Budget brings changes to 'levels of service' for big CE contracts

  • Published
  • By Brandice Armstrong
  • Tinker Pubic Affairs
"Levels of service" changes are being made to three Air Force contracts. The new levels of service are effective immediately and will be fully implemented by the start of fiscal year 2010. The changes make the service contracts standard throughout the Air Force. 

Known as the "big three," grounds maintenance, custodial and integrated solid waste management - previously known as refuse collection. 

"This standardized approach will ensure all Air Force installations receive the same 'level of service' as funding allows," wrote Gen. Duncan McNabb, vice chief of Staff, in a May 23 memorandum about the changes. "These standards were carefully developed to meet mission requirements and provide a clean, professional-work place while acknowledging the realities of today's fiscal environment." 

At Tinker, the most noticeable difference may be changes to the custodial contract. By the start of fiscal year 2010, the custodial contractor will collect trash from a centralized area, eliminating individual trash pick-up. Also, there will be no more periodic cleaning such as dusting, glass and spot cleaning. 

Furthermore, the change to the custodial contract allows Tinker to offer only two levels of service, "prestige" and "basic." 

With the Prestige service, trash will be picked up from a centralized location twice a week. With the Basic service, it will only be picked up once a week. 

Levels of service are predetermined for units. The prestige service is specified for general officers, wing and installation commanders and major command commander suites. Basic service customers are for general administrative and industrial areas. Units cannot pay for upgraded service, meaning if a unit is supposed to receive basic service, the unit cannot pay for and receive prestige service. 

Ruby Gray, primary Quality Assurance lead for the 76th Maintenance Wing's Depot Maintenance Activity Group contract, which funds custodial service for the industrial facilities, said a drop to basic custodial service will be felt throughout Tinker's 38 industrial facilities. 

Restrooms in facilities that are serviced by the DMAG contract are currently scrubbed and detailed twice-a-day. They are also policed for cleanliness and supplies twice-a-day. Under the new Air Force levels of service for industrial facilities, they will receive basic service and will only be cleaned once every two days. 

"It will be quite a change," Ms. Gray said. 

There will be no change in the levels of service on the Operations and Maintenance custodial contract, which services 178 facilities on Tinker. 

Other changes Tinker personnel can expect to the "big three" contracts are small. Among them is the flower bed upkeep within grounds maintenance contract. Only low-maintenance local plants will be grown. The contract will maintain flower beds at the authorized installation's main entrances and headquarters. Maintenance for all other flower beds must be paid for by the customer, officials said. 

The final "big three" contract change affects the integrated solid waste management contract and will be unnoticeable to Tinker personnel. The new level of service requires the fee to dispose of Tinker refuse at the landfill to be separately priced. 

"Headquarters wants the cost of landfill fees passed straight through to the government without any markup," said Rhonda Balsley, 72nd Air Base Wing Contract Surveillance Division Quality Assurance lead. 

Officials said adjusting to the overall changes will require individuals to take more personal responsibility toward the base and their work spaces. 

"These modifications will require a culture change," said Gary McCracken, 72nd ABW Contract Surveillance Division chief. "Employees will have to take more personal responsibility for maintaining their work area by cleaning up after their selves and for picking up litter when they see it, instead of leaving the mess for someone else to [clean up]." 

Facility managers will be contacted to set up a plan for their building. For more information, call Ms. Balsley at 734-3301.