--- title: "How to Tender Facilities Services for a Multi-Academy Trust | SPS Group" url: https://spsgroupservices.com/guides/how-to-tender-facilities-services-for-a-multi-academy-trust description: "A step-by-step guide for MAT business and estates leads on tendering cleaning, security and fire and security systems: mapping the estate, lots, specifications, TUPE, evaluation and mobilisation." lang: en-GB --- Skip to content Clean · Protect · Detect · Maintain · Train · Integrate · Yorkshire and Lincolnshire since 1992 01482 226570 (+441482226570) Facilities management guide # How to tender facilities services for a multi-academy trust In short Map every school's current contracts and renewal dates, decide whether to buy by lot or as one integrated contract, write an output-based specification, plan for TUPE, weight quality properly against price, and leave enough time for mobilisation before the start date. Written by the SPS Group team · Updated 29 October 2026 ## Step by step 1. 1 Map the estate List every school, its floor area, hours of use, current contractors, contract values, end dates and notice periods. 2. 2 Align renewal dates Where contracts end at different times, consider short extensions so services can start together. 3. 3 Choose a route Use an approved framework call-off or run your own tender, following the Procurement Act 2023 and your trust's financial regulations. 4. 4 Decide on lots Lots by service or by group of schools let you award separately or together. 5. 5 Write the specification Describe the outcomes you need, such as standards, response times and reporting, rather than only listing tasks and hours. 6. 6 Plan for TUPE Existing cleaning and security staff may transfer to the new provider. Ask current contractors for TUPE information early. 7. 7 Set the evaluation Weight quality, social value and price to reflect what matters, and ask for site-specific answers, not generic text. 8. 8 Hold site visits Let bidders see each school so prices and staffing are realistic. 9. 9 Allow time to mobilise Leave several weeks between award and start for TUPE consultation, vetting, induction and system takeovers. ## Common mistakes to avoid - Specifications copied from another trust that don't match your schools - Price-heavy evaluation that rewards unrealistic hours or pay rates - No allowance for National Living Wage rises each April - Too little mobilisation time, leading to a weak first term - No plan for who coordinates services across schools after award How SPS Group does it SPS Group businesses regularly respond to school and trust tenders, including framework call-offs, and can bid for cleaning, security and fire and security systems as one integrated contract or as separate lots. Each specialist business prices its own service openly within one combined proposal. How our integrated facilities management works (https://spsgroupservices.com/integrated-facilities-management) ## Questions Do academy trusts have to tender facilities contracts?▾ Trusts must follow public procurement rules and their own financial regulations. Above certain values this means a compliant tender or a call-off from an approved framework. Check the current thresholds and your trust's scheme of delegation. Does TUPE apply when a trust changes cleaning or security provider?▾ It often does. Staff who mainly work on the contract may transfer to the new provider on their existing terms. Take advice early and ask the current contractor for TUPE information. How long does a facilities tender take?▾ Allow several months from planning to start date, including time for bidders to visit sites and several weeks for mobilisation after award. Related - Separate, bundled or integrated contracts for schools: https://spsgroupservices.com/guides/separate-bundled-or-integrated-contracts-for-schools - Facilities management for schools and academy trusts: https://spsgroupservices.com/sectors/education - Accreditations and frameworks: https://spsgroupservices.com/accreditations Facilities management across Yorkshire and Lincolnshire Facilities management in Hull and East Yorkshire: https://spsgroupservices.com/facilities-management/hull-east-yorkshire Facilities management in Grimsby and North East Lincolnshire: https://spsgroupservices.com/facilities-management/grimsby-north-east-lincolnshire Facilities management in Lincolnshire: https://spsgroupservices.com/facilities-management/lincolnshire Facilities management in South Yorkshire: https://spsgroupservices.com/facilities-management/south-yorkshire Facilities management in West Yorkshire: https://spsgroupservices.com/facilities-management/west-yorkshire Facilities management in York and North Yorkshire: https://spsgroupservices.com/facilities-management/york-north-yorkshire Talk to us about facilities management for your sites. We'll arrange a site review and show you where combining services makes sense. 01482 226570: +441482226570 Integrated FM: https://spsgroupservices.com/integrated-facilities-management Accredited and approved ## Independently accredited across every capability All accreditations and frameworks (https://spsgroupservices.com/accreditations) - Image: SIA Approved Contractor, held by SPS Security (https://media.base44.com/images/public/698915a4f050929687a915b6/3d7d7139b_image.png) - Image: BAFE SP203-1 fire detection and alarm systems, held by SPS Technical (https://media.base44.com/images/public/6989f2350e53aab8836435e3/406d9784c_bafe-logo.png) - Image: SSAIB certified security systems, held by SPS Technical (https://media.base44.com/images/public/698915a4f050929687a915b6/c9e7dc74b_image.png) - Image: ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, UKAS accredited certification, held by ICS Cleaning, SPS Security, SPS Technical (https://media.base44.com/images/public/698915a4f050929687a915b6/3f160a20c_image.png) - Image: Crescent Purchasing Consortium supplier, held by ICS Cleaning (https://qtrypzzcjebvfcihiynt.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/base44-prod/public/698d1493256c3e7612121fcc/c6b8bd093_CrescentLogo_Suppliers.png) - Image: CHAS accredited contractor, held by SPS Group (https://media.base44.com/images/public/698915a4f050929687a915b6/a31a34ebe_image.png) - Image: SafeContractor, held by SPS Group (https://media.base44.com/images/public/698915a4f050929687a915b6/8031d3964_image.png) - Image: BSIA member, held by SPS Group (https://media.base44.com/images/public/698915a4f050929687a915b6/93e58a076_image.png) - Image: Achilles Network Silver Plus, held by SPS Security (https://media.base44.com/images/public/698915a4f050929687a915b6/4a8991034_image.png) - Image: Achilles BuildingConfidence, held by SPS Security (https://media.base44.com/images/public/698915a4f050929687a915b6/6d454a108_image.png) - Image: Acclaim Accreditation (SSIP), held by SPS Security (https://media.base44.com/images/public/698915a4f050929687a915b6/79dcd06bd_image.png) ## Structured data ```json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Article", "headline": "How to tender facilities services for a multi-academy trust", "description": "A step-by-step guide for MAT business and estates leads on tendering cleaning, security and fire and security systems: mapping the estate, lots, specifications, TUPE, evaluation and mobilisation.", "url": "https://spsgroupservices.com/guides/how-to-tender-facilities-services-for-a-multi-academy-trust", "mainEntityOfPage": "https://spsgroupservices.com/guides/how-to-tender-facilities-services-for-a-multi-academy-trust", "inLanguage": "en-GB", "datePublished": "2026-10-29", "dateModified": "2026-10-29", "author": { "@id": "https://spsgroupservices.com/#organization" }, "publisher": { "@id": "https://spsgroupservices.com/#organization" }, "about": [ "Facilities management", "Integrated facilities management" ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://spsgroupservices.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Guides", "item": "https://spsgroupservices.com/guides" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "How to tender facilities services for a multi-academy trust", "item": "https://spsgroupservices.com/guides/how-to-tender-facilities-services-for-a-multi-academy-trust" } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do academy trusts have to tender facilities contracts?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Trusts must follow public procurement rules and their own financial regulations. 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