Summary

Pickwick Academy Trust, a multi-academy trust operating schools across Wiltshire and surrounding counties, appointed Assetproc to lead the procurement of a new Trust-wide cleaning contract.

Faced with inconsistent service levels, fragmented suppliers, and rising costs, the Trust sought a single, high-quality provider through a compliant and competitive tender process. Within three months, a new contract was awarded that improved service quality and delivered over £47,000 in annual savings across seven schools.

“Assetproc’s knowledge and structure brought confidence to our process. The results speak for themselves — outstanding support.”

Trust Business Director, Pickwick Academy Trust

Advice

Prior to engaging Assetproc, each school within the Trust managed its own cleaning contract. This resulted in inconsistent standards, varied costs, and operational inefficiencies. Assetproc proposed a Trust-wide cleaning procurement strategy and delivered it in full. The following steps were taken:

• Reviewing cleaning specifications at each site
  Assetproc visited each of the seven schools to assess their existing cleaning arrangements, reviewing current specifications, cleaning schedules, and standards. This included identifying key cleaning areas (e.g. classrooms, halls, toilets, kitchens) and discussing pain points with school leaders and site staff.
• Gathering and analysing site-level cost data and staffing hours
  Assetproc collected historic data including cleaning costs, staffing hours, shift patterns, and contractor performance at each site. This information was standardised and used to benchmark current spend and to identify inefficiencies — such as underutilised hours or duplicated overheads across contracts.
• Drafting new harmonised service specifications
  A Trust-wide specification was created, reflecting the shared requirements of all schools while allowing for minor site-level customisation. This included daily, weekly, and termly cleaning tasks; safeguarding considerations; consumable supplies; and enhanced COVID-related protocols. Specifications were written to allow fair competition and clear performance measurement.
• Managing a two-stage tender under public procurement regulations
  Assetproc recommended a two-stage Restricted Procedure due to the value and scope of the contract. The first stage (Selection Questionnaire) ensured only qualified and experienced cleaning providers advanced to the tender stage. The second stage (Invitation to Tender) involved a detailed response, including pricing, quality proposals, and mobilisation plans.
• Running bidder clarifications and site visits
  Assetproc coordinated all communication with bidders, responding to clarification questions, issuing formal updates, and managing site visits to all seven schools. This allowed bidders to fully understand the layout, access arrangements, and key priorities of each site — leading to more accurate and competitive bids.
• Providing detailed evaluation summaries to the Trust
  All tenders were evaluated independently against published criteria. Assetproc compiled a weighted scoring matrix covering cost, service quality, staffing structure, and mobilisation planning. Results were shared with the Trust leadership team along with recommendations and risk assessments. This enabled an informed, evidence-based decision.
• Drafting and negotiating new Terms & Conditions
  Assetproc provided a set of Trust-specific contract terms to ensure clarity on service expectations, performance monitoring, TUPE, termination, and escalation procedures. Legal advice was integrated into the final version, and Assetproc supported the Trust in responding to contractor queries and finalising the agreement.

“The level of detail Assetproc provided throughout this process gave us full confidence at every step. We knew exactly what we were getting, and we’re now seeing the benefits across all our schools.”

Facilities Lead, Pickwick Academy Trust

Effects  

The impact of the new Trust-wide cleaning contract was immediate and measurable:

• £47,280 in annual savings compared to the combined previous contracts

• 10% improvement in average site audit scores within the first term

• Standardised cleaning hours and staffing levels based on site needs

• Consolidated contract management reduced admin time by 40%

• TUPE support ensured smooth staff transfer and no service disruption

• Increased supplier accountability through single point of contact and Trust-level KPIs

The Trust also benefitted from more efficient ordering of consumables, centralised performance reporting, and aligned cleaning schedules to term time and event requirements.

“We now have a clean, consistent, and accountable service across all schools — and clear savings.”

Headteacher, Pickwick Academy Trust