A Guide to Establishing a Custodial
Services Contract
Commit to Process – It is essential for an effective
analysis and implementation that the school commits the time, resources and
leadership to the RFP process.
- Planning – Give adequate time to all parties
- Address Tough Questions Now
- Current Employees – what is their status? Do you
want us to hire them or not?
- What are appropriate transition times?
- Bidders – are you pre-qualifying them? Post
qualifying them?
- Expectations - What does the contractor need to be
successful?
- Detailed Floor Plans by floor surface
- Specifications (What you want done)
- Thorough Site Reviews (Mandate these)
- Clear objective answers to contractor questions
(yes or no)
- Event Schedules, Game Schedules
- Department Expectations
- Special Needs (day or cafeteria assistance for
instance)
- Contract language
Transitions can be made effectively if we establish clear
and precise parameters.
Establish Internal Key members
It is critical for the school district to have in place a
District Facilities Manager that will remain in the system long
term. We also recommend that the financial officer also take a lead role in the
long term plan. It is one thing to achieve significant cost reductions. It’s
quite another to maintain them. Ensuring your contractor’s success takes
work. Do NOT underestimate this Point.
The DFM is your gatekeeper.
- Ensures specifications are met
- Serves as Internal advocate for the Contractor
- Maintains or appropriately adjusts contract agreement
- Analyzes all communications
Define Core Services – Establish Specifications that
meet the core needs of the facilities
Adding on non-core activities is not productive. Keep core
activities to core competencies. You have a DFM to control such activities.
Specifications need to be precise, achievable and
measurable.
With the savings projected, you can have work achieved that
currently may be going unfulfilled due to current labor constraints (i.e. tile,
carpet, window cleaning.) An efficient program will produce better quality and
increased quantity.
Mandate Minimum Employee Standards – This will ensure
that a thorough and extensive background check has been made to set the basis
for appropriate individuals at your facilities.
- Social Security Checks, without this, the criminal
background can be invalid
- State or Federal Background Checks annually
- Initial, annual and random drug screening
A professional contractor will already provide for these
contingencies.
Require Employee Enhancement Programs
- Contractors must be required to provide extensive
initial training commensurate with the environment. Training for contact
with the public, with students, for events, etc.
- Training and motivation programs are a continuous
process
- Get involved, our employees need to receive positive
feedback from our clients.
Establish Communications Network
Schools have significant
communication needs; set ups, events, special projects, etc.
- Specifications should require the contractor to
provide an e mail system that can be accessed by school key contacts Monday
– Friday.
- Contractors should be expected to provide 2 way
communication devices (Nextel’s are best of class) for pop up issues, and
emergency communication, 24 hours/day, 7 days/week.
- Contractors are the security and maintenance
gatekeepers for the facilities; we need to have easy access to the School’s
representative off hours.
Make a Long Term Commitment
You are asking for a contractor and its employees to make a
commitment to you for the long term. Be prepared to reciprocate. Contract
length of three years should be a minimum standard with optional renewal
periods.
Establish Fixed Cost Based Contracts
By establishing measurable specifications, a fixed cost can
easily be provided.
- Minimize or eliminate all references to, “as needed,”
“when possible,” or “due to funding,” etc.
- Budgeting should mirror the contract duration, i.e.
three year contract, fixed cost for three years.
- Outline what you expect to be additional billing;
Construction, Weekend Emergency Staffing, etc.
- Define major events or unusual facility usage such as
summer festivals, third party rentals or large events.
- Establish payment schedules. Net 30 days? Net 45
days?
Eliminate Punitive Clauses
Threats and or subsequent minor deductions to a
contractor’s billing don’t work as an incentive.
- A quality contractor will more than make up for a
mistake in subsequent service. That’s important in maintaining a solid
relationship with the customer.
- Even with the best of planning, over sights by both
parties will happen. Don’t underestimate the give and take in this
relationship.
- Long term contracts are meaningful to us; potential
loss of the contract has much greater weight than any punitive clause.
- Punitive clauses are time consuming and often cost
more to administrate than produce actual positive results.
- How about an opportunity for an incentive program for
a job well done? Connect this with surveys or individual customer
satisfaction reports. These can be established as direct pass through to
the employees from the client.
If you have any additional questions or would like
additional information, please feel free to contact me - Rex Kuhn, Grand
Rapids Building Services, Inc.
rkuhn@grbsinc.com, 1-800-441-4463
