A maintenance contract brief should tell prospective contractors what assets and activities are included, how the premises operate, what information is available and what evidence you expect after delivery. Issue the same brief to each supplier and record clarifications consistently. Comparing prices becomes more useful when the underlying requirement is shared.
Gather the inputs before issuing a brief
Bring together the asset list, current contract, recent reports, recurring issues and known access constraints. Mark unverified quantities and missing records rather than silently assuming they are correct. Ask an appropriate specialist to define technical activities where the client cannot reliably specify them.
Clarify whether the appointment covers routine work only or also call-outs, repairs and replacement proposals. Define the contract boundaries without pretending that every potential fault can be predicted in advance.
A practical brief structure
| Section | Include | Resolve before comparison |
|---|---|---|
| Assets | Locations, identifiers and quantities | Unverified or inaccessible items |
| Activities | Required work and its technical basis | Broad terms such as full service |
| Access | Working hours and coordination requirements | Who provides access equipment or escorts |
| Reporting | Format, recipients and follow-on findings | Whether asset-level records are included |
| Commercial terms | Pricing breakdown and exclusions requested | Additional rates, VAT and travel assumptions |
Give suppliers useful site information
Explain occupancy and any operational periods that affect scheduling. Ask suppliers to identify assumptions about shutdowns, permits and site attendance. Appropriate safety arrangements must be determined for the work, not invented by a generic tender template. The HSE guide to using contractors is a primary reference for considering contractor selection and coordination.
Manage clarifications fairly
Keep a question log. Where an answer changes the common requirement, issue the clarification to every supplier invited to price that requirement. Retain the version and date of the revised brief. Do not compare an early quotation against a later scope without asking for an aligned offer.
Illustrative example: One contractor asks whether reports must list each asset. The client confirms that requirement to all bidders. The comparison can then distinguish offers on a consistent reporting basis rather than rewarding an unnoticed omission.
Define acceptance and follow-up
Explain what counts as delivery evidence and who reviews it. Agree how defects, incomplete work and recommendations are recorded. Ask for a clear route for proposed additional work so recommendations do not automatically become instructions to spend.
Use the contractor quotation comparison worksheet once offers arrive, then read how to compare quotations. Hope & Harbour can help prepare and review the brief through contractor procurement and performance support. Specialist design, legal contract drafting and statutory certification require their own appropriate appointments.
Useful next steps
Contractor quotation comparison worksheet · Questions by area
This guide provides general management information. Decisions about a specific property may need site assessment and appropriately qualified technical or legal advice.