❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice regarding school cleaning services, comparing in-house vs. contract cleaners, costs, specifications, union representation, and principal involvement in the tender process. The response clarifies government policy, costs, and decision-making processes.
AnsweredQoN 3032Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(b) if no to (a), why not; (c) does it cost more to clean a school with in-house cleaners than contract cleaners; (d) if yes to (c), what is the average cost difference in percentage terms; (e) if yes to (c), is this additional cost borne by the Department of Education and Training; (f) are the cleaning specifications for in-house cleaners different than for outsourced cleaners; (g) if yes to (f), how are they different; (h) is the Australian Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union allowed to send representatives to school meetings regarding school cleaning services; (i) are school communities permitted to have representatives from the organisation representing contract cleaners, the Building Service Contractors Association of Australia, attend meetings regarding school cleaning services; (j) if not, why not; (k) do schools with in-house cleaning have the option of moving to outsourced cleaning services if they desire; (l) if not, why not; and (m) why are school principals not involved in the tender process for selecting outsourced cleaning services?
(c) does it cost more to clean a school with in-house cleaners than contract cleaners; (d) if yes to (c), what is the average cost difference in percentage terms; (e) if yes to (c), is this additional cost borne by the Department of Education and Training; (f) are the cleaning specifications for in-house cleaners different than for outsourced cleaners; (g) if yes to (f), how are they different; (h) is the Australian Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union allowed to send representatives to school meetings regarding school cleaning services; (i) are school communities permitted to have representatives from the organisation representing contract cleaners, the Building Service Contractors Association of Australia, attend meetings regarding school cleaning services; (j) if not, why not; (k) do schools with in-house cleaning have the option of moving to outsourced cleaning services if they desire; (l) if not, why not; and (m) why are school principals not involved in the tender process for selecting outsourced cleaning services?
(d) if yes to (c), what is the average cost difference in percentage terms; (e) if yes to (c), is this additional cost borne by the Department of Education and Training; (f) are the cleaning specifications for in-house cleaners different than for outsourced cleaners; (g) if yes to (f), how are they different; (h) is the Australian Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union allowed to send representatives to school meetings regarding school cleaning services; (i) are school communities permitted to have representatives from the organisation representing contract cleaners, the Building Service Contractors Association of Australia, attend meetings regarding school cleaning services; (j) if not, why not; (k) do schools with in-house cleaning have the option of moving to outsourced cleaning services if they desire; (l) if not, why not; and (m) why are school principals not involved in the tender process for selecting outsourced cleaning services?
(e) if yes to (c), is this additional cost borne by the Department of Education and Training; (f) are the cleaning specifications for in-house cleaners different than for outsourced cleaners; (g) if yes to (f), how are they different; (h) is the Australian Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union allowed to send representatives to school meetings regarding school cleaning services; (i) are school communities permitted to have representatives from the organisation representing contract cleaners, the Building Service Contractors Association of Australia, attend meetings regarding school cleaning services; (j) if not, why not; (k) do schools with in-house cleaning have the option of moving to outsourced cleaning services if they desire; (l) if not, why not; and (m) why are school principals not involved in the tender process for selecting outsourced cleaning services?
(f) are the cleaning specifications for in-house cleaners different than for outsourced cleaners; (g) if yes to (f), how are they different; (h) is the Australian Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union allowed to send representatives to school meetings regarding school cleaning services; (i) are school communities permitted to have representatives from the organisation representing contract cleaners, the Building Service Contractors Association of Australia, attend meetings regarding school cleaning services; (j) if not, why not; (k) do schools with in-house cleaning have the option of moving to outsourced cleaning services if they desire; (l) if not, why not; and (m) why are school principals not involved in the tender process for selecting outsourced cleaning services?
(g) if yes to (f), how are they different; (h) is the Australian Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union allowed to send representatives to school meetings regarding school cleaning services; (i) are school communities permitted to have representatives from the organisation representing contract cleaners, the Building Service Contractors Association of Australia, attend meetings regarding school cleaning services; (j) if not, why not; (k) do schools with in-house cleaning have the option of moving to outsourced cleaning services if they desire; (l) if not, why not; and (m) why are school principals not involved in the tender process for selecting outsourced cleaning services?
(h) is the Australian Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union allowed to send representatives to school meetings regarding school cleaning services; (i) are school communities permitted to have representatives from the organisation representing contract cleaners, the Building Service Contractors Association of Australia, attend meetings regarding school cleaning services; (j) if not, why not; (k) do schools with in-house cleaning have the option of moving to outsourced cleaning services if they desire; (l) if not, why not; and (m) why are school principals not involved in the tender process for selecting outsourced cleaning services?
