EFCI and UNI Europa launch Selecting Best Value guide

27th of June 2017
EFCI and UNI Europa launch Selecting Best Value guide

Contract cleaning associations, clients and trade unions from around Europe gathered in Brussels recently for the launch of Selecting Best Value, a guide for private and public organisations awarding contracts for public services.

The guide was developed by contract cleaning umbrella organisation the European Federation of Cleaning Industries (EFCI) and UNI Europa, the umbrella body for trade unions, with the financial support of the European Commission. Its aim - to assist buyers in their tendering process by highlighting the benefits of choosing quality services.

“As it has been co-drafted by the European social partners in the cleaning services industry,” said EFCI and UNI Europa at the launch, “the guide offers a unique approach to selecting best value reflecting the experience of the cleaning sector. For the same reason, it suggests that the cleaning services industry should be seen as a partner in the process of procuring services.”

The guide covers all aspects of tendering cleaning services:
• Defining the buyers and their premises’ needs, and what a quality service would look like for them
• Drawing up a procurement procedure where these quality elements are reflected
• Comparing tender submissions through a practical tool developed as part of the guide, whereby different bids can be evaluated against the originally selected quality criteria
• Evaluating bids using the selected quality criteria, and selection of the bid with the highest quality.

There is a tool aimed at assisting buyers in defining their needs for cleaning services, along with a framework for allocating values/scores to different criteria of importance to the buyer.

After values are allocated to the different criteria, the tool allows for applying weightings according to the buyer’s own estimation. So the buyer can set the balance between quality and price elements.

Monitor contractors

Andreas Lill of EFCI added: “The guide can also be used as a tool to control whether contractors are fulfilling their obligations throughout the duration of the contract. For example, it would allow the buyer to check that contractors keep to their commitments in terms of recruitment procedures, quality assurance and training.”

Selecting Best Value is broken down into four sections - Why Opt for Best Value; Understanding the European Legislation for Public Tendering and Recommendations for the Social Partners; Achieving Best Value for Your Cleaning Services; and Evaluation Guidelines and Interactive Tool.

Positive reputation

The guide emphasises to buyers that buying quality professional services allows them not only to fulfil their legal obligations to ensure the health, safety and hygiene of their premises but also to preserve their facilities at a level that would minimise maintenance needs. “Working with well-respected cleaning companies also contributes to the positive reputation of the buyer,” it says.

The consequences of selecting lowest bid instead of best value are twofold: unfair competition is created among employers which can contribute to adverse conditions for cleaners. The lowest bidders may not be respecting wage legislation, social contributions or tax obligations. Collective agreements and national labour laws must always be considered.

Cleaning companies, trade unions and buyers attending the Brussels launch welcomed the document as a useful tool. However it is seen as very much a first step in that this is a tool which all stakeholders now must learn how to use. So the question was raised as to how the guide will now be marketed and EFCI urged its member associations and trade unions to become engaged at a local level in promoting it to clients, through service providers.

One other concern raised was the guide may be too complex for many buyers, who are simply not deeply involved enough with the detail of their cleaning service to read it thoroughly. Clients may prefer a shorter, more simplified version.

Eddy Stam of UNI emphasised: “What we have here is a document agreed upon by both trade unions and employers and that is a huge achievement in itself. Now we must continue to work together in promoting it.”

EFCI’s Andreas Lill concluded: “It’s our job now to convince purchasers it’s a good idea for them to incorporate this guide into their organisations - that it is actually in their interests.”

Selecting Best Value can be downloaded at www.cleaningbestvalue.eu

 

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