At least every 12 months the Contractor must have its compliance with the Audits quality standards in its Operation Manuals independently audited by an auditor reasonably acceptable to DET. For example, the contractor must implement a planned maintenance program that includes plans for the next 5 year period (five year rolling basis). The plans must be submitted to DET for review annually.
In addition to the monitoring to be carried out by the contractor, DET may at its own expense monitor the contractor's performance of its services and the contractor's own monitoring and quality assurance procedures.
DET may also:
■ carry out audits of any school facility, to assess whether it is being operated and maintained in accordance with the standards, but not more than twice in a calendar year for any individual school facility and giving the Contractor at least five business days' written notice of the date on which it wishes to carry out the audit
■ audit the Contractor's compliance with the Operation Manuals at any time, giving the Contractor at least 20 business days' notice its intention to do so.
If an audit shows a breach of the contractor's obligations, DET must advise the contractor of the standards to be met and specify a reasonable period for rectification and the contractor must:
■ carry out these works, at its own cost, within the specified period
■ reimburse DET for the cost of the audit.
In summary we found that although the reporting and monitoring system is well prescribed, it is largely reliant on self-monitoring by the contractor and will require careful oversight by DET.