Cleaning

Determining the school’s budget

Before going to market, the school must establish a cleaning budget. The SRP allocation will inform deliberation of a budget, as will the scope of cleaning and the area to be cleaned. Once a budget is determined, schools can estimate the total cost of the contract which will then determine the appropriate market approach.

Considerations for schools to determine a budget include:

• the SRP contract cleaning funding
• the size, location and use of areas that need to be cleaned. For example:
  • location – high-use areas or areas that get more soiled may need to be cleaned more often or more frequently than other areas. These areas may need thorough cleans, whereas other areas may only need spot cleans
  • size – using the data from the CAR, schools can estimate how many hours of cleaning they might need per week, using a production rate of 300 to 350 square meters per hour as a ‘rule of thumb’ for the cleaning of public spaces
  • use – certain areas that are used for specific purposes such as toilets, kitchens, eating areas and sick bays might need to be prioritised or cleaned more frequently, such as daily during school term, to maintain health and safety. Schools can also consider the user of the space, for example, if a staff member or student has a health care need that would necessitate cleaning to a higher frequency or standard in particular areas. Where the school’s facilities are also used outside of school hours by another community user, the school can take into account the appropriate contribution for cleaning costs from any hire and licence or joint use agreement. Community activities may increase cleaning demands and cause wear and tear on the facility. For more information see the Community Use of Schools – Hiring and Licensing policy
• the suitability and cost of the existing cleaning schedule.

Once a budget has been determined, it is recommended that schools keep this information confidential to help attract competitive quotes from service providers.

Cleaning service providers may have different pricing models compared to other service providers schools may be familiar with. Factors such as service levels, cleaning frequency, and profit margins can influence the fee structure.