Schools save time and money with DfE cleaning frameworks
How the DfE framework delivered savings for Exmouth Community College.
Exmouth Community College
The college needed to procure a new cleaning contract across two large sites.
They worked with the DfE to navigate an OJEU tender process and procure a new cleaning contract. The procurement consultant worked with the premises manager to create bespoke evaluation criteria to source the best possible provision, in terms of quality and value for money.
“The support was invaluable at a time when I was responsible for getting the site ready for reopening after the initial coronavirus COVID-19 lockdown. The process was straightforward and required significantly less time than I expected. I had a lead contact that I worked with who was always available, took time to ensure that each step was clear and prompted me to ensure that my target timeline was achieved. This is a service I recommend and I shall use it again in the future.”
Scott Fry, Premises Manager, Exmouth Community College
The new contract delivers a significant saving of £31,199 in year one and £89,888 over the full contract term compared with the incumbent supplier. There is no reduction in staff hours and site staff received pay rises in excess of 15% at the contract start with additional increases budgeted throughout the contract term.
Additional benefits include transparent pricing, use of client proposed monthly KPIs (not supplier proposed) and outsourcing of pension risks. Also the premises manager is now more familiar with the procurement process and feels confident in managing the contract.
Sherburn, Tadcaster and Rural (STAR) multi-academy trust
STAR multi-academy trust contains 11 schools and is located in Tadcaster. The existing cleaning contract was due for renewal and the Trust knew this would be a complex and high value contract to procure. They were also keen to secure a framework that would retain the current supplier.
Having looked at various sources, a proposal was put together for all frameworks and put before the Trust board for consideration. Having chosen to use the DfE approved YPO framework, a contact was immediately provided to support the Trust’s operations and compliance manager, Louise Northrop-Clay, through the tender process.
“I’ve not used a framework before and struggled to understand how it worked. From the start YPO were very open and friendly. To have this support behind the scenes was excellent.”
Louise Northrop-Clay, operations and compliance manager
Louise worked with YPO to create a competition document that encompassed the compliant terms and conditions of the framework, but also included additional questions to understand who the provider would be and meet the bespoke requirements for the school. Meetings were set up providing the opportunity to ask questions and see what the providers were like in order to ensure a more rounded tender, personalised to the school.
“Frameworks are there to give that confidence and know that due diligence has been done. Being able to use further competition to adjust it to meet our specific needs was an added advantage. A school buyer can feel isolated and the DfE webinars are great little lifelines and so useful.”
Louise Northrop-Clay, operations and compliance manager
The new contract commenced 1 April 2021 and though it is more expensive than the previous one it is demonstrating added value. The company is local, listens to what people say and support is there for the staff. Cleaners are an extremely important part of the school and have a big impact on how the school functions and how it is perceived.
Brigantia Trust
The Trust was keen to consolidate the cleaning contract across their five schools. They chose the DfE approved YPO framework. A £1.2 million three-year contract with the option to extend for one year was procured.
“The support throughout the tender process was invaluable at what was an extremely busy time for a small trust.”
Simon Cornelius, senior operations officer, Brigantia Trust
The trust felt that the time saved by a number of staff across all sites was invaluable, as freeing up time for core staff was one of the biggest reasons to outsource. They felt that working with YPO and the support they offered ensured a specification and ultimately a contract that fully met the needs of the Trust.
You can access all of the DfE-approved frameworks at:
If you have any questions, you can contact the Schools Commercial Team.