How to Manage Facility Maintenance Contracts

Many of us in the business world sort of see contracts as a necessary evil. Yes, we all understand why it’s important to outline the scope of work, time frames, and budgets as well as consequences for failures, but our attorneys seem to make those basic agreements long and complicated. By the time all parties get to the final, agreed-upon contracts with required signatures, everyone is ready to stuff the thing into a file cabinet, never to be seen again.

What is a facility maintenance contract?

A facility maintenance contract is an agreement that outlines the vendor's responsibilities in regards to equipment, machinery, systems, and building maintenance within a facility. The purpose of a facility maintenance agreement is to ensure continual maintenance is performed for optimal performance.

The benefits of maintenance agreements

If your organization uses multiple contractors as part of your comprehensive facilities maintenance program, you may find yourself drowning in reams of paper. Contracts with construction companies, electricians, janitorial services, plumbers, carpenters, and landscapers are all going to be a little different. They will have different agreements and lengths. They will expire at different times and may involve multiple budgets. They will have different exceptions and addendums.

Keeping all that information straight, searchable, and accessible can seem like an impossible task, especially if you’re trying to crank through your daily work orders and emergency repairs at the same time.

How to manage facility maintenance contracts

Although contract or file management software systems are available on the market today, they might not be the best solution for a facility maintenance application. After all, you’ll probably need to refer to a contract when you’re working on a particular maintenance item with a contractor. Trying to log into two software systems and cross-reference will be clumsy and time-consuming.

A better idea is to rely on your computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) to handle all aspects of your facility maintenance data. Be sure your CMMS allows you to upload a variety of files, including facility maintenance contracts.

This will allow you to keep all your contracts in the place where you manage your maintenance tasks. As a result, you’ll have all your maintenance-related information in one spot, which will improve overall organization and reduce your staff’s frustration with locating the right contract when needed.