Paradise paying more for cleaning services

By Mark Squibb

Beginning this month, it’s going to cost the Town of Paradise more to keep its facilities clean.
Back in 2023, council had awarded the 2023-2024 cleaning contract for Town facilities to Kellaway Construction in the amount of $421,038, HST included. The contract was renewed for 2025, but late last year the company notified the Town it would not be renewing it.

That contract ended on February 7, and as a new tender was not issued until December 15, council agreed to pay for cleaning services on a week-by-week basis at a cost of $14,375, HST included, per week, until tenders could be reviewed and a new contract could be inked.

All told, staff received seven bids for the one-year contract, ranging from $239,760 to $571,831, HST excluded, and recommended council award the contract to the lowest qualifying bidder, The Cleaning Company, in the amount of $478,584, HST included. The lowest overall bid did not meet the specifications of the tender.

In order to expedite the approval process, as the Town was paying for cleaning services on a week-by-week basis, council awarded the contract during its February 17 committee meeting rather than wait until the February 24 public meeting.

All told, the Town will pay $57,556 more pay for the cleaning of Town-owned buildings over the next year than previously.

The Town will be able to renew the contract for two additional one-year periods, should both parties be agreeable to renewal.

And while the Town is paying more, it’s worth noting the average bid amount back in 2023 was $592,562, compared to $553,312 this year. In both years, the Town received seven bids.