At the University of Sussex, the FM services company Interserve is its preferred bidder for facilities management services. This follows a detailed procurement process that began in May 2012. The new partner will take up full operational responsibility on campus from 1 January 2014.
The university says that it aims to bring about a significant improvement in services, create a single coherent contract in place of the mix of in-house and external contracts; and bring in a partner to deliver as the university grows.
Services delivered will include security, cleaning, grounds maintenance, buildings management, portering, mailroom and postal services, car parking, waste management, health and safety support, estates project management and energy efficiency.
John Duffy, University of Sussex Registrar and Secretary, said: “We are looking to a long-term development with Interserve, which will ensure that we are making best use of new technology, best-in-class systems and standards. The extensive dialogue process has meant that Interserve understands the University’s needs and our values. I know they will help us to retain and enhance our unique Sussex campus ethos. We are now looking forward to a smooth transfer of services in January so that our students, staff and visitors can start to enjoy the benefits of this new partnership.”