It is very difficult to tie down the Warranty requirements and will vary from equipment to equipment. You need to be specific when issuing the procurement spec. on the parameters to be measured and establish the baseline conditions for the performance test. The data to be gathered must be measurable and accurate and acceptable to the Owner and the vendor. Chances are you will enter into a long negotiation with the vendor before reaching a consensus on testing procedures, acceptance criteria and penalties for non-conformance. Best of luck.
Have run into this problem all the time. Most owners assume that what they spec. is what was received and that what the engineers have designed would be acceptabe. This hardly the case. You require a third party to come in and oversee your installation. The third party will ony deal with the facts and present thier case as is. This has/will cause plenty of finger pointing, but if all of the steps are followed for proper shipment, handling, installation, runup and proper documentation. The vendor will usally sign off for warranty. Most manufactures/vendors have minimum codes that have to be met. They can be found in the manual that is sent with the piece in question. Don't let the engineers or the warehouse people keep it as it does no good in the filing cabinet
In the quotation or during the discussion stage of the equipment selection which should be confirmed in writing along with the final bid / offer from the supplier.
Your acceptance of the suppliers tems and conditions (warranty - payment etc etc ) usually means writing an order accepting the offer, that is unless your order's terms of conditions over rides the offer which of course can then be over ridden again by the supplier confirming your order -etc etc -
Usually the last correspondence rules if it ever comes to a legal show-down.
Having been in the position of supplier and buyer of capital equipment, quite often with onerous conditions attached - I can say from experience make sure you fully understand the conditions under which you are selling or buying before accepting any offer or order.
