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Okemos administration recommends two‑year extension of third‑party custodial contract
Summary
Operations staff recommended extending the district’s contract with Grand Rapids Building Services (GRBS) for two years citing improved performance, cost savings relative to in‑house staffing, and continuity during new building rollouts; trustees asked about schedules, quality checks and the option to move operations in‑house.
Director Brian Lieber and operations staff recommended the Okemos Board of Education approve a two‑year extension with the district’s current third‑party custodial provider, Grand Rapids Building Services (GRBS), rather than issuing a new RFP or bringing custodial work fully in house.
Why the extension was recommended: Lieber said the district has experienced staffing turnover and relationship challenges with GRBS but that the contractor’s new management team has improved responsiveness and quality. He argued contracting provides cost savings versus hiring district night custodial staff, expands access to trained subs during call‑ins and preserves management efficiencies.
Trustees asked for specifics on service changes. Lieber said operations and GRBS created a clear cleaning schedule based on space use, and that the district and GRBS meet quarterly, including with GRBS’s CEO. He described steps to clarify expectations (who cleans which spaces and when) and said that managers now perform regular building walks; the district also uses GRBS recommendations for cleaning products and equipment.
Board discussion covered: whether a two‑year extension could be shortened (GRBS prefers two years for staffing stability), whether high‑use areas receive extra attention (Lieber said cleaning frequency is adjusted to event load), and how the district monitors performance (operations staff perform weekly or biweekly walkthroughs and meet quarterly with GRBS).
Administration’s alternatives included issuing an RFP or hiring custodians directly; Lieber said bringing custodial staff in house would be considerably more expensive and would not guarantee immediate quality improvements because recruiting 20–25 night workers can be difficult.
Outcome: The board heard the recommendation; no final vote appeared in the meeting record on the extension at this session. Administration said it would continue to track performance and bring a contract extension back for action if requested.
