The Construction Specification Institute and the MasterFormat Expansion Task Team released an outline version of Draft 4 for public comment. This newest draft has abandoned the “grouping concept” of Draft 3 and reinstates the basic core structure of Divisions 0-14 that have historically been a part of MasterFormat.

Added to these were three series of divisions covering Facility Services, Infrastructure and Process Construction, and numbered in the 20s, 30s and 40s, respectively. The former Division 15 would become Mechanical Division 21 in the new Facility Services grouping. The six-digit paired numbering system that was implemented in Draft 3 remains. This system dramatically increases the number of slots available to specifiers and other users at each level of classification, where room is most needed.

“While (Draft 3) was forward-thinking, it also served to alienate many long-term users,” wrote MasterFormat Expansion Task Team Chair Dennis J. Hall in the draft’s introduction. “This resulted in a significant amount of negative commentary on Draft 3, commentary that the task team took into their meeting to formulate the direction and contents of Draft 4.

“Since the task team recognized that their primary duty was to serve the industry, they decided to reconsider the decisions taken for Draft 3 in light of this commentary, and configure Draft 4’s top-level arrangement so that it conformed more closely to the way MasterFormat has been organized over the course of its 40-year history.”

The detailed draft is to be published in late August, with the comment period closing on Nov. 7, 2003. The final draft is to be completed by the end of the year, with the revised MasterFormat to be published and for sale by fall 2004.