Tender-Ready Pack: SAMPLE (Grounds Maintenance)
Prepared for: Sample Grounds Ltd (a fictional grounds maintenance contractor with 28 staff, based in Swindon, serving Wiltshire and Gloucestershire) What's in it: the 8 policies public buyers ask for at the selection stage, each written for grounds work and signed by a director, plus one worked quality answer (a method statement). How a real pack is made: a short written form (no call needed) covering staff, machinery, certificates, sites and seasonal programme. We then fill in every bracketed detail, so nothing is generic.
1. Health and Safety Policy
Statement of intent. Sample Grounds Ltd will provide safe working conditions for its employees, the public using the sites we maintain, and anyone else affected by our work. We will comply with the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the regulations made under it.
Responsibilities
- Managing Director: has overall responsibility, and reviews this policy every year and after any serious incident.
- Contracts Manager: completes site-specific risk assessments before each contract starts, keeps machinery and chemical records up to date, and investigates accidents within 48 hours.
- Team leaders: carry out daily pre-start checks, deliver toolbox talks, and make sure PPE is worn and exclusion zones are set up.
- Every employee: works safely, uses only the equipment they are trained and certified for, and reports hazards and near misses straight away.
Arrangements
- Machinery. Every machine is inspected daily before use and serviced to the manufacturer's schedule under PUWER. Ride-on mowers have roll-over protection and seat belts. Operators are trained and certificated for each machine type, including NPTC or LANTRA certificates for chainsaws, brushcutters and ride-on mowers.
- Hand-arm vibration and noise. We record trigger times for vibrating tools and rotate tasks to keep exposure below the action values in the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005. We provide hearing protection and run health surveillance for operators who use vibrating tools regularly.
- Pesticides. Only staff holding the relevant certificates of competence (PA1 plus PA6 for hand-held application) apply plant protection products, in line with the Plant Protection Products (Sustainable Use) Regulations 2012. We keep COSHH assessments, product labels and application records for every treatment.
- Working near the public. We use exclusion zones, deflector guards and signage, and stop cutting when people are within the risk zone. At schools, we work outside pupil hours or in areas that are closed off.
- Working at height and trees. Tree work above ground level is done by trained climbers or from a MEWP (inspected under LOLER), with a rescue plan in place.
- Lone working. Lone workers check in and out by phone app, and a missed check-in is followed up within 30 minutes.
- Vehicles and trailers. Vehicles are checked daily and loads are secured. Drivers are licensed for trailer towing where required.
- Insurance. Employer's liability £10m, public liability £[5/10]m [client to confirm].
Signed: [Director], Managing Director. Date: [date]. Next review: [date + 12 months].
2. Environmental Policy
Sample Grounds Ltd is committed to looking after the green spaces we maintain, and to reducing the impact of our own operations.
- Pesticides. We treat chemical weed control as a last resort. We use mechanical and thermal methods, mulching and targeted spot treatment first, and keep records of every application. We never spray near watercourses without a risk assessment and a buffer zone.
- Wildlife. Hedge and tree work is planned to avoid the bird nesting season (broadly March to August), and every site is checked for active nests before work starts. Where the client wants it, we support relaxed mowing regimes and wildflower areas.
- Invasive species. Japanese knotweed and other invasive plants are reported to the client, and treated or removed by trained staff so they do not spread.
- Green waste. Arisings are composted or taken to licensed facilities under our waste carrier registration [number]. Nothing is burned on site.
- Machinery and fuel. We are moving hand tools to battery power, starting with hedge trimmers and blowers. We use alkylate fuel in two-stroke equipment and refuel over spill trays, and every vehicle carries a spill kit.
- Targets for [year]: 50% of hand-held tools battery-powered, a 20% cut in herbicide use per site, and all green waste recycled.
Responsibility sits with the Contracts Manager. We review progress every quarter and this policy every year.
Signed: [Director]. Date: [date].
3. Quality Policy
- Specification to schedule. For each site, we turn the client's specification into a seasonal programme: grass cutting frequency and height, hedge cutting windows, shrub bed maintenance, leaf clearance and winter work. The programme is shared with the client before the season starts.
- Monitoring. Team leaders photograph each site after every visit. The Contracts Manager audits a sample of sites monthly against the specification and scores them out of 100, with a target of 90 or above. Any score under 85 means a return visit within 5 working days.
- Weather. Cutting delayed by weather is rescheduled within the same cycle, and the client is told if the programme slips by more than 5 working days.
- Complaints. Complaints are acknowledged within 4 working hours. Safety issues, such as a fallen branch, are made safe the same day.
- Reporting. Clients get a monthly visit log with photos, audit scores and any issues found (for example vandalism, fly-tipping or dangerous trees).
Signed: [Director]. Date: [date].
4. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy
Sample Grounds Ltd treats everyone fairly and complies with the Equality Act 2010. We do not discriminate on any protected characteristic.
- Recruitment. Roles are advertised openly, including apprenticeships, and decisions are based on job-related criteria only.
- Pay. Pay is set by role and certification level, not by individual negotiation. All staff are paid at least the [National / Real] Living Wage.
- Training. Training and certification are offered to every operative, not just senior staff.
- Reasonable adjustments. We make reasonable adjustments for disabled staff and applicants.
- Bullying and harassment. These are disciplinary offences. Staff can report concerns directly to a director.
Signed: [Director]. Date: [date].
5. Modern Slavery and Ethical Labour Statement
Seasonal and outdoor work carries a known risk of labour exploitation. Sample Grounds Ltd is below the £36m threshold in section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, and publishes this statement voluntarily.
