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A clean sweep at Brunel University
Brunel University in Uxbridge, west London, has awarded a contract to OCS to provide a range of housekeeping and environmental services, enhancing the student experience across the university’s buildings and estates. OCS will work with the university to increase service quality and efficiencies over the length of the contract - initially three years with a potential two year extension.
David McAuley, Brunel University’s support services manager, said: “We have invested £300 million in redeveloping the campus over the last few years, with many new and refurbished facilities and more green spaces outside. We look to OCS to help us to ensure that our university buildings and estates are truly world-class.”
Andrew Mortimer, client services director for OCS, said: “The recent ‘Energy and Effectiveness in Higher Education’ report by Universities UK highlights improved service quality and increased efficiencies that can be gained from outsourcing. We believe that we have the experience and expertise to deliver this through a successful long-term partnership with Brunel University.”
www.ocs.co.uk
Scottish housing association contract awarded
Ayrshire-based cleaning and security service provider Sercon Support Services Ltd, has beaten off stiff competition to be awarded a cleaning services contract with Hanover (Scotland) Housing Association. Hanover currently manages homes for more than 5000 residents throughout Scotland, offering the choice of rented, shared ownership, shared equity, and fully owned housing.
The contract win will see Sercon provide office cleaning services to Hanover’s head office in Edinburgh, which houses up to 100 staff and includes HQ departments, east area office, telecare centre and the McDonald Rooms conference centre, which caters for internal and external events.
Sercon’s MD, Lorraine Stevely, said: “We’re delighted to win the contract with Hanover, and look forward to working with them and building on this new partnership. This contract further strengthens our existing portfolio of office cleaning, close cleaning and deep cleans which we currently provide to a number of housing associations across the central belt.”
Janet McGrouther, Hanover’s procurement and facilities manager, said: “Sercon secured the contract after successfully taking part in a competitive tender process, and commenced in early December 2011. There was substantial interest in this tender exercise and Sercon’s bid was the strongest in all areas, in particular demonstrating quality of service and communication with client and internally with their own staff.”
Stevely added: “2011 proved to be a significant year for the company, from our first ever local authority win following an intensive ‘tender ready’ project supported by the Supplier Development Programme and North Ayrshire Council Economic Business Development team to our recent award win at the Ayrshire Business Awards for Excellence in Customer Service. This new contract award is an ideal way to celebrate the end to an exciting year for Sercon.”
www.serconltd.co.uk
Contract awarded at Cannon Place
Principle Cleaning has gained another notable client in an impressive new central London building. Cannon Place is situated in the heart of the City within close proximity to the Bank of England, the Royal Exchange and St Paul's Cathedral. The office building above Cannon Street is conceived as a smooth skinned bubble with part spherical corners and Principle Cleaning is delighted to be working with international client Capita Symonds, based there.
Capita Symonds is one of the UK’s largest multi-faceted consultancies, delivering design, infrastructure, real estate and outsourcing solutions on a local, national and international scale. It is a wholly- owned division of The Capita Group plc, a FTSE 100 member and a leading provider of integrated professional support service solutions.
Capita Symonds employs nearly 1000 people across London and its location at Cannon Place in Cannon Street is huge at over 386,130 sq ft. Cannon Place offers simple, flexible and adaptable space for the modern business and Principle Cleaning is providing five housekeepers to undertake cleaning in the common parts, daily cleaning, hygiene, pest control and dust mats, waste management and window cleaning. The contract is for a three year term.
www.principlecleaning.com
‘Revolutionising’ local authority outsourcing
MITIE Group plc has signed a 10-year contract with Essex County Council. The company will work with the council to deliver a ‘transformational outsourcing contract’ which includes facilities and property management as well as energy services. MITIE will be working in partnership with Lambert Smith Hampton to provide estate management services to the council, including strategic asset management and new ways of working that deliver sustainable improvements for Essex.
Under the new contract MITIE will employ more than 500 people to service over 350 sites including Essex County Hall, offices, libraries, community centres and depots covering 145,000 square metres.
MITIE’s integrated delivery model will self-deliver a wide range of services across the council’s portfolio including maintenance, cleaning, security, catering, waste management and mail & distribution services.
With a base contract value of £8 million per annum and up to £2 million additional project works to be undertaken each year, the total value over the period will range from £80 to £100 million. Essex and MITIE will also be working with Improvement East (a partnership of authorities in the East of England) to identify wider efficiency savings and improved service outcomes for Improvement East partners.
Essex County Council awarded MITIE the contract because of its strategic, efficient and sustainable service model that will deliver significant savings on the current cost of service delivery. MITIE’s technology platform, MiWorld, will provide the council with a business intelligence solution that integrates its management information across the estate and MITIE’s sustainable solution includes guaranteed reductions in energy consumption within three years. MITIE is also fully committed to investing in the development of Essex by employing apprentices and ensuring at least 25% of sub-contracted work is placed with local SMEs.
Ruby McGregor-Smith, chief executive of MITIE, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for MITIE to deliver a transformational outsourcing offering to one of the UK’s most visionary local authorities. We are delighted to be working with Essex County Council and are looking forward to developing this relationship over the long- term.”
County councillor, Derrick Louis, cabinet member for procurement, property and major schemes, said: “I am looking forward to working with MITIE in order to provide this essential service. This partnership will enable Essex County Council to make property and facilities management more efficient, support the local economy and save money for Essex taxpayers.”
www.mitie.com
A first class delivery
There was certainly no five-year itch at Royal Mail when deciding its future business partner to supply all 1600 UK sites with janitorial and washroom products. Jangro, the network of independent janitorial supplies companies with over 40 UK outlets, has been re-appointed. It has provided Royal Mail with over 300 different cleaning and maintenance product lines since 2006.
Royal Mail is one of the key accounts in Jangro’s growing portfolio of national contracts. The contract focuses on a core list of everyday products and equipment, specially chosen by Royal Mail from Jangro’s 3500 stock items, in its162-page full colour catalogue.
Part of the appeal for many national accounts has to be the support material available via the Jangro Training Solution. This includes instructional wall charts, pictorial usage guides on all Jangro chemicals, and expert technical backup. The latest addition is a full training DVD covering 10 cleaning and health & safety disciplines, which is complemented by a series of guides.
Jo Gilliard, operations director at Jangro, said: “This is a real vote of confidence in our pricing, products and people. Royal Mail is a service provider and we at Jangro know all about service - indeed it is that very level of service that has seen us retain this very high profile account. I am confident that the next five years will be equally successful for us both.”
www.jangro.net
Helping the International Aid Trust to stock up
OCS has supported the International Aid Trust’s work with disadvantaged people in the UK and overseas by donating a consignment of surplus hygiene consumables to the charity. The stock of hand gel, hand wipes and surface wipes were transported by OCS to International Aid’s distribution centre in Lancashire.
“We are delighted that International Aid will be able to make good use of the hygiene products,” said Adrian Shuker, sustainability director for OCS. “OCS is a privately owned company with over 110 years of trading. During this time, the family values of five generations have underpinned a culture of corporate responsibility which has been supported strongly by our staff.”
Bernard Cocker, CEO and founder of International Aid Trust, said: “Support such as this allows us to carry out our work with many thousands of people in over 40 countries. Today, every kind of donation is precious, no matter how big or small, and we do our utmost to make every penny count.”
www.ocs.co.uk
