Talking Stick - July/August 2009 - 22

FaCilities want done, and these specifications should be as detailed as possible so that when the institution brings companies to the table they are able to lay out exactly what they want done and to what level they expect it to be done.” This will allow institutions to judge whether or not they are in fact the companies that should be handling the work. These specifications should not only outline the work itself but also the intended interactions with the company. Both Legate and Farmer stress that open meetings need to occur before the contracts are signed, with heavy emphasis on transparency by the company. References need to be checked, and accurate bids need to be presented. According to Legate, “Red flags arise when professional companies are not able to provide specifics such as how much cleaning product and time would be needed for each unit.” Lack of information in these areas may suggest that the company will try to cut corners when actually doing the work. Bidding companies should make multiple visits to the facilities, for this allows them to see what they will be working on and to reassure the institution that they can actually fulfill their commitment for the amounts specified. Once the terms are settled, the agreements can be made and the contracts signed, but that is only the start. One perception of outsourcing is that, once a contract is signed and work begins, minimal contact between the company and the institution is required. This could not be further from the truth. Contact must be maintained so that quality can be assured within the tight timeline that summer provides residence life to get back on its feet. Legate has employees that regularly inspect the different units and complete a pass/fail inspection report. For example, in the apartments, commonly neglected areas such as refrigerator seals and the bottom of stove racks are checked for grease and dirt. These inspections are taken 22 Talking STick very seriously by both Legate and the contracted companies. He notes, “One of the companies will dock an employee the cost of the individual unit cleaning on the first fail grade. The second results in job termination.” Continued connections between companies and institutions are also an integral part of maintaining good communication with outsourced companies. “At minimum,” Farmer says, “there should be quarterly meetings to assess what is happening and what needs to happen.” She also notes, “Education needs to be a constant component of everything that occurs given the nature and mission of residence life.” Outsourced facilities and housekeeping companies can provide useful information on trends that are worrisome and detrimental to the community in order to identify areas in which students might need education on what the policies are and why they are in place. This constant communication and interaction between institution and company ensures consistency in the approach and maintains a focus on the mission of residential life. As challenging and time consuming as outsourcing can be, its success can have a positive impact on the quality and efficiency of institutional operations. When asked to reflect on his success with outsourcing, Legate noted two areas that stand out: “Our two greatest successes regarding outsourcing have occurred with pest control and summer cleaning of our entire residential complex. The success of our pest control program has been through a strict IPM (Integrated Pest Management) program that has virtually eliminated our pest problems. The expertise associated with contracted pest control has allowed us to provide knowledgeable and professional pest technicians along with the most current products and methods of the pest industry. In addition, we are able to have these technicians available for same-day response whenever requested. The response rate coupled with the professional service we receive continues to make our outsourced pest control a value. The summer contract cleaning allows us to keep our fulltime custodial staff to a minimum throughout the year. Through utilizing summer contract cleaning we are able to meet extremely tight schedules to accommodate conference housing and tight turnaround occupancy needs for our students.” He also notes a difference in the need for outsourcing in large and small renovations: “Our larger renovations remain outsourced and typically remain challenging to get contractors to meet our expectations and contract requirements. Our best success with smaller renovations remains to keep these in-house so that we gain the quality and schedule that we need.” Outsourcing any service, whether it be facilities, housekeeping, or others, involves more than passing off responsibility to save some time and money. Professionals spend a great deal of time and energy ensuring that the companies are getting done what they are supposed to get done. Outsourcing is not an easy fix by any stretch of the imagination, but the rewards can be great ones. As Farmer notes, it is an opportunity for institutions to examine how best to provide for their students and at the same time serve other forces, such as bondholders. ts Rob Foreman is the assistant director for conferences at Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey. Will Petrick is a residence coordinator at Seton Hall University. want to Continue tHis DisCussion? 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Talking Stick - July/August 2009

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