Planned Maintenance Program

Policy

This policy sets out the purpose of the planned maintenance program funding, and the requirements for a project based on funding amount and project type.

Summary

• The planned maintenance program (PMP) provides targeted funding for schools to maintain their facilities.
• The PMP provides funding to address high priority items identified in the rolling facilities evaluation (RFE) and other audit programs as required.
• PMP projects may be led by the school or the Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA).
• School can refer to the Guidance tab for details about the processes and funding acquittal requirements for both VSBA-led and school-led projects.

Details

The planned maintenance program (PMP) provides funding to schools to maintain their facilities.

The funding that a school is allocated is either in response to the RFE or another audit program.

The delivery model and funding acquittal process will differ depending on the funding allocation.

Funding types

The PMP funds high priority maintenance issues (called priority 1 and 2 defects) arising from the RFE, including:

• visual defects
• defects requiring further investigation
• shelter-in-place defects.

Refer to the School Maintenance Plans and Rolling Facilities Evaluation policy for more detail, including information on how to address lower priority defects (priority 3, 4 and 5 defects) not funded through PMP.

The PMP also funds high priority maintenance issues arising from other audit programs which respond to defects regarding specific building components.

Rolling facilities evaluation maintenance issues

Schools receive a condition assessment report as part of their RFE. This report identifies defects at the school via a visual assessment, listed by priority. PMP funding is allocated in response to the RFE, specifically for defects required to be addressed within the next 6 or 12 months (priority 1 and 2 respectively). This includes defects requiring further investigation by the VSBA.

Schools on the department’s bushfire at-risk register also receive a shelter in place report as part of their RFE. This report identifies where the school’s shelter in place building is non-compliant with department guidelines, which can be obtained by contacting rfeproject@education.vic.gov.au

The specific guidelines the shelter in place building must meet will depend on the school’s bushfire attack level rating, which is also assessed as part of the school’s RFE. PMP funding is allocated in response to non-compliances at the school’s shelter in place building (rated as priority 1 defects).

For more information on the bushfire at-risk register, refer to the Bushfire and Grassfire Preparedness policy.

For more information about shelter in place buildings, including the specific requirements that apply for schools on the bushfire at-risk register, refer to the Shelter-in-Place Buildings policy.

Schools may find more information on their RFE by downloading their condition assessment report from the ‘school documents’ section which is found in the facilities management section of AIMS (staff login required).

Schools can also find a list of their defects on their school maintenance plan, located at the condition-based maintenance tab of the facilities management section of AIMS (staff login required).

Other high priority maintenance issues

High priority maintenance issues may be identified outside of the RFE via a different audit program. These projects will have a specific scope identified and will be delivered by the VSBA on behalf of the school.

Project delivery models

Depending on project type and total value, PMP projects may be led by the school or the VSBA.

Projects led by the VSBA

The VSBA will lead RFE projects in circumstances where:

• shelter-in-place works are required
• there are defects requiring a specialist trade investigation
• the school has a poor condition rating (that is, the school has an overall condition rating less than 3.25) or
• the nominal project value is greater than or equal to $50,000.

All non-RFE projects will also be VSBA-led.

In these instances, a project officer will be assigned to work with the school.

Schools can refer to the Guidance tab for detailed advice on the VSBA-led project process.

Projects led by the school

Schools will lead projects in circumstances where they receive up to $50,000 in PMP funding for visual defects identified through the RFE.

All school-led projects must commence within 9 months of receiving a funding allocation. If the school-led project has not commenced within 9 months, the VSBA will take over delivery of the project, using the allocated funds.

Schools may also request their project to be led by the VSBA at any time if desired.

Schools can refer to the Guidance tab for detailed advice on accessing the funds for school-led projects and undertaking the associated works.

