Find out about our facilities services on campus.
Overview
Facilities Management defined: Facilities Management (FM) services cover everything needed to keep our campus running smoothly, from buildings and grounds maintenance through to transport, security and cleaning services.
Our FM services provision: Our University FM services are provided by Sussex Estates and Facilities (SEF), a joint venture between the University and a specialist FM company (currently Mitie). From July 2025, OCS Group UK will replace Mitie within the SEF joint venture.
Our model for service delivery: SEF operates under a ‘hybrid FM model’, where some services and roles will be delivered in-house, providing the university with oversight of strategy and performance, while allowing our FM partner to focus on delivery.
Planned changes to FM services over the coming year: Between April and the end of June 2025 a mobilisation (handover) period will take place, during which teams from OCS and Mitie will work together to ensure a smooth transition in July. From July, OCS will begin implementing new processes and technologies to protect, maintain and improve our historic campus.
The decision-making process: Feedback was gathered from the University community over a period of several months. OCS was officially confirmed as the new FM partner on April 1 2025.
What OCS will bring to Sussex
Our search for a new FM partner began in 2023, following a consultation where we asked students and staff (including SEF staff) for their views about current campus FM services and what they would like to see in future.
Responding to that feedback, OCS has committed to providing:
- an accessible and responsive helpdesk, available 24/7 365 days a year
- a self-service tracking portal to enable staff and students to monitor the status of work requests and provide feedback
- student employment opportunities including work placements, internships and employability sessions
- environmental sustainability innovations including Smart Building technology, water-use reduction initiatives and an on-site recycling centre
- value for money including robust plans for cost optimisation over the duration of the contract
- extensive training and professional development opportunities for SEF colleagues.
Our ethical procurement process
Choosing OCS as our new FM partner was the last step in a long and robust procurement process:
- In August 2023 we issued a Prior Information Notice (known as a PIN), designed to test the appetite of FM companies to work with us. More than 10 firms responded, requesting further information.
- From there, a competitive tender process began, starting with a ‘selection questionnaire’ to determine the suitability, capability and financial stability of potential suppliers.
- Next came a period of ‘competitive dialogue’ giving bidders the opportunity to meet with University representatives and refine their submissions over subsequent stages. This part of the process concluded in October 2024, with three companies invited to submit a final tender.
- From November to January the final tenders were evaluated by a panel of subject matter experts including Estates, Finance, Legal, HR, ITS, Faculties, and Student Experience with Procurement overseeing the process. The panel scored the bids against transparent evaluation criteria, and, following moderation, these scores were then added up to arrive at a final score to identify the preferred bidder.
Read more about the Capital Programme of projects and initiatives in our Transforming Sussex section.