To ask the Minister of Education, pursuant to AQW 41503/22-27, to detail the number of times the Education Authority has invoked contract management controls, in the last five years, broken down by (a) requesting clarification from contractors; (b) issuing noncompliance notices; (c) requesting rework at no additional cost; (d) escalation to senior managers and the Head of Maintenance for contractual remedies.

The Education Authority’s (EA) Maintenance Service issues approximately 60,000 task orders each year to contractors for work across the EA school estate.

The information you have requested, detailing the number of times the EA has invoked contract management controls in the last five years broken down by (a) requesting clarification from contractors; (b) issuing noncompliance notices; (c) requesting rework at no additional cost; (d) escalation to senior managers and the Head of Maintenance for contractual remedies is not readily available in the form requested and can only be collated at disproportionate cost.

The EA has confirmed that the new Term Service Contracts will emphasise key performance indicators targeting poor contractor responses, completion times, workmanship quality and reducing repetitive site visits, with a stronger emphasis on achieving first-time site fixes.