A multi-site maintenance tender is only as useful as the brief behind it. If one contractor assumes routine fabric repairs are included and another prices only scheduled inspections, their offers are not truly comparable. A clear scope helps facilities teams compare delivery, reporting and cost on the same basis.

Define the estate and the objective

List every site, its use, opening pattern and key contacts. Identify which buildings are in scope now and which may be added later. State whether the requirement is planned preventative maintenance, reactive repairs, minor projects, or a combination. Keep one-off refurbishments separate unless they are expressly part of the tender.

Share usable asset and condition information

Provide available asset registers, recent surveys, known defects and maintenance history. Mark gaps in the information instead of asking bidders to assume that missing records mean a system is in good condition. Explain which assets are maintained by other specialists or landlords.

Set priorities and boundaries

Describe the work types you expect: building fabric, roofs and gutters, plumbing and drainage, washrooms, heating and ventilation, electrical systems, fire doors or other site-specific items. For each, distinguish inspections, scheduled servicing, remedials and emergency response. Define exclusions, approval thresholds and how additional work will be quoted.

Explain access and disruption

A school, office and hospitality venue may need different working windows. Include site induction requirements, permitted hours, security processes, occupied-area restrictions and any seasonal closures. Ask bidders to explain how they would coordinate multi-trade visits without unnecessarily interrupting operations.

Specify reporting and handover

Say what records you need after each visit: location and asset reference, work completed, photographs where appropriate, outstanding defects, recommendations and priority. Agree how urgent findings are escalated and how the programme will be reviewed. A dashboard is useful only if the underlying records are clear and actionable.

Ask comparable questions

Require every bidder to use the same site schedule and pricing structure. Ask for a proposed mobilisation plan, roles and responsibilities, subcontractor approach, visit frequency, reactive process and sample report. Avoid setting response promises that the estate does not actually need or that cannot be verified in practice.

Barry Turner & Son offers commercial planned preventative maintenance alongside related building services. If you are preparing a multi-site brief, share the site list, asset data and priority issues so the team can discuss a practical scope before pricing.