What goods/services does this include?

Cleaning and caretaking; grounds maintenance and improvement; buildings maintenance and improvement; water and sewerage.

Where should I buy from?

Check with your local authority or public buying organisations to see if they can provide any of these services through a traded services framework.  The associated resources section contains a link to the government procurement service, which has a framework agreement for facilities management (not including water).

Useful information

  • Collaborate with other schools to get better deals. Damson Wood Infant School saved £1000 per year on grounds maintenance after teaming up with eight primary and secondary schools in the West Midlands to negotiate contracts with four suppliers, three of whom were local.
  • Water provision is a monopoly, so look at how you might reduce water consumption (see associated resources).
  • Cleaning is a competitive market, so if you do your research and precisely plan your requirements you should find a supplier to meet your requirements. Compare local suppliers to your local authority, and collaborate with other schools – the increase in business will drive prices down. 
  •  Bundle all of your maintenance requirements together and use output-based contracting.