Student Resource Package – School Infrastructure

Annual Contracts (Reference 36)

The Annual Contracts allocation provides for the routine servicing, inspection, and testing of various items both essential and mandatory. These tasks are:

• hygiene requirements (sanitary bins, nappy bins, sharps containers)
• onsite wastewater management systems (OWMS)
• private drinking water (PDW)
• lifts
• termite inspections (not pest control)
• heaters, boilers (for example, Type A and Type B gas appliances)
• air conditioning (including evaporative cooling systems)
• vertical school systems (that is, centralised Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning systems)
• gas and electrical safety inspections (specific to Teacher Accommodation).

Costs associated with repairs for any of the equipment serviced under this component are funded within the Maintenance and Minor Works portion of the Student Resource Package (SRP).

The allocation for SRP Annual Contracts includes funding for the servicing of existing annual contracts items mentioned above at eligible schools.

This does not include funding for new annual contacts items (for example, funding is to service air conditioning units and not to purchase new air conditioning units).

Annual Contracts should be managed in Asset Information Management System (AIMS) (staff login required).

For further information, refer to: Annual Contracts: vsba.annual.contracts@education.vic.gov.au or 03 7022 5800.

Funding allocation

Annual Contracts SRP funding for any eligible school is allocated to cover costs of Annual Contracts. Adjustments to the Annual Contracts SRP allocation will be made based on changes to enrolment and/or entitlement areas, the provision of new equipment or changed teacher accommodation properties managed by the host school.

Annual Contracts are calculated using a ‘bottom-up’ formula involving 7 base contracts (as outlined in the Annual Contracts section above, excluding the vertical school allocation). The formula used to calculate each of the individual contracts is either based on fixed tiers, or a specific funding amount per individual unit present at the school.

For each of the annual contract items listed below, a pre-determined dollar/unit rate (with both metro and regional rates) is multiplied by every unit recorded at the school:

• Onsite Wastewater Management Systems (OWMS) – the number of septic tank units
• Private Drinking Water (PDW) – the number of potable water drinking tanks
• Lifts - the number of passenger and/or document lifts
• Heating units – the number of furnace heating units and/or boiling water units
• Air conditioning units – including evaporative and refrigerative units

The following annual contract items are calculated based on the enrolment or building area. If the school’s enrolment/building area goes above a certain number, the school will receive an increased funding allowance:

• hygiene requirements (sanitary bins, nappy bins, sharps containers):
  • the allocation is a fixed amount for schools with less than 400 students, and an increased fixed amount for schools with greater than or equal to 400 students. The amounts are dependent on if the school is metro or rural based
• termite inspections:
  • the allocation is dependent on the school's total internal floor area. Schools with an area below 6,000 m² receive a fixed base amount. Schools will receive a further $1,172 for every subsequent 6,000 m² threshold crossed
• instant hot water heating units:
  • the allocation is a fixed amount for schools with less than 400 students, and an increased fixed amount for schools with greater than or equal to 400 students. The amounts are dependent on if the school is metro or rural based.

Additional distinct rates and/or allocations have also been established for:

• metro versus regional schools to accommodate extra travel requirements by maintenance contractors
• servicing, inspection, and testing tasks for regional and rural teacher accommodation as specific to requirements of residential tenancies
• vertical schools, which receive a single additional payment to accommodate increased servicing costs associated with residing in a high-rise building.

A school’s eligibility to receive air conditioning funding is determined by the VSBA Heating and Cooling policy (BQSH) in conjunction with the NatHERS zones 20 and 27 as outlined on the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme website.

Reporting in CASES21

Annual Contract expenditure should be allocated in CASES21 to:

• Sub Program Code: 6401 – Annual Contracts
  • General Ledger Account Code: 86501 – Sanitation (includes septic tanks)
  • General Ledger Account Code: 86504 – Building works

SRP funding for Annual Contracts is calculated at the Indicative and Confirmed cycles and may be updated at the Revised cycle. Funding is allocated through cash funding.