Evolve FM, Australia’s First majority Indigenous owned Integrated facilities management company, has won a major national competitive open tender process with not for profit enterprise, Red Cross.

The five year contract, will see Evolve expand its footprint into new regions nationally, taking on facilities management for the national Red Cross property portfolio.

The win is a boost to the company’s appointment in 2017 as one of three Australian Government property services providers, supporting 23 Commonwealth entities with property and facilities maintenance services nationally.

Newly appointed CEO, Wakka Wakka and Bundjalung man Shane Hamilton, said the new contract is an important step in the company’s expansion.

“Red Cross has a significant national property portfolio, and the contract is an enormous opportunity for Evolve to expand our national reach into new areas, while supporting one of Australia’s largest not for profits to reduce their property operating costs through high quality services,” said Hamilton.

“We are excited to partner with Red Cross. Our companies share similar values in supporting equality and opportunity for all Australians, and in ensuring high quality property and facilities management.”

Red Cross Chief Executive Officer Judy Slatyer said Evolve will manage facility services at more than 350 Red Cross offices and retail stores around Australia. This facilities management will ensure all properties are safe, functional, efficient and compliant with building legislation.

“It’s a great agreement from a commercial point of view as it represents a significant improvement in how our facilities will be managed. We’re also pleased to support the agreement as part of the organisation’s commitment to reconciliation. Under our Reconciliation Action Plan, we have committed to develop five new commercial partnerships with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander businesses as part of a multi-pronged approach to improving the well-being of First Nations peoples.

Investing in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander service sector and supporting Indigenous-owned businesses is a practical way of ensuring improved opportunities for First Nations peoples,” Slatyer said.

The contract is expected to result in flow on benefits for the Indigenous business sector more broadly. “This contract is not just a win for us but for First Nations businesses in our supply chain and will generate economic benefits right across the Indigenous economy,” Hamilton said.

The company’s growth has already provided significant economic benefits for other First Nations businesses.

“Since commencing the Whole of Australian Government Property Services contract in 2017, we have become a major player in the facilities management sector, growing our vendor base with more First Nations suppliers,” Hamilton said. “In the last three years, we have spent more than $12.6 million with First Nations businesses.”

Hamilton said the company’s growth was a signal of the importance it placed on delivering high quality services for its clients.

“First and foremost, we work with vendors that can deliver the high quality services to our clients,” Hamilton said. “We are not only a majority owned First Nations business – fundamentally we are helping our clients to reduce their overall property operating expenses by delivering high quality services.”