The airport professional's source for airport industry news, articles, events, and careers.
Issue link: http://airportbusiness.epubxp.com/i/618921
FACILITY MAINTENANCE 24 airportbusiness December 2015/January 2016 At this point, the airport puts their needs out to bid and the vendors who've participated in this process thus far submit their proposals. "Out of 10 prebid meetings, don't be surprised if you only receive five proposals," says Ashkin. "This is OK. All bidders are equal at this point, and you are now selecting from the best of the best." Before making a final selection, Ashkin recommends asking a few more questions. It's important to know if the vendor has a site manager with airport experience in place. "This is extremely valuable," he says. "Even if a vendor has all the right things in place in terms of cleaning systems and training, if they don't have an experienced site manager, they may still be unable to carry out the work. A strong seasoned person with experience working in airports is a must." He also recommends gathering specifics about the vendor's training program for workers. This program should cover the specifics of cleaning and working in an airport environment as well as be provided in a language cleaners will understand. "An all-English training program won't work well if the majority of the workers speak Spanish," Ashkin explains. "The training materi- als need to be specific to airports as well. Airports are different than office buildings." Knowing whether the company is committed to ongoing innovation is also important, he adds. "The cleaning industry is constantly changing," he says. "Airports are big facilities and can use new equipment designed to make the job more effective and efficient. You want to be sure the contractor is constantly looking at new developments and considering them for use in your facility," he says. "Cleaning is cleaning, but a bidder needs to understand what it takes to clean an airport," says Ashkin. "Following these three steps helps airports get the level of clean that they need. If you accept the low bid without doing your due diligence, and you are unhappy afterward, I hate to say it but you get what you pay for. Hire a consultant before bidding begins to know exactly what's needed to keep the facility clean. Know what level of appearance passengers expect and exactly what it will cost per square feet to get you there." S AT I S FA C T I O N • I N N O VAT I O N • ST R E N GT H • I N T E G R I T Y S AT I S FA C T I O N • I N N O VAT I O N • ST R E N GT H • I N T E G R I T Y S AT I S FA C T I O N • I N N O VAT I O N • ST R E N GT H • I N T E G R I T Y S AT I S FA C T I O N • I N N O VAT I O N • ST R E N GT H • I N T E G R I T Y AVIATION FACILITY SPECIALISTS DESIGNERS AND CONSTRUCTORS HANGARS SHOPS AND OFFICES 607-500 Redna Terrace Cincinnati, Ohio 45215-9906 Phone: 513/772-1674 Fax: 513/772/1684 www.basconinc.com www.aviationpros.com/12059774 GREEN CLEANING CERTIFICATIONS GREEN Seal Standard for Commercial and Institutional Cleaning Services GS-42: Demonstrates an organization's abil- ity to meet environmental requirements for cleaning service providers of commercial, public and institu- tional buildings and create a green cleaning program that protects human health and the environment. www.greenseal.org ISSA CIMS: CIMS and CIMS-GB certification demon- strates an organization's ability to deliver quality, custom- er-focused services and their ability to deliver a compre- hensive green cleaning program based on LEED: EB O&M; green cleaning criteria. www.issa.com