The true cost of mobilising a new grounds-maintenance contract

Mobilisation is the bridge between a convincing tender and a deliverable contract. It is also where an apparently profitable price can begin losing money before the service starts.

The mobilisation period may be only four to eight weeks. Procurement lead times for vehicles, mowers, uniforms, phones, licences and depot arrangements do not become shorter because the award notice arrived late.

Turn mobilisation into a dated operating plan

Work backwards from the service commencement date. Assign an owner, deadline, dependency and cost to every task. A useful plan normally covers:

• Contract review and clarification of final scope.
• TUPE consultation and recruitment.
• Employment checks, training and induction.
• Vehicle, machinery and equipment purchase or allocation.
• Depot, welfare, fuel and waste arrangements.
• Site access, keys, permits and security.
• Route design, site familiarisation and risk assessments.
• Client reporting, job-management and inspection systems.
• Uniform, PPE, signage and communications.
• Contingency arrangements for late deliveries or absence.

Separate one-off mobilisation expenditure from recurring contract cost. Both belong in the commercial model, but they behave differently if the contract is extended, terminated early or reduced.

Costs frequently left outside the tender model

People before commencement

Managers, HR, supervisors and administrators work on the contract before the first invoice. Include recruitment advertising, interviews, consultation, induction, training, licences, medicals and payroll setup.

Machinery preparation

Purchase price is not the only mobilisation cost. Delivery, decals, security, trackers, racking, spare blades, initial servicing, operator familiarisation and finance fees may all occur before productive work.

Site intelligence

Site walks, measurement, route trials, access arrangements and initial risk assessments consume paid time. Where drawings are weak, the contractor may need to create its own asset or area schedule simply to control delivery.

Systems and evidence

Client portals, mobile devices, software licences, forms, inspection templates and reporting dashboards often need configuration. Price both setup and the continuing administrative burden.

Working capital is a mobilisation resource

Wages, fuel, hire, insurance and suppliers may be paid weeks before the first client payment. Model the cash position by week from award through at least the first three payment cycles.

Check whether invoices require approved timesheets, performance reports, purchase-order numbers or site-level breakdowns. A 30-day payment term is not 30 days from service if approval takes another fortnight.

Stress-test day one

Ask what happens if a new mower is six weeks late, two vacancies remain open, the depot licence is delayed or the client changes the route data during mobilisation. Identify temporary hire, subcontract or redeployment options and cost them.

Mobilisation risk should have an owner and a trigger. “Contingency 5%” is less useful than “hire two pedestrian mowers for six weeks if delivery slips beyond 20 March”.

Protect the tender position

• State the assumed mobilisation period and award date.
• Confirm which assets, data, keys and facilities the buyer provides.
• Identify costs dependent on TUPE information.
• Check early-termination and asset-recovery provisions.
• Price mobilisation management time explicitly.
• Include a programme with dependencies in the submission where useful.
• Keep a mobilisation risk register alongside the tender risk register.

A contract is not mobilised when the equipment has been ordered. It is mobilised when the people, assets, routes, information and cash are ready to deliver the specified service.