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Integrating Personnel And The System

By Joseph Ricci, Ricci Communications

Although technology impacts every facet of peoples' professional and personal lives, it is the integration of systems and the interaction between technology and man that extends, or limits, their application and productivity. Specifically, outsourced security personnel is one such area.

Facility professionals are increasingly being asked to formulate a security team and oversee its personnel. When examining the issue, facility mangers need to keep both budgetary concerns and personnel qualifications in mind.

"We are working more and more with facility and property managers," says Juan Guytan, president of Monterrey Security, a Chicago, IL-based security contractor. "Their organizations, customers, and tenants are requesting increased safety and security without incurring additional expense."

A recent survey by the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) confirms facility professionals' priorities. Facility managers were asked what security measures were implemented at their properties. Not surprisingly, access control, security officers, and CCTV topped the list respectively.

The operation of access control and other security systems is generally handled by onsite security personnel. As technology and systems integration continues, security officers' roles will become more expansive, and they will be called upon to do more electronically based functions and operations.

Initial Questions

The pain, frustration, and difficulties associated with transitioning to a new security provider can make the right decision a tough one.

"Facility managers must answer the following questions before moving forward with any change in officers or contractors," explains Guytan.

• Can the existing contractor retrain security personnel and/or demand higher standards for the officers cost effectively?
• What are the new qualifications?
• If a personnel change is necessary, how can problems associated with change be addressed and overcome as the new vendor learns to operate the existing building systems?
• Who's responsible for training these new security officers regarding systems operations, both during the transition process and throughout the length of the contract?
• Who responds to which system alerts or problems and how?

Request For Proposal

The answers to those and other questions should be covered in the request for proposal (RFP). They are important factors during the evaluation of the present or potential contractors.

The development of a comprehensive RFP that addresses the knowledge, training, skills, and management of the officers should also focus on the transition process, such as training for existing building systems. In the past, proposals saw the economics as the overriding factor in hiring a security company.

"Initially, too much emphasis was put on price and price alone, without enough focus on officer screening, training, and management," states Chuck Fisher, senior consultant and president of SecPro Services, Inc., a Philadelphia, PA-based security consulting firm.

"Integration of systems, liability, and fear have forced new concerns and emphasis on qualifications such as computer skills, officer knowledge, training, and the detection and prevention of incidents.

RFP Guidelines

Guytan suggests the following four steps be taken before the release of the RFP. Project/Site Analysis. More than 95% of all contracted security services are replacing an existing provider based on performance issues or price. Therefore, the new contractor will be transitioning from one set of personnel and management to a new set.

Security contractors should include a review of the current post orders and assignments, as well as the existing security systems and protocols. This analysis will determine what changes are required to ensure proper coverage. The contractor should take this opportunity to identify the security systems, and determine if they are adequate for the associated risks, and consider whether or not personnel will require training to handle the systems.

Project/Site Specifications. This must include revised post orders and suggested standard operating procedures (SOPs). When presented, recommendations should be provided by the contractor for upgrades or changes to the security and life safety systems.

The specifications should outline the roles and responsibilities for those responsible for providing the necessary pre-assignment training, onsite training, and ongoing training for the site.

Workload Evaluations. The contractor will review the existing assignments, SOPs, and post orders to determine the workloads for each officer to develop new post orders reducing, maintaining, or increasing personnel and their job responsibilities. This process offers a clear evaluation of the amount and type of work each officer would be responsible for, and provides the basis for the development of work force requirements. Work force Requirements. Interaction with people, technology, and other life safety concerns, has changed the scope of the work routinely performed by security personnel. Many security positions may, and will, require basic computer skills and increased focus on communications skills.

Security contractors should be measured against their understanding and response to these steps, as well as other criteria and performance standards outlined in the RFP. This should include adequate levels of recruitment and screening, pre-assignment and in-service training, supervision and management, and previous job performance.

The contract with the security provider should include specific reference to the roles and responsibilities of training personnel on the security, life safety, human resources, lighting, time and attendance, and other building systems.

"Officer management of access control and other building systems is critical to the day-to-day operations of the building and its occupants," explains Fisher. "Any problems impact productivity and profits."

Provisions should be set before signing contracts for new offers and the training of supervisors. Responsibility, both physically and from a liability standpoint, should be written for the proper operation, maintenance, and response for specified building systems. The contract should also include reference and/or copies of the SOPs and post orders developed specifically for the site or project.

Many organizations do not completely consider the interaction between security officers and technology, failing to realize that the human element is a tremendous influencing factor in system operations and success. Even the most high tech security and building systems ultimately depend on humans to operate, interpret and respond.

Ricci is senior consultant and CEO of Arlington, VA-based Ricci Communications. He has provided strategic marketing consulting to the security industry for nearly 15 years.

What is your present security situation? Do you have any ideas or comments to share regarding outsourced security personnel?