Some cleaning services in the University City might be outsourced

Cleaning services in the new Aarhus BSS buildings in the University City might be put out to tender when Aarhus BSS moves its activities at Fuglesangs Allé to the University City over the next few years. This means that cleaning tasks currently performed by AU’s cleaning staff at Fuglesangs Allé might be transferred to an external supplier when the faculty moves into new premises.

As a public institution, AU is obliged to regularly consider whether certain technical or administrative tasks could be carried out by external providers, and University Director Kristian Thorn explains that moving into new premises presents a natural opportunity to investigate alternative cleaning service models. He also emphasises that AU will only invite bids for cleaning contracts if it makes sense for the university.

“It is crucial that cleaning services are performed in an optimal way for AU. Price and quality will be key factors in the process going forward. And if it turns out that it makes sense to outsource the service, we will be extremely focused on taking care of the employees who are affected,” says Kristian Thorn.

Input and insights valued

The proposal to outsource the service has been discussed in the liaison committee at the Aarhus BSS administrative centre, and a meeting has been held for members of cleaning services staff at the faculty. The Main Liaison Committee, an advisory group on competitive tendering, the Administration’s Liaison Committee and the Faculty Liaison Committee at Aarhus BSS have also been informed about the proposal. It is possible to provide input on the proposal via the liaison committees and union representatives until 7 June 2024.

Aarhus University has previously held a consultation period on a proposal to put cleaning services out to competitive tender. This was back in 2019, when the consultation process resulted in AU issuing a call for tenders. The external supplier that AU selected is currently responsible for cleaning services in a number of buildings operated by Aarhus BSS, Nat-Tech and Arts. Insights gained from this process will be incorporated into the current process going forward.

If the senior management team decides to invite bids for cleaning services, the new contract is expected to be in place in the first half of 2025.

The cleaning staff affected by the call for tenders will be given the opportunity to submit their own bid, and resources will be set aside to help them with this task.

If AU decides to issue a call for tenders, it will be stipulated in the tender material that any change of supplier must take place according to the principles in the Danish act on the transfer of services to a new contractor (virksomhedsoverdragelsesloven).

See AU’s strategy for the competitive tendering of operational tasks: https://medarbejdere.au.dk/en/administration/finance/procurement/strategy-for-competitive-tendering-of-operational-tasks