1. Once the construction work has been completed, along with the initial post-construction reinstatement work and the handover standards achieved, then a maintenance guarantee period may be considered where the Contractor achieves the desired standards over a period of time.
2. During the growing season the football pitch and the remainder of the facility will need to be cut as often as necessary to maintain the grass at an appropriate height:
- For the football pitch this may be between 30mm and 50mm, whilst
- For the remainder of the facility this may be between 35 and 65mm, however, these heights would be determined by the Customer.
3. Throughout the guarantee period the Contractor will have to undertake a whole range of turf maintenance operations to ensure the facility achieves the desired standards.
4. The football pitch and rest of the facility that is within the maintenance guarantee must meet the stated Performance Quality Standards during the guarantee period and at the time of the completion of the maintenance contract.
Full details of the Institute of Groundsmanship Performance Quality Standard Tables for Football Pitches are provided elsewhere. The pitch is to be maintained to the 'Standard' Quality Standard criteria. Some of these standards are produced here to reflect what might be considered within this example specification.
Football Pitch
| Performance Standard | Parameter |
| 1. Structural Quality | |
| Herbage | |
| i) * Length of herbage during the growing season | to be between 25 to 50mm |
| * Length of herbage during the non-growing season | to be between 20 to 60mm |
| ii) Bare area. | max. 15% |
| iii) Total ground cover | min. 85% |
| iv) Desirable grass species | min. 70% |
| v) Poa annua | max. 20% |
| vi) Other undesirable grass species | max. 5% |
| vii) Weeds - Large-leaved | max. 2% |
| viii) Weeds - Small-leaved | max. 5% |
| ix) Moss | Nil |
| x) Algae and