Cleaning Monitoring and Validation in A Coruña, Spain

05/03/2025

With more than 20 years of experience in cleaning monitoring services across various municipalities and backed by our diverse and broad expertise in environmental management services, QA/QC, inspection, and vendor surveillance, Applus+ was hired to manage the quality control of road cleaning services in the city of A Coruña, Spain.

Our cleaning monitoring services help assess and evaluate the performance of cleaning companies by conducting regular inspections and audits, ensuring that the companies contracted by the Councils comply with the rules and obligations outlined in their service contracts. The main objective of this service is to keep urban spaces clean, hygienic, and well-maintained, thereby improving the quality of life for both residents and visitors.

The challenge for this project was to develop a dashboard of key performance indicators (KPIs) such as cleanliness levels, response times, and equipment functionality to assess whether the service met the required standards. The goal was to provide the City Council with a tool to identify weak points in the execution of the contract and to highlight the neighborhoods that required additional focus for improvement. This would help in defining a targeted improvement plan.

Our team also monitored compliance with environmental regulations, ensuring that waste was managed responsibly and in line with sustainability practices

The project was divided into three areas:

1. Cleaning Inspection Services
Supervision of road cleaning services included conducting more than 1,500 inspections per year, distributed over two periods (summer and autumn), with a team of five technicians to monitor various behaviors of citizens in 10 neighborhoods.

2. Definition and Measurement of KPIs and Benchmarking

Measurement of 12 control parameters (including sidewalks, driveways, green areas, squares, etc.).
Calculation of individual indices for each parameter, as well as an overall index.
The obtained values were compared to identify the city's best and worst cleaned areas and to benchmark them against indices from other cities.

3. Evaluation
Conducting evaluations at the City Council to define the best strategies for improving the city's cleanliness and enhancing citizens’ perceptions. This process will culminate in the development of an Action Plan.

By hiring cleaning monitoring services and implementing a robust quality control system for street cleaning contracts, municipalities can ensure that urban areas are well-maintained and that contractual obligations are met to the highest standards. Our team supports municipalities in maintaining clean, sustainable, and efficient public spaces for everyone.

The benefits of this type of project include:

Improved Service Efficiency: Regular evaluations of cleaning services allow municipalities to identify inefficiencies or gaps and take corrective actions to ensure optimal performance.

Compliance and Accountability: Our service ensures that cleaning companies adhere to their contractual obligations and are held accountable for any shortcomings or instances of non-compliance.

Cost Optimization: Through diligent monitoring, we help prevent unnecessary costs caused by poor service delivery or contract breaches, ensuring that public funds are used effectively.

Enhanced Public Satisfaction: Well-maintained urban spaces lead to higher resident satisfaction, improve the municipality’s image, attract tourists, and enhance overall community well-being.

Sustainability and Environmental Impact: Our quality control process includes monitoring cleaning contractors' environmental practices, ensuring compliance with recycling and waste management regulations, and reducing cleaning operations' environmental footprint.