Mace wins FM contract in Qatar

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Mace wins FM contract in Qatar

The Ministry of Education and Higher Education in Qatar has entered into a contract with international Facilities Management company, Macro, for five years, to provide Facilities Management services for independent schools.

Macro will act as the managing agent for facilities services, supporting the Ministry in creating and maintaining an environment that is safe and secure through the introduction of best-in-class facilities management and service delivery practices and modern technology for the effective and efficient management of school assets, services and information.

The main objective of the contract is to prepare the Ministry’s in-house Facilities Management team to self-deliver the management functions at the end of the contract. The contract also includes a consultancy period followed by the management of FM services and minor project management for all independent schools. The consultancy period includes more than 39 deliverables forming a set of FM documentation, processes, procedures and management plans.

About Macro

Macro has been in operation since 2002, and developed organically as an extension to the many other building and property related services already on offer from Mace. The company had been providing facilities management services since the mid-1990’s, often in support of significant construction projects. For instance, whilst building the new headquarters for British Airways at Waterside, Mace was challenged to help with the mobilisation of the support services required to manage this significant facility.

Following the success of this project, other clients sought to use Mace’s expertise to help with a variety of operational issues related to the management of property. It was clear that the market was ready for a new type of facilities management and Macro was created, bringing together the experience and track record of both Mace and an industry leading management team.

Macro quickly established its reputation with a number of keynote projects and through strategic acquisition of a number of regional facilities management businesses including FM24 in London, Maxim in the North of England and FIMS in Scotland.

Today Macro is operational on 4 continents and provides strategic and tactical facilities management services on projects as diverse as Invesco’s property portfolio, to running the operation of the Emirates Air Line.

Macro is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mace, the international consultancy and construction company, offering integrated services across the full property and infrastructure lifecycle.

Source: www.macemacro.com

Moving Abroad Checklist

Initial Considerations

Will your partner be travelling with you?

If so, what will they be giving up in your present home and will they be able to continue with their career in your new home? You will need to check whether a separate visa is required for your partner to work or if your visa gives that right. If they are unable to work you will need to decide on the effect on your finances and what alternatives are available to give a fulfilling life (home business, training, voluntary work).

Are you taking family with you?

Moving with family raises many exciting opportunities, but also can create challenges. The HSBC Expat Explorer survey indicates that expat kids can take six months to settle in to their new country (see article). Getting young or even older children to prepare to move and leave their friends and family behind can be a challenge and should be thought through.

The options for education is another area that needs to be thought through.

Moving your child to a new country with a different education system can be a great opportunity to broaden their experience, but if they are close to key exams the timing can make this inadvisable. If you do take your family with you, it is important to decide between joining the local school system or choosing an international school.

Where will you be living?

Whether you will be living in a house or apartment, furnished or unfurnished, these decisions will affect what you need to take with you. The time you are planning to live overseas will also affect whether you should leave your property at home empty, rent it out or sell it. See the article Sell, Store or Ship.