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In this new series of articles, we will be taking a closer look at the improvements we can expect to see from our new facilities management contract.

Following a robust and comprehensive procurement process, we announced that OCS will be our new Facilities Management (FM) partner, joining the Sussex Estates and Facilities (SEF) partnership from 1 July 2025.

The seven-year contract will cover the key services needed to keep our campus running smoothly and effectively, from buildings and grounds maintenance to transport, security and cleaning services.

Once the contract begins, OCS will introduce sector-leading technological innovations to improve the ways we request, track and resolve maintenance work. This will help to deliver preventative planned maintenance and reactive repair work to protect and enhance our historic campus.

Read on for more details of some of the improvements our campus community can expect under the new partnership.

A focus on maintenance excellence

OCS will use robust, up-to-date data from multiple sources, including their MRI Evolution CAFM system, to ensure maintenance excellence across campus. A Performance Management Report will be introduced to assess monthly and year-to-date performance, taking into account Helpdesk metrics, inspection reports, SEF performance targets, customer satisfaction survey results and complaints data. Using data in this way to identify programme strengths and weaknesses means that resources can be directed towards the areas that have the greatest impact.

"Proactively providing analysis, insight and recommendations throughout the contract lifetime will ensure that Sussex benefits from our experience, industry best practice and the latest innovation and developments across the entire estate," says Anthony Lunn from OCS.

A culture of continuous improvement

OCS have committed to understanding the needs of our campus community and will introduce measures to capture customer feedback and satisfaction, including focus groups, monthly satisfaction surveys and QR code posters for immediate feedback at various touchpoints around campus, such as receptions and washrooms.

OCS will work with our teams here on campus to introduce ways to promote innovation and efficiency, including employee innovation schemes to encourage Estates colleagues to share ideas on how things could be done better, quicker, safer or cheaper.

A Continuous Improvement Plan will be developed, based around key University priorities such as financial and environmental sustainability, and social value initiatives. And best practice forums will be introduced along with new SEF Centres of Excellence - split across hard and soft services - to identify the best ways of working to improve commercial performance.

A robust, integrated CAFM system

Estates teams will be able to access real-time data around the clock via the OCS Live platform. This system will allow colleagues to manage workflows, maintain and develop assets, provide online portal access, and check live statuses, net zero sustainable systems, smart systems and building management systems (BMS).

“This system has numerous benefits for Sussex, including reducing failure demand, improving efficiency, introducing automation, and simplifying processes and data collation,” adds Anthony.

Through its integration with the Helpdesk, the new CAFM will allow end-users to keep track of job progress in real time via email updates. Jobs will be assigned and tracked automatically by the helpdesk; if an engineer falls behind, the helpdesk will receive an automatic notification and, when a job is completed, the person who requested it is notified.

What happens next  

A mobilisation (handover) period will run from April to June with OCS working with SEF colleagues on campus to help prepare for a smooth transition when the new contract comes into effect on 1 July.   

During mobilisation, teams from OCS and Mitie will work together to ensure that IT and other data transfer - including HR and finance - takes place seamlessly, so that operations can continue without interruption.  

Want to find out more?  

If you have any questions about the future of our FM services, please contact bettercampus@sussex.ac.uk 

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