- Right to work. Right-to-work checks are completed before every first shift, including for seasonal staff.
- Direct employment. Seasonal workers are employed directly. [Or: we use only [named agency], which we check every year.]
- Pay. Wages are paid only into accounts in the worker's own name. Workers are never charged for PPE, training or certificates.
- Awareness. Team leaders are trained to spot signs of exploitation and know how to report concerns, including to the Modern Slavery Helpline (08000 121 700).
- Suppliers. Our main suppliers of plants, materials and equipment are asked to confirm their own anti-slavery policies.
Signed: [Director]. Date: [date].
6. Safeguarding Policy
Many of our sites are schools, parks and housing estates, so safeguarding is part of how we plan and supervise work.
- Checks. Staff working on school grounds during term time have an Enhanced DBS check, and evidence is shared with the school on request.
- Scheduling. At schools, noisy or hazardous work is done outside pupil hours or in areas that are closed off. Staff sign in, wear ID, and follow the school's rules.
- Conduct. Staff don't photograph children, don't engage with pupils beyond basic courtesy, and never work alone in areas pupils are using.
- Reporting. Any concern goes immediately to the site's safeguarding lead and to our Safeguarding Lead, [name]. We never investigate ourselves.
Signed: [Director]. Date: [date].
7. Data Protection (UK GDPR) Policy
Sample Grounds Ltd is registered with the ICO (no. [____]) and handles personal data in line with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.
- What we hold. Employee records (including certificates and DBS details) and client contact details.
- Site photos. Photos taken for quality records show the work, not people. Any image that shows an identifiable person is deleted.
- Keys and codes. Keys and gate codes are held in a register and never shared outside the team.
- Breaches. Breaches are reported to a director at once, and to the ICO within 72 hours where required.
- Retention. Records are kept only as long as needed, following a written retention schedule.
Signed: [Director]. Date: [date].
8. Anti-Bribery and Business Conduct Policy
Sample Grounds Ltd does not tolerate bribery or corruption, and complies with the Bribery Act 2010.
- Bribes. No bribes, facilitation payments or improper advantages, offered or received.
- Gifts and hospitality. Gifts or hospitality worth more than £50 are recorded. Nothing is given to a buyer's staff during a live procurement.
- Conflicts of interest. Conflicts of interest are declared to a director.
- Whistleblowing. Staff can raise concerns in confidence, without fear of retaliation.
Signed: [Director]. Date: [date].
Worked quality answer: SAMPLE
Buyer: a fictional housing association with 140 estates across two counties. Question (weighted 20%, 1,000 words max): "Describe how you will deliver the grounds maintenance service to the specification, including your seasonal programme, staffing and resources, and how you will monitor quality and report to us."
Our approach
We will deliver the specification through a fixed seasonal programme, run by local teams who each look after the same group of estates all year. Residents will see the same faces, problems will be spotted early, and the association will get evidence of every visit.
1. Teams and resources
We will split the 140 estates into 5 geographic rounds. Each round has a two-person team and a set programme of visits.
| Resource | Number | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Grass cutting and general teams (2 people each) | 5 | Scheduled cutting, strimming, litter picking, shrub beds |
| Hedge and tree team (NPTC-certified) | 1 | Hedge cutting (outside nesting season), minor tree work, storm response |
| Ride-on and pedestrian mowers | 7 and 10 | Matched to the size of each site |
| Battery hedge trimmers and blowers | 12 | Quieter work near homes; cuts fuel and vibration exposure |
| Crew vans with trailers | 6 | One per team, plus a spare |
A Contracts Manager oversees the contract, and a working supervisor covers absences and carries out audits.
2. Seasonal programme
| Period | Main activities |
|---|---|
| March–April | First cuts, bed preparation, mulching, weed control (mechanical first, then targeted spot treatment) |
| May–September | Grass cutting at the specified frequency (typically every 10–14 days in the growing season), strimming, litter picking, second weed control round |
| September–October | Final cuts, hedge cutting once the nesting season is over, shrub pruning |
| November–February | Leaf clearance, hedge and tree work, path edging, bulb planting, winter checks for fly-tipping and storm damage |
The programme for each estate is agreed with the association before the season begins. Residents can be told when their estate will be cut, which reduces complaints.
3. Quality monitoring
- Every visit: the team takes photos of each estate when they finish, uploaded to our job app with the time and GPS location. The association gets access to these records.
- Every month: the Contracts Manager audits at least 15% of estates against the specification, including grass height, edges, litter and beds, and scores each out of 100. Any score under 85 means a return visit within 5 working days.
- Every quarter: a joint inspection with the association's estate officers, and a review of complaints, audit scores and the next quarter's programme.
4. Responding to problems
- Reports of dangerous trees, fallen branches or hazards are made safe the same day.
- Fly-tipping, vandalism and damage are photographed and reported within 24 hours, with a quote to clear them if they're outside the contract.
- Missed visits caused by weather are rescheduled within the same cycle, and the association is told if any estate slips by more than 5 working days.
5. Reporting
Each month the association receives:
- a visit log with photos
- audit scores by estate
- complaints and how they were resolved
- issues found (trees, invasive plants, damage)
- the next month's programme
This gives the association evidence for residents and for its own contract monitoring.
6. Why this will work
- The same team on the same estates all year, so problems are spotted early and residents know who to speak to.
- Every visit evidenced with a timed, located photo.
- A seasonal programme agreed in advance, including wildlife-friendly hedge timings.
- Quieter battery tools near homes.
(About 720 words. In a real bid, every figure comes from the client's own resources and the buyer's specification.)