Furniture Survey - Nassau County, Florida

When the Nassau County, Fla., school district decided to achieve parity for furnishings in its elementary and secondary schools, Contrax Furnishings was hired to provide a comprehensive solution through the company’s unique Furniture Survey program.

With this program, Contrax Furnishings surveys the existing furniture in grades K-12 schools to bring the parity of furniture throughout the district in line. The program establishes a letter grade scale to evaluate the overall condition of furniture. Contrax Furnishings then outlines a budget and plan to bring up all furniture – or furniture in certain areas – to a grade “B” or “C” level by repairing and refurbishing outdated, broken or non-serviceable products. It also facilitates the proper disposal and brokering of furniture that is no longer usable – a central component in the company’s commitment to environmentally responsible practices.

The Furniture Survey for Nassau County involved a total of seven schools – five secondary and two elementary – over a two-year period, with all schools scheduled to be completed by 2010. Secondary schools were the first to receive this solution because their need was greater than that of the newer elementary facilities. Total project budget over a five-year period was $3.5 million.

Using capital outlay money for the furniture, the district had to ensure that every dollar was spent wisely and accounted for. Contrax Furnishings’ survey team worked closely with the district in determining the scope of the project, then toured schools to evaluate furniture and assign a letter grade to each piece. The team also recorded the furnishings’ property numbers, and tagged pieces for surplus (which were given to non-profit organizations) and recycling.

Pieces tagged for refurbishment were repaired by Contrax Furnishings’ experienced service technicians according to the exacting standards of the company’s A+ Service Plan. To replace the other furnishings, orders for new products were made through Contrax Furnishings, which has the advantage of offering lines from the leading manufacturers in the United States – rather than representing only one brand, as do many other educational furniture suppliers.

The process also involved coordinating furniture colors – such as student chair shells and upholstered pieces – within schools so that furniture could be moved to different rooms as needed while maintaining a consistent, attractive appearance.

Contrax Furnishings’ comprehensive management of this major project took the day-to-day responsibilities from school district managers, allowing them to focus on their own duties. “One big advantage of what Contrax Furnishings did was to take the workload off of us,” said a Nassau County School District manager. “They acted as a liaison. We didn’t get phone calls.”

During installation at each school, the principal went through a check list with the Contrax Furnishings representative to confirm delivery of each piece, and its condition.

Contrax Furnishings also facilitated the billing process to seamlessly work with the district’s procedures. And the company’s online A+ Project Management System provided 24/7 access to view and manage all information about the project – as well as communication with the Contrax Furnishings project management team.

“All of the furniture throughout the seven schools was brought up to a “B” level,” the Nassau County School District manager said. “Contrax Furnishings took care of everything involved, from start to finish. Their crews came in after hours so they wouldn’t disrupt regular activities. They hauled it off, then brought it back and installed it. They knew just what to do, and they did it. If we had done it ourselves, we wouldn’t have finished.”