WA-based Office Cleaning Experts and Indigenous Managed Services have won a five-year cleaning contract with the City of Mandurah – the first to be awarded under the council’s new procurement policy.

The tender for the provision of cleaning services includes all office buildings, recreation centres, community facilities and halls for five years with optional extensions based on performance, potentially making it a nine-year contract.

The cleaning contract has been dubbed the first example of Mandurah’s new local procurement policy at work, introduced in late 2018.

The city’s ‘Buy Local Policy’, announced in August 2018, is intended to increase the local preference for the procurement of goods and services.

Under the policy, businesses must be located within Mandurah and the shires of Murray, Boddington, Serpentine-Jarrahdale and Waroona to benefit.

Businesses also must have been located within Mandurah or the Peel region for at least six months prior to the closing date of the procurement.

Under the new policy, given quality and service provided by competitors is the same, local businesses could be up to 10 per cent more expensive and still win the contract.

Mandurah Mayor Rhys Williams said the initiative is only one among many that this council is implementing that support local business.

“By including specific criteria in the tender process that rewards the engagement of local job seekers, we have ensured that the preferred providers will be creating opportunities in our community for those who may otherwise have missed out on the opportunity to access employment,” he said.

The contract for cleaning services at the City of Mandurah was advertised in all major media in October 2018, with 18 submissions received from Mandurah, Perth, South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales.

“The history books aren’t likely to highlight the approval of a cleaning contract, but this is us demonstrating our commitment to doing things differently to create economic opportunities for Mandurah locals,” said Williams.

“Providing someone with a job is one of the best things we can do for an individual and I couldn’t be prouder of our team and all of those involved in finding a way within the sometimes tedious tender regulations, to make a difference to people’s lives.

“We’ve also been able to award this contract to a local business, further ensuring that rate payers funds stay within our local economy.”

It also introduced preferences for those who demonstrate a commitment to achieving strategies related to inclusiveness.

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