Reading-based international support services and construction group Interserve has secured a five year total facilities management account with six central government departments worth over £40 million.

The account, known as the ‘Affiliate Cluster’, will cover the Cabinet Office, the Department for International Development (DFID), the Food Standards Agency (FSA), the Government Actuary’s Department (GAD), the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted).

This will be the first time that all six departments’ facilities management services will be handled by a single provider.

The deal is hoping to achieve double digit cost savings each year across the departments.

Under the terms of the agreement, Interserve will provide a number of services including front of house, catering and security, along with electrical and mechanical maintenance.

The new partnership will also see the group incorporate the use of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in line with targets of the government.

Adrian Ringrose, Chief Executive, commented: “We have excellent relationships in central government and are very pleased to be expanding this partnership into new departments. We feel that our extensive experience of delivering diverse, complex facilities management services for government makes us the ideal partner for this combined contract.

“Ahead of the start of this contract we are focusing on the training and development of our people, to ensure we continue to provide the highest standard of customer service.”

Chief Executive of the Civil Service, John Manzoni , added: “Bringing the support services together under a single overarching account will deliver significant benefits for each department and for the government as a whole.

“Thanks to the efficiencies that our partnership with Interserve will deliver, we will achieve consistent service level across the estate whilst bringing savings; ensuring we are delivering real value to taxpayers.”