Page 11 - March 2018 The Scoop DDS Newsletter

Keeping it Clean

Janitorial services, just like landscaping and
pest control, are necessary for the healthy,
safe, and productive operation of our centers
across the State. Our janitorial service
companies are responsible for many tasks
across a wide range of environments, and the
job can be very demanding. Sometimes,
however, services may not be completed in a
manner we find acceptable. Well, as difficult
and frustrating as these situations can be,
don’t fret; let’s apply a few simple guidelines
to try to head-off small issues before they
become major ones!

1. Open Communication – The janitorial Statement of Work (SOW) mandates that vendors speak with center managers
or designees at least once a month. The meeting may be by telephone or in person, but if your vendor is not providing
this service, contact your vendor management directly and insist upon a scheduled conversation. If you are unable to
speak with a manager or supervisor, let us know at headquarters, and we’ll step in, if necessary. Don’t forget to get
contact information for your cleaner(s) so you can call them in an emergency, such as a severe weather event or center
closure. They will appreciate it!

2. Maintain Good Records - The janitorial sign-in sheet is a necessity to ensure that only authorized personnel are
entering the facility, are used to verify attendance for payment purposes, and help you in monitoring janitorial
performance. It’s important to remind your cleaners that they must sign in each day they clean, and under no
circumstances should their access cards be used by someone else. All vendor employees are run through DDS
background and only those who pass are authorized entrance into one of our facilities. Of course, they are all familiar
with the requirements, but the reminder from DDS personnel will serve as reinforcement. You may also leave quick
notes on your sign-in sheet so the cleaner will see them when signing in. Secondly, is also very important for center
management to complete the daily cleaning checklist in the DDS Janitorial Database on the intranet. The DDS
Procurement team monitors these checklists closely to identify performance issues. It’s very difficult to terminate a
contract for deficient performance if there is no documentation to back-up our complaints. On many occasions, HQ
was unaware of problems because we did not have completed checklists to review and we were not told. This tool
allows us to run reports and show vendor management where their deficiencies lie. If you’re unsure how to use this
tool, or need to enroll a user, contact anyone in the DDS Procurement Staff.

3. Scope of Work - Remember that there are some things that our janitorial vendors are not required to do.
• Clean electronics or clean in areas where cords are run (computer equipment areas).
• Empty or clean microwaves or refrigerators, nor do they clean sinks or counters that contain dirty dishes.
• Windows are also not part of our standard service agreements (except for interior glass partitions and exit
doorways). Should this type of service be required, let us know and we will obtain individual bids for those
services. If you do not already have a copy of the scope of work document, you can contact the DDS
Procurement Department at 678-413-8833, and we will be happy to provide.

We can all do our part to make our environments more pleasant for each other if we simply pick up after
ourselves. Applying these simple guidelines will result in better service and fewer problems with your janitorial
services.