Out-of-town firm wins city cleaning contract

The Whanganui District Council has gone out of town with its cleaning contract.

Tenders for the contract were considered by the council's tenders board recently.

Details of which company was awarded the contract and its price won't be known until next month's council meeting.

But Julian Harkness, council deputy chief executive officer and chairman of the tenders board, said the original cleaning contract covered several council sites and various cleaning companies. Mr Harkness said the contract was placed in the open market for tender and all current contractors received direct invitations from council to take part in the tender process.

"The successful tenderer has informed us they will be employing local resources to undertake the cleaning duties," he said.

He said although the council was committed to buying locally "we are also committed to contracting in a way that is most efficient for the ratepayer". Council has a procurement policy which includes a "buy local" premium and the tender process complied with that.

Mr Harkness said Whanganui was one of few councils which offered a local-buyer premium on contracts up to $100,000.

"In fact, 80 per cent of our tender contracts are awarded to local businesses and businesses with an office in Whanganui."