Examples of typical applications:
Operational Audit
Operational Audit is a new service to schools which provides purchasing and usage optimisation for environmental and water services, building service plant condition and maintenance management, energy purchasing, telecommunications and internet access options, software licensing and purchasing, building and resource accountability and extra curricular activities charging, security and similar aspects. In fact it covers most of those non-direct teaching budget areas that require specialist skills.
The need
Managing a large school is no easy task.
Ever increasing demands for higher academic performance are combined with increased autonomy and responsibility for managing and maintaining schools buildings and services, tasks that rightly take second place.
Understandably, teaching staff have little time or interest to address them, whilst your support staff - bursar, secretary, school-keeper - may lack the wide range of knowledge and experience which these tasks demand.
We have configured our new service to help optimise your enterprise in the non-direct teaching budget areas. With the ever-increasing options available to purchase energy, plant maintenance and controls, telecommunications, Internet and software access options, together with a multitude of software tools and opportunities to better manage cost recovery, these aspects are becoming increasingly complex to manage. Nevertheless, as schools are now responsible for their overall performance, it is important to optimise these budget centres.
The LEA and the DfES has increasing funds to upgrade buildings and provide additional facilities, but these go primarily to schools presenting the best case for investment. Without expert external support, many fail in that task.
We are here to help you and have packaged our skills into an "Operational Audit" which help to cut your costs, improve your efficiency and give you confidence that you are progressing in the best direction.
What we can do for you
Our Operational Audit of your school focuses on areas that you indicate to be of priority or particular interest. Please consider the checklist below to see which areas that fall into this category.
Given authority to proceed, our consultants visit the school for a tour of the buildings, grounds, plant rooms etc. and for discussions with key administrative and support staff. It is most helpful at that time if floor plans, utility bills, maintenance contracts etc. according to the scope of the audit - can be available.
The “consultants” are not junior staff from a large consultancy. They are highly qualified, highly experienced staff with many years of practical experience of the educational sector and school audits behind the. Initial discussions alone may prove highly beneficial to your staff.
Typically, they will spend 2 to 4 days on site, observing, testing, questioning and enquiring. They will spend a further day presenting their findings, supported by a summary hard copy report containing actions programmes, recommendations, costing, etc. Any further contribution then identified, e.g. project management or preparation of a submission for funding, can follow under a separate agreement.
Following the assignment, our consultants are available for a reasonable period - without extra charge - to answer any queries or clarify earlier recommendations.
However, little is free in this world. Our charges will be agreed at the outset depending upon the breadth of the remit.
The benefit
So, you pay for our services from a budget that may already be over stretched. What can you get in return?
Professional advice to ensure that you are addressing each area in the most cost effective way and not spending unnecessarily
Probable reductions in energy and water costs - perhaps as a lump sum claimed retrospectively or as an on-going annual saving - plus a clear statement of what you are - and should be – spending
Possible improved computer services and software - and at lower procurement and support costs
Identifying priorities for refurbishment and new facilities to attract extra funding
The opportunity to make improvements at a realistic cost - which may be much less than LEA estimates
Improved building and grounds security, and improved management control of the school in terms of student ID and associated billing opportunities
Making better use of school-keepers and support staff, by guiding them in their key tasks and demonstrating how to achieve improved performance
Assistance with making operational returns to the LEA/DfES
Relieving teaching staff from support tasks - at least in part.
The list goes on .....
Let us help you to achieve these benefits, some of which can be substantial.
Please consider the items below and contact us as soon as possible. Doing so places no commitment whatsoever on you to proceed and simply opens the door for initial discussions.
The audit
Our audit can be extensive or restricted, tailored to the problem areas and taking full account of earlier initiatives.
It is designed to provide a first level review of your main non-teaching related opportunities for cost saving and budget control improvements. It will result in an action plan for such improvements and outline the cost benefits.
Please consider the areas in which you may welcome support.
q Electricity, gas and water - your real costs, preferred tariffs and purchasing options, annual usage and cost targets. Where appropriate, we can employ our own targeting software to evaluate recharging and partitioning for multiple and external use
q Internet access, PC networking and telecommunications - charges, services, billing and configuration options
q PC software procurement and licensing, with special educational discounts; office administration and supporting software
q Extra revenue opportunities through external use of buildings, facilities, grounds, amenities, etc. with full cost recovery and shared usage partitioning
q Suitability, condition, settings and performance of main plant/facilities and associated control systems; maintenance contracts and facility management organisation for same
q Building condition - priority requirements documented and costed, grounds maintenance and condition, availability, condition, refurbishment of toilets, showers, ablutions; maintenance contracts for same
q Provision of floor plans and structured room numbering systems, usage and categorization coding
q Building security, CCTV and fire alarm system; student ID cards as an aid to security and associated and financial management/billing opportunities - meals, library, computing, copying etc.
q Office administration and supporting software
Our team
To provide the breath of experience necessary we will combine the expertise available from two parties, namely Abba Consultants and Comsolve Systems Ltd.
As a consultancy, we have an impressive track record, auditing and improving large numbers of schools throughout the South East and establishing data banks and software systems for LEAs. Prominent recent clients include, for example, London Borough of Greenwich, Bournemouth Council, Dept of Education.
As a software and systems house, we have the experience and ability to design, develop and implement hardware and software systems which may not be readily available on the market - in order to follow through our recommendations. We have developed and supported software applications to optimise energy and water purchase and to target energy purchase, cross-charging and usage analysis. We are also an approved Microsoft Education software reseller – so we have access to latest software and discount structures.
We also have a wealth of complementary expertise gained through varied assignments throughout Europe and the Far East. Clients have included HKSB, Abbey National, UK Treasury, Dept. of Energy, BRE, BAA and BA - to mention but a few.
Your move
If you are interested in finding out more about this new service, or would like to discuss other ways in which we may be able to help.
Comsolve Systems Ltd, 5 Zinnia Drive, Bisley, Woking, Surrey, UK. GU24 9RY
Tel:07766 105205 Email: info@comsolve.net