(i) are school communities permitted to have representatives from the organisation representing contract cleaners, the Building Service Contractors Association of Australia, attend meetings regarding school cleaning services; (j) if not, why not; (k) do schools with in-house cleaning have the option of moving to outsourced cleaning services if they desire; (l) if not, why not; and (m) why are school principals not involved in the tender process for selecting outsourced cleaning services?
(j) if not, why not; (k) do schools with in-house cleaning have the option of moving to outsourced cleaning services if they desire; (l) if not, why not; and (m) why are school principals not involved in the tender process for selecting outsourced cleaning services?
(k) do schools with in-house cleaning have the option of moving to outsourced cleaning services if they desire; (l) if not, why not; and (m) why are school principals not involved in the tender process for selecting outsourced cleaning services?
(l) if not, why not; and (m) why are school principals not involved in the tender process for selecting outsourced cleaning services?
(m) why are school principals not involved in the tender process for selecting outsourced cleaning services?
(c) does it cost more to clean a school with in-house cleaners than contract cleaners; (d) if yes to (c), what is the average cost difference in percentage terms; (e) if yes to (c), is this additional cost borne by the Department of Education and Training; (f) are the cleaning specifications for in-house cleaners different than for outsourced cleaners; (g) if yes to (f), how are they different; (h) is the Australian Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union allowed to send representatives to school meetings regarding school cleaning services; (i) are school communities permitted to have representatives from the organisation representing contract cleaners, the Building Service Contractors Association of Australia, attend meetings regarding school cleaning services; (j) if not, why not; (k) do schools with in-house cleaning have the option of moving to outsourced cleaning services if they desire; (l) if not, why not; and (m) why are school principals not involved in the tender process for selecting outsourced cleaning services?
(d) if yes to (c), what is the average cost difference in percentage terms; (e) if yes to (c), is this additional cost borne by the Department of Education and Training; (f) are the cleaning specifications for in-house cleaners different than for outsourced cleaners; (g) if yes to (f), how are they different; (h) is the Australian Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union allowed to send representatives to school meetings regarding school cleaning services; (i) are school communities permitted to have representatives from the organisation representing contract cleaners, the Building Service Contractors Association of Australia, attend meetings regarding school cleaning services; (j) if not, why not; (k) do schools with in-house cleaning have the option of moving to outsourced cleaning services if they desire; (l) if not, why not; and (m) why are school principals not involved in the tender process for selecting outsourced cleaning services?
(e) if yes to (c), is this additional cost borne by the Department of Education and Training; (f) are the cleaning specifications for in-house cleaners different than for outsourced cleaners; (g) if yes to (f), how are they different; (h) is the Australian Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union allowed to send representatives to school meetings regarding school cleaning services; (i) are school communities permitted to have representatives from the organisation representing contract cleaners, the Building Service Contractors Association of Australia, attend meetings regarding school cleaning services; (j) if not, why not; (k) do schools with in-house cleaning have the option of moving to outsourced cleaning services if they desire; (l) if not, why not; and (m) why are school principals not involved in the tender process for selecting outsourced cleaning services?
(f) are the cleaning specifications for in-house cleaners different than for outsourced cleaners; (g) if yes to (f), how are they different; (h) is the Australian Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union allowed to send representatives to school meetings regarding school cleaning services; (i) are school communities permitted to have representatives from the organisation representing contract cleaners, the Building Service Contractors Association of Australia, attend meetings regarding school cleaning services; (j) if not, why not; (k) do schools with in-house cleaning have the option of moving to outsourced cleaning services if they desire; (l) if not, why not; and (m) why are school principals not involved in the tender process for selecting outsourced cleaning services?
(g) if yes to (f), how are they different; (h) is the Australian Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union allowed to send representatives to school meetings regarding school cleaning services; (i) are school communities permitted to have representatives from the organisation representing contract cleaners, the Building Service Contractors Association of Australia, attend meetings regarding school cleaning services; (j) if not, why not; (k) do schools with in-house cleaning have the option of moving to outsourced cleaning services if they desire; (l) if not, why not; and (m) why are school principals not involved in the tender process for selecting outsourced cleaning services?
(h) is the Australian Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union allowed to send representatives to school meetings regarding school cleaning services; (i) are school communities permitted to have representatives from the organisation representing contract cleaners, the Building Service Contractors Association of Australia, attend meetings regarding school cleaning services; (j) if not, why not; (k) do schools with in-house cleaning have the option of moving to outsourced cleaning services if they desire; (l) if not, why not; and (m) why are school principals not involved in the tender process for selecting outsourced cleaning services?
(i) are school communities permitted to have representatives from the organisation representing contract cleaners, the Building Service Contractors Association of Australia, attend meetings regarding school cleaning services; (j) if not, why not; (k) do schools with in-house cleaning have the option of moving to outsourced cleaning services if they desire; (l) if not, why not; and (m) why are school principals not involved in the tender process for selecting outsourced cleaning services?
(j) if not, why not; (k) do schools with in-house cleaning have the option of moving to outsourced cleaning services if they desire; (l) if not, why not; and (m) why are school principals not involved in the tender process for selecting outsourced cleaning services?
(k) do schools with in-house cleaning have the option of moving to outsourced cleaning services if they desire; (l) if not, why not; and (m) why are school principals not involved in the tender process for selecting outsourced cleaning services?
(l) if not, why not; and (m) why are school principals not involved in the tender process for selecting outsourced cleaning services?
(m) why are school principals not involved in the tender process for selecting outsourced cleaning services?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
18 August 2004
Responded by
Minister for Education and Training
Response time
48 days
(a) No.
(b) It is Government policy that schools that were changed to contract cleaning in the period 1996 to 2000 are given the choice between a day labour cleaning service or continuing with a contracted cleaning service. This choice is to be exercised prior to existing contracts expiring or through termination other means. As new schools do not have an existing cleaning service, or a school community to exercise this choice, they are designated as having a day labour cleaning service.
(c) Yes, the cost of day labour cleaning is generally more than the cost of contract cleaning.
(d) In the last round of tendering for cleaning contracts the average price per contract was 98% of the day labour cost.
(e) Yes.
(f) No, the cleaning specification for day labour cleaning is generally the same as for contract cleaning and the standards of hygiene required are the same for both methods of service delivery.
(g) Not applicable
(h) It is the decision of the school principal.
(i) It is the decision of the school principal.
(j) Not applicable
(k) No.
(l) It is the Government?s position that only schools with a contracted cleaning service will be afforded choice in the method of service delivery for school cleaning.
(m) The Department?s current methodology for evaluating cleaning contract tender submissions was set up by the Department in consultation with the Master Cleaners Guild and the Australian Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union, and complies with the Government?s competitive tendering and contracting policies and guidelines. It is an extremely effective and efficient tool for this purpose and there is no reason for it to be changed.
School principals have been invited to observe the evaluation process, however none have accepted this invitation to date. They do have input into the selection of cleaning contractors through the Quality Monitoring System as the Quality Management System ratings for each contractor are incorporated into the evaluation methodology and can affect the ranking of contractors for each contract.
(b) It is Government policy that schools that were changed to contract cleaning in the period 1996 to 2000 are given the choice between a day labour cleaning service or continuing with a contracted cleaning service. This choice is to be exercised prior to existing contracts expiring or through termination other means. As new schools do not have an existing cleaning service, or a school community to exercise this choice, they are designated as having a day labour cleaning service.
(c) Yes, the cost of day labour cleaning is generally more than the cost of contract cleaning.
(d) In the last round of tendering for cleaning contracts the average price per contract was 98% of the day labour cost.
(e) Yes.
(f) No, the cleaning specification for day labour cleaning is generally the same as for contract cleaning and the standards of hygiene required are the same for both methods of service delivery.
(g) Not applicable
(h) It is the decision of the school principal.
(i) It is the decision of the school principal.
(j) Not applicable
(k) No.
(l) It is the Government?s position that only schools with a contracted cleaning service will be afforded choice in the method of service delivery for school cleaning.
(m) The Department?s current methodology for evaluating cleaning contract tender submissions was set up by the Department in consultation with the Master Cleaners Guild and the Australian Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union, and complies with the Government?s competitive tendering and contracting policies and guidelines. It is an extremely effective and efficient tool for this purpose and there is no reason for it to be changed.
School principals have been invited to observe the evaluation process, however none have accepted this invitation to date. They do have input into the selection of cleaning contractors through the Quality Monitoring System as the Quality Management System ratings for each contractor are incorporated into the evaluation methodology and can affect the ranking of contractors for each contract.
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