform the
work between the above dates only..  You will be required to have your
materials on site by date Q at location P shown on drawing M.  The masonry
contractor will be using the same location so please coordinate with him.
You will need your own generator for electrical power.  We expect you to pay
prevailing wage.  Please read section 802.4 about liquidated damages and
performance requirements.  This section contains a lot of legal jargon which
you may want to have  a lawyer review because I don't understand it either
except that if you don't have your guys on the job by the above date I can
fine you and get other guys to do the work and charge you six times what
you're paying your guys.  Feel free to read the other six hundred pages in
this document  in your free time but there is nothing about your work in
them.  (Of course you will need a working knowledge of the National
Electrical Code (you'll understand why we recommend the generator) and you
should bone up on the General Statutes ( to liven up the lunch break).
PS  Although the above information may be useful to you we are required by
our insurance agent to tell you that useful information is not legal
information and therefor we cannot be responsible or held accountable for
the above statements nor any of the measurements on the drawings which could
be off by an unspecified amount. However you can go measure it yourself on
Tuesday or Wednesday.  The building will be open to the public and those
that attended the pre-bid conference between 12 noon and 1:00pm on both
days.

Best,

Leland