Guides · ot gowns and drapes
Writing an OT Gown and Drape Tender Specification
A clear specification lets you compare quotations fairly and reorder the same item years later. What to include for reusable surgeon gowns, drapes and covers, who should contribute, and common mistakes to avoid.
A good OT gown and drape specification describes every item precisely enough that two suppliers would make the same thing: item type, dimensions, fabric, construction, closures, colour, marking, packing and the documents you expect. It also separates what you require from what you would like, and states how samples will be judged. Write it once, carefully, and it becomes the reference for the tender, the sample approval and every reorder after it.
Why theatre textiles need their own specification
Reusable theatre textiles are not ward linen. A drape's fenestration position, a gown's cuff and back closure, and the fabric's suitability for its intended use all matter to the theatre team, CSSD and infection control. A loose specification such as "surgical gown, green, large" leaves too much to the supplier and makes quotations impossible to compare.
A clear specification helps you:
- Compare quotations on the same basis.
- Avoid disputes when the delivered goods differ from the sample.
- Reorder the same item years later.
- Show internal stakeholders, including infection control and finance, exactly what is being bought.
If you are new to tendering for medical textiles in general, our post on the hospital uniform tender specification covers the wider process. This post focuses on what is specific to gowns and drapes.
Who should contribute
Do not write it alone. A short working group usually includes:
- Theatre manager or senior scrub nurse: item list, sizes, user preferences.
- CSSD manager: folding, packing, wrapping and reprocessing requirements.
- Infection-control lead: fabric acceptability, intended use and any policy requirements.
- Laundry manager or contractor: wash process, marking durability, handling.
- Procurement: commercial terms, evaluation method, documentation.
Get their sign-off before issuing the tender. Changing a specification after quotations arrive wastes everyone's time.
The structure of a good specification
1. Scope and item list
List each item with a reference number. For a typical theatre suite this might include surgeon gowns in several sizes, plain drapes in two or three sizes, fenestrated drapes for specific procedures, trolley covers, Mayo stand covers and instrument wrapping cloths. Give estimated annual quantities if you can, even as a range.
2. Intended use
For each item, state how it will be used and reprocessed. This is where you say whether an item is for use in the sterile field, whether it will be sterilised, and by what method in general terms. Your CSSD should write this part.
3. Fabric
State the fibre content you want (for example cotton or poly-cotton woven), any preferred weight or range, and the colour. Then state what fabric documentation you need. If your facility requires reusable gowns or drapes to meet a particular barrier performance standard, say so explicitly and ask suppliers to state what their fabric is tested to and provide the test documentation. Our post on surgical gown barrier standards explains what to ask. Do not assume that a woven reusable gown meets any standard unless the supplier documents it.
4. Dimensions and drawings
For drapes, give finished length and width, tolerance, and for fenestrated drapes a drawing showing the fenestration shape, size and position measured from the edges. For covers, give the dimensions of the trolley or Mayo stand they must fit. For gowns, give a size chart with key measurements: chest, length, sleeve length.
5. Construction
| Element | What to specify |
|---|---|
| Seams | Type and stitching, and where seams must not fall (for example across a fenestration area) |
| Hems | Hem width and finish on all edges |
| Gown back | Wrap-around back, overlap width |
| Closures | Ties, press studs or a mix; position and number |
| Cuffs | Knitted cuffs or plain sleeve ends |
| Neckline | Binding type and closure |
| Reinforcement | Any reinforced areas you require on drapes, if applicable to the fabric offered |
6. Marking and labelling
State the content, method and position of marks: facility name or logo, item type, size, batch and department code. Give positions as measurements from a seam or edge so every batch is identical.
7. Packing and delivery
Say how items should be folded and packed for delivery, how cartons should be labelled, and the delivery address or addresses. If several sites are involved, list each. Ask suppliers to state the total lead time from sample approval to delivery, including shipping where goods are made outside the UAE.
8. Samples and evaluation
State how many samples you need of each item, how they will be evaluated (fit, handling, folding, a laundering trial, user feedback) and who signs them off. The approved sample becomes the reference for bulk.
9. Documentation
List what you expect with the quotation and with delivery: fabric details, any test reports the supplier can provide, care instructions, and a statement of what the product is and is not certified for.
Separate "must" from "should"
Mark each requirement as mandatory or preferred. For example:
- Must: wrap-around back, knitted cuffs, theatre green, size range S to XXL, facility logo woven label.
- Should: lighter fabric option for comfort, Arabic and English labels.
This tells suppliers where they can propose alternatives, and it makes scoring straightforward.
Common mistakes
- Describing drapes by procedure name only, with no dimensions. "Laparotomy drape" means different things to different suppliers.
- Forgetting tolerances, so a drape 5 cm short is technically "compliant".
- Asking for certification the facility has not actually decided it needs, or failing to ask for documentation it does need.
- Leaving out reprocessing information, so the supplier cannot advise on fabric and marking.
- No sample stage, or a sample stage without written criteria.
- Not stating the evaluation weightings, so price ends up as the only factor.
Evaluating quotations
A simple scoring approach works for most facilities:
- Check mandatory requirements first. Any quotation that fails a "must" is set aside or clarified.
- Score samples against written criteria with the working group.
- Review documentation for completeness and clarity, especially on what the fabric is tested to.
- Compare commercial terms: price, minimum quantities, lead time including shipping, and reorder arrangements.
- Confirm that the supplier will keep the approved specification on record for repeat orders.
After award, the approved sample and the final specification together form the reference for inspecting deliveries. Our post on OT linen sample approval covers that stage.
Keeping the specification alive after award
A specification is not finished when the contract is signed. Treat it as a controlled document:
- Give it a version number and date, and keep the approved samples with it.
- Record every agreed change, such as a new drape size or an altered fenestration, with the reason and the date it takes effect.
- Ask the theatre team and CSSD each year whether any item is causing problems, and feed that into the next version.
- Use the same document to check incoming deliveries: dimensions, marking, colour and construction against the approved sample.
This keeps reorders consistent even when the people who wrote the original tender have moved on.
Next step
MISHAREN can quote against your written specification for reusable surgeon gowns, plain and fenestrated drapes, trolley and Mayo stand covers and instrument wrapping cloths, with drapes cut to your dimensions and fenestration drawing. What the fabric is tested to is confirmed in the quotation. Send your specification through contact or see the OT gowns and drapes page.