What Should Your Management Company Be Doing for You?
Pillar #3 Contract Management
Effective management of your community association’s vendor contracts makes your HOA a home. It not only protects your property values, but it ensures that expectations of the services provided to maintain your community are kept.
Effective contract management starts with clear HOA services vendor relationships. A professional HOA management company should thoroughly vet vendors and set clear expectations. This process, which involves defining and bidding scope, helps ensure that the vendors align with the community’s unique needs, especially when it comes to essential services like HOA and community association asset maintenance, landscaping, and management of repairs.
“Projects, projects and more projects. Landscaping, Roof, Paint, Pavement, Pool Renovations, – all these projects would eventually require CONTRACTS.
Community Managers with Inframark have outstanding relationships with hundreds of vendors for many industries in our markets. We utilize these relationships to assist our communities in getting their projects completed on-time and on-budget.
BUT – contracts are legal documents and as such, require a formal review by Community Association Legal Counsel to ensure that the Community signing a project has certain levels of protection.
Proposals are not contracts, this is an important distinction as a proposal “sells” the project, while a contract “confirms” the project will be completed with certain milestones and restrictions.
Clearly defining a project Scope of Work and Expectations are important pieces of the project puzzle. Clear definitions allow both parties to specifically understand what some expectations are.
An example of a clear expectation would be “communication from the vendor to the Board and Management will take place every Friday.”
An example of an unclear expectation would be “communication from the vendor to the Board and Management will take place as needed.”
Paul Petrulis | Business Development & Community Manager | Florida
Routine community inspections and quality assurance checks should be conducted by your association management team to monitor vendor performance. High-quality association maintenance and planning often depends on these assessments, which confirm that the services meet established standards and support HOA governance and policy administration. This oversight helps protect the community’s investment and ensures vendors deliver reliable care.
HOA and community association board member support is another key aspect of contract management that your management company should prioritize. By providing guidance on HOA financial planning and budgeting services, leadership support for HOA boards, and project planning and scheduling, a capable management team helps board members make informed, strategic decisions about vendor contracts and financial commitments.
“As a Community Manager Supervisor at Inframark, I’m excited to share how effective Contract Management enhances your community’s operations. Here’s how we make it work:
A cornerstone of our approach is the Define and Bid Scope process. By clearly outlining the community’s needs, we create precise bid requests that help us secure competitive bids and suitable vendors. This clarity ensures you get the best value and services tailored to your specific requirements.
Effective Vendor Relations are essential to this process. We don’t just select vendors; we build strong, collaborative partnerships. This means working together with vendors to set clear expectations and keeping each other accountable. Regular communication and teamwork help us address any issues quickly and maintain high standards, which is crucial for smooth day-to-day operations.
To support this, we conduct regular, thorough Quality Check Inspections. These inspections ensure that the services provided align with our high standards and contractual agreements. By catching and addressing any concerns early, we prevent larger problems and ensure that the quality of service remains consistently excellent.
In essence, our contract management strategy is about more than just paperwork; it’s about creating a reliable framework that supports your community’s success. Through clear scoping, strong vendor relationships, and ongoing quality checks, we ensure that everything runs smoothly and efficiently. Stay tuned for more on how we keep your community thriving!“
Desaree Prokos | Community Manager Supervisor | Houston
Whenever you are seeking high-quality HOA service providers who excel in contract oversight, Inframark’s professional community management approach is designed to ensure reliable vendor performance. As one of the best community association and HOA management companies in Texas and Florida, with strong contract management practices, Inframark’s community management services deliver peace of mind. We allow our homeowners’ associations to focus on building a thriving community.