Definitions

Rolling facilities evaluation (RFE)
The RFE assesses the condition of buildings and other infrastructure at all Victorian government schools on a rolling 5-year cycle. The outcomes of the RFE are presented in a condition assessment report and uploaded into the condition-based maintenance tab of the facilities management section of AIMS (staff login require). High priority defects identified during the RFE will receive PMP funding. Schools may find information on the RFE by downloading their condition assessment report from the ‘school documents’ section which is found on the facilities management section of AIMS (staff login required).

Related policies

• Bushfire and Grassfire Preparedness
• Procuring Low-value Construction Works or Services
• School Maintenance Plans and Rolling Facilities Evaluation
• Shelter-in-Place Buildings

Relevant legislation

Project Development and Construction Management Act 1994 (Vic)

Contact

Schools with questions about the program, process or school-led projects can contact the VSBA at amp.coordinator@education.vic.gov.au

Schools with questions about VSBA-led projects can contact the VSBA at vsba.maintenance.unit@education.vic.gov.au

Schools may also contact the provision and planning staff in their local area or regional office for assistance.

Guidance

These guidelines contain the following chapters:

• Guidelines for school-led funding allocations
• Guidelines for VSBA-led funding allocations

Guidelines for school-led funding allocations

The information in this section applies to schools that receive up to $50,000 in planned maintenance program (PMP) funding for visual defects identified through the rolling facilities evaluation (RFE).

All school-led projects must commence within 9 months of receiving a funding allocation. If the school-led project has not commenced within 9 months, the Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA) will take over delivery of the project, using the allocated funds.

Schools may also request their project to be led by the VSBA at any time if desired.

Funding acquittal

For school-led projects, schools are required to complete and submit a funding declaration form for approval. Schools will be contacted by a VSBA technical leadership coach to explain the process and assist with the completion of the funding declaration form if required.

In completing and submitting the form for approval, the school acknowledges the intention of the funds, and the full amount of funding available. This helps the VSBA ensure funding is spent for its intended purpose.

The form requires department regional office approval. The school will not receive funds until the appropriate approvals are made (step 4).

All school-led projects must commence within 9 months of receiving a funding allocation. If the school-led project has not commenced within 9 months, the VSBA will take over delivery of the project, using the allocated funds.

Works delivery

After the funding declaration form has been approved by the regional office, schools may enter into contracts with suppliers for PMP projects valued up to $50,000.

To ensure the department fulfils its mandatory obligations under the Project Development and Construction Management Act 1994 (Vic) and the Ministerial Directions and Instructions for Public Construction Procurement, schools seeking to enter such contracts must comply with the Procuring Low-value Construction Works or Services policy.

The process for a school-led project is detailed below.

Guidelines for VSBA-led funding allocations

The information in this section applies to schools with rolling facilities evaluation (RFE) projects in circumstances where:

• shelter-in-place works are required
• there are defects requiring a specialist trade investigation
• the school has a poor condition rating (that is, the school has an overall condition rating less than 3.25) or
• the nominal project value is greater than or equal to $50,000.

This section also applies to schools with non-RFE projects.

This section also applies to schools that request their school-led project to be led by the Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA).

Schools will be assigned a dedicated VSBA project officer as their point of contact who will work with the school throughout the entire delivery process.

The VSBA completes VSBA-led projects in 2 broad stages:

• Report and estimate: the VSBA engages a principal design consultant to prepare a detailed scope of works based on the results of the condition assessment report (milestones 1 and 2)
• Works delivery: the VSBA engages a contractor to deliver the scope of works on site (milestones 3 and 4)

The process for a VSBA-led project is detailed below.

Resources

• School Maintenance Plans and Rolling Facilities Evaluations
• Funding Declaration for allocations up to $50,000 (DOCX)
  • Schools that receive up to $50,000 in Planned Maintenance Program (PMP) funding use this form to acquit their funding allocation.
• Condition Assessment portal (login required — school account)
  • Using the school login details, schools can access the Condition Assessment portal to upload and submit their PMP documentation for approval.