Cleaning services

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As part of the NSW Government’s commitment to review contracting arrangements for cleaning in public schools, a broader assessment of whole-of-government cleaning services was undertaken. The review identified opportunities to strengthen service delivery, improve oversight and better support the workforce – particularly in education settings.

As a result of the review, the NSW Government announced that the Department of Education will assume responsibility for managing the new cleaning arrangements from 1 January 2026. These arrangements will apply to all public schools, as well as participating whole-of-government agencies.

Public schools and other Department of Education sites accounting for up to 78% of the current contract value. The department has demonstrated its capability in managing large-scale in-house and contracted services and are well placed to lead this work across NSW.

This change presents an opportunity to better align service delivery with the needs of schools and participating whole-of-government agencies, while also continuing to support fair employment and working conditions, consistent cleaning standards, and clearer operational oversight.

The 2026 cleaning services arrangements will be conducted in 2 programs:

Whole-of-government cleaning contracts to support most regions across NSW, except for Hunter and Central Coast.
Direct employment of cleaning services staff for Hunter and Central regions.

Whole-of-government

The current whole-of-government cleaning contract arrangements, managed by NSW Public Works, will remain in place until they expire on 31 December 2025. Cleaning services at sites covered under the current arrangements will continue without disruption during this period.

The department will lead the procurement process for new whole-of-government cleaning contracts for all regions except the Hunter and Central Coast. The new contracts will commence on 1 January 2026.

Transition planning is already underway to ensure a smooth handover and uninterrupted service delivery under the new model.

Hunter and Central Coast

In the Hunter and Central Coast regions, the NSW Government will introduce a direct employment program from 1 January 2026 as part of the broader reform. Under this model, cleaners will be employed directly by the Department of Education.

The Hunter and Central Coast regions were selected for this initial direct employment program as the networks include a mix of metropolitan and regional schools and government facilities to inform future approaches to the provision of cleaning services in both regional and metropolitan NSW.

This program will provide valuable insights into how direct employment can support fair wages, manageable workloads, and stronger local connections with communities.

Award negotiations to enable direct employment in the Hunter and Central Coast regions began in June 2025.

Next steps

A governance framework has been established, with steering committees, working groups, and communities of practice to guide implementation and ensure service needs are understood across the department and participating agencies.

More information will be shared as it becomes available.

Feedback to support the 2026 cleaning arrangements

We value your feedback and insights. Please complete the short feedback form to share your thoughts which will help inform the plans and delivery of the 2026 whole-of-government cleaning arrangements as well as the direct employment of cleaning staff in the Hunter and Central Coast regions.

If you have any questions, please email CleaningServices@det.nsw.edu.au.

Questions and answers

Why was the whole-of-government cleaning contracts reviewed?

The NSW Government made a commitment at the 2023 state election to review public school cleaning arrangements. The review included a broader assessment of the current whole-of-government cleaning contracts.

The review showed there were opportunities to improve workforce outcomes, contract oversight and service consistency.

What issues were identified with the current cleaning arrangements?

Initial feedback from school communities and participating whole-of-government agencies highlighted areas for improvement including:

service consistency
cleaner availability and visibility
workload pressures that can limit time for completing required tasks.

The new approach will support fair employment conditions and deliver cleaning services that are more responsive to the needs of individual sites. It will also improve oversight and compliance.

Why is the Hunter and Central Coast region taking a different approach?

In the Hunter and Central Coast, the NSW Government will introduce a direct employment program for cleaning services as part of the broader update to cleaning arrangements. This will see cleaners in this region employed directly by the Department of Education.

The program is designed to provide insights into how direct employment can support fair wages, manageable workloads, and develop stronger local workforce connections with their communities.

These insights will inform future decisions about how cleaning services are delivered across all participating government sites.

Why is the change being made to how cleaning contracts are managed?

The NSW Government’s review of the current whole-of-government cleaning arrangements identified opportunities to improve oversight, service consistency, and outcomes for cleaners and the communities they serve.

With up to 78% of the existing contract value linked to public education, the NSW Department of Education is well placed to lead this work.

Centralising contract management with the NSW Department of Education enables a model that is more fit-for-purpose and better aligned to the operational needs of schools and other participating government sites.

It is standard government practice for the agency with the largest share of the contract value to manage the contract on behalf of other agencies.

We recognise the Ongoing Custodians of the lands and waterways where we work and live. We pay respect to Elders past and present as ongoing teachers of knowledge, songlines and stories. We strive to ensure every Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander learner in NSW achieves their potential through education.