Multi-Site Facility Management: A Guide to Vendor Consolidation

If you're managing facilities across 20, 50, or 200+ locations, you're likely juggling dozens of vendor relationships—different landscape companies per region, multiple janitorial contractors, local HVAC technicians, and regional snow removal providers.

Each vendor requires contracts, invoices, compliance documentation, performance tracking, and ongoing communication. It's a full-time job just managing the vendors—before you even get to actually managing the facilities.

Vendor consolidation offers a way out. Here's how to do it right.

The Hidden Cost of Vendor Sprawl

Before diving into consolidation strategies, let's quantify the problem. Managing a fragmented vendor network creates several hidden costs:

Administrative Overhead

• Separate contracts, insurance certificates, and compliance documents for each vendor
• Multiple invoices to process, reconcile, and approve each month
• Individual vendor onboarding and offboarding processes
• Fragmented communication across email, phone, and vendor portals

Inconsistent Service Quality

• No standardized service levels across locations
• Different response times and escalation procedures per region
• Inconsistent brand representation at your facilities
• Difficulty comparing performance across providers

Missed Cost Savings

• No volume pricing leverage when work is split across many vendors
• Duplicate overhead costs (each vendor builds in their margin and admin costs)
• Inefficient routing and scheduling when vendors serve only a few locations
• Higher insurance and bonding costs for multiple smaller providers

Three Vendor Consolidation Models

Model 1: Single National Provider

Best for: Companies needing identical services at every location

Pros: Maximum consistency, simplest administration, strongest volume pricing

Cons: Limited provider options, may lack local expertise in some regions

Model 2: Regional Consolidation

Best for: Companies with distinct regional clusters

Pros: Balances local knowledge with scale, easier to pilot and rollout

Cons: Still requires managing multiple relationships, less volume leverage

Model 3: National Coordinator with Local Partners (Recommended)

Best for: Most multi-site operators

Pros: Single point of contact, local execution, vetted provider network, consistent standards with regional flexibility

Cons: Requires coordinator with strong partner network and management systems

How to Execute Vendor Consolidation

Step 1: Audit Your Current State

Document everything:

• List every vendor by service type and location
• Capture current costs, contract terms, and service levels
• Identify pain points (slow response, inconsistent quality, billing issues)
• Calculate internal administrative time spent managing vendors

Step 2: Define Your Requirements

Be specific about what you need:

• Service level expectations (response times, completion standards)
• Geographic coverage requirements
• Insurance and compliance requirements
• Reporting and communication expectations
• Budget parameters and payment terms

Step 3: Evaluate Providers

Look beyond price:

• Geographic coverage: Can they serve all your locations?
• Track record: Do they have multi-site experience in your industry?
• Technology: How do they track work, communicate status, and document completion?
• Financial stability: Will they be around in 3-5 years?
• References: What do their current clients say?

Step 4: Pilot Before Full Rollout

Test the new relationship:

• Start with 5-10 locations in different regions
• Run parallel service for 60-90 days if possible
• Gather feedback from site managers
• Verify cost savings and service quality improvements
• Refine processes before expanding

Step 5: Manage the Transition

Plan for disruption:

• Communicate changes to site teams with plenty of notice
• Provide clear escalation paths during transition
• Document handoff procedures and property-specific requirements
• Monitor closely during first 90 days
• Maintain backup vendor relationships initially

Expected Outcomes

When done correctly, vendor consolidation delivers measurable improvements:

Ready to Simplify Your Vendor Management?

Axis FMG specializes in coordinating facility services for multi-site operators. We serve as your single point of contact while leveraging our vetted network of local partners to deliver consistent, high-quality service at every location.

One contract. One invoice. One dedicated team. Nationwide coverage.