ISS has secured a landmark deal with the Australian Department of Defence, signing a six-year contract worth around $71 million annually, with options for extension. The agreement, commencing in the first quarter of 2026, will see ISS deliver integrated facility services across 85 Defence sites in South Australia and Western Australia.
The scope of services is extensive, covering accommodation management, cleaning, catering, laundry and dry cleaning, transport, pest control and fitness centre operations. The program also includes the rollout of digital and operational innovations to improve efficiency, transparency and agility, alongside new initiatives for environmental sustainability.
For Defence, the agreement represents a significant commitment to professionalised facility management across its southern and western estate. For ISS, the contract strengthens its position as a leading service partner to critical national infrastructure.
Focus on people and sustainability
A key feature of the partnership is its social sustainability agenda. ISS has committed to creating opportunities for Indigenous Australians, veterans, Defence families, and local small and medium enterprises. The company will also pursue environmental goals aligned with Defence’s broader sustainability ambitions, embedding digital tools to track and improve outcomes.
“Social sustainability is no longer just a nice-to-have in large service contracts, it’s a core expectation,” says ISS Australia & New Zealand executive general manager Tim Ryerson. “Governments and major clients now look for partners who can create genuine social value, touching lives and strengthening communities, not just delivering operational efficiency. At ISS, we’ve woven this commitment into the fabric of our operations, into our contracts, supply chains and workforce strategies.”
Stuart Rose, CEO of ISS Australia & New Zealand, described the deal as an important milestone for the company.
“Our focus will be on delivering high-quality services that create safe, secure and well-maintained living, working and training environments,” Rose said in a statement. “That allows personnel to concentrate fully on their mission of protecting Australia and its national interests. With global expertise and strong local connections, ISS is proud to serve those who serve – helping sustain the Defence estate today and strengthen it for the future.”
Defence sector momentum
The contract builds on ISS’s long-standing track record of supporting complex, large-scale clients. The agreement highlights the increasing role of integrated service providers in ensuring essential infrastructure runs smoothly, particularly in high-stakes environments like Defence.
“This contract shows that integrated facility services are now seen as a critical enabler of Defence capability,” says Ryerson. “Catering, cleaning, accommodation and transport directly affect how Defence personnel live, train and perform. ISS Placemakers are mission critical in supporting Defence to retain and recruit their people by providing the food, cleaning and living services that underpin daily life and strengthen wellbeing.”
Ryerson also emphasised the company’s digital transformation agenda. “Digital innovation is at the heart of ISS’ service delivery model,” he says. “We’re moving from reactive tasks into proactive, data-driven solutions, delivering predictive cleaning schedules, real-time workforce deployment, and digitally enabled customer interactions. For large, complex operations, this allows us to scale with demand and deliver highly responsive, transparent and optimised services.”
For the cleaning and hygiene industry, the deal reinforces how comprehensive facility management is becoming central to large-scale contracts. Cleaning sits at the core of the package, but it is delivered in concert with catering, logistics and accommodation management, reflecting a trend towards bundled, technology-enabled solutions.
As the partnership takes shape in 2026, ISS will be tasked not only with delivering day-to-day operations across 85 sites but also with embedding long-term improvements in sustainability, efficiency and community impact.
