Which standard specifies TSPEC to provide the management link between higher QoS protocols and the channel access function?

IEEE 802.11e introduced the Hybrid Coordination Function (HCF) and defined TSPEC as the signaling construct allowing stations to negotiate traffic parameters - such as minimum data rate, delay bounds, and burst size - with the access point. TSPEC serves as the management bridge between application-layer QoS requirements and the MAC-layer EDCA and HCCA channel access mechanisms defined in the same amendment.

802.11a defines the 5 GHz OFDM physical layer specification and contains no QoS or traffic specification mechanisms.

802.11ac defines very high throughput (VHT) PHY operation in the 5 GHz band and does not define TSPEC or the QoS management framework.

802.11af defines operation in TV white space (TVWS) spectrum for long-range applications and has no relationship to TSPEC or QoS channel access management.