TM 5-608 Contracting for Custodial Services at Army Facilities other than Medical and Industrial Facilities

GENERAL 1-1. Purpose. This manual is a guide and basic 1-4.1.2. Because of the difficulty in defining levels reference for facility engineers and other personnel of cleanliness, Governmental cleaning contract spe-engaged in the preparation of contract documents cifications have often been ambiguous. The am-and the administration of custodial services biguities have resulted in misunderstandings by obtained by contract. It covers the preparation of bidders as to the desires of the government. As a special conditions, technical specifications, and bid result, bids based on the same set of specifications schedules; and it defines some of the specific ASPR often vary widely. In fact, the accepted bid is some clauses which should be included in the general times so low that it is physically and financially provisions of the custodial services contract. Addi-impossible for the contractor to achieve the results tionally, it covers policies and procedures concern-desired by the Government. ing the monitoring and administration of the special conditions, technical specifications, and bid 1-4.1.3. The difficulty in measuring and defining schedules by facility engineering personnel and cleanliness has led to instances in which the Gov-concerning soil reduction and improvement in ernment has accepted performance by the Con-maintainability of facilities. tractor which neither complied with the required 1-2. Applicability. The material contained herein is applicable to all Army facilities other than 1-4.1.4. Because of these problems and the tend-medical and industrial facilities. ency of individuals to include their personal con-1-3. Responsibility. The facility engineer has the cleaning specifications, such specifications have responsibility of preparing the special conditions, become more detailed, more complex, often un-technical specifications, and bid schedules for con-necessarily stringent, and always difficult to ad-tracting custodial services and for monitoring the minister. performance of the contractor with regard to these sections. Additionally, the facility engineer has the responsibility for reducing the soiling and improving the maintainability of facilities whenever practical. 1-4.1.1. A specific level of cleanliness is extremely difficult to define and is even more difficult to measure. A system to measure levels of cleanliness would have to include measurements of such parameters as loose, tangible soil—such as litter or grit; other visible soil-such as stains and discolorations; the presence and intensity of obnoxious odors; counts and growth rates of bacteria; the specific locations of soil (chewing gum or cigarette butts left in a water fountain would certainly detract from the cleanliness more than if such items were left in an ashtray); …