Shelby County Board of Education rejects one-year custodial contract with ABM Industries Group
Summary
The Shelby County Board of Education voted down a proposed one-year, $7.215 million custodial-services contract with ABM Industries Group after discussion about past vendor performance, staff impacts and oversight. The motion failed in two roll-call votes.
At a special-called meeting, the Shelby County Board of Education considered and rejected a proposed one-year custodial-services contract with ABM Industries Group covering the Northwest Region and priced at $7,215,103.13 for the period 01/01/2026–12/31/2026.
Interim Superintendent Dr. Richmond recommended the contract, saying the district had rebid the region after a prior vendor failed to meet key performance indicators (KPIs) and that ABM won the bid. Dr. Richmond told the board the administration had met earlier in the day to discuss managing the contract and to assure the board the new vendor would be held to KPIs. He said the district will consider adopting a disbarment policy for contractors that fail to meet standards.
Board member Garcia, who moved the item, said she was "agnostic on the provider" but would support the contract if administration provided regular performance updates and strictly applied the district's evaluation rubric. Garcia thanked general counsel for answering questions that shaped her understanding of vendor oversight.
At least one speaker on the dais raised concerns about the impact on the people currently providing custodial services, asking what would happen to incumbent staff if a contract were ended early and whether they would be paid. Those concerns were not resolved before the board recessed briefly to consult general counsel about legal questions.
After the board returned, a motion to end debate passed, and the board proceeded to a roll-call vote on the main motion. In the final recorded roll call, Board member Garcia and Chair McKinney voted yes; Board members Porter, Murphy, O'Tay, Williams and Vice Chair Coleman voted no; and Board member Love was recorded as present but not voting. The chair reported "2 in the affirmative, 5 nays, and 1 present not voting," and the motion failed. The board adjourned with no further action on the contract.
The administration presented the contract amount as $7,215,103.13 and described the work as custodial services for all district facilities in the Northwest Region for the 2026 contract year. The record shows the district followed a bidding process after terminating the previous vendor for KPI failures and used emergency contracts in the interim. The board asked administration to provide continuing oversight if the contract returns for future consideration.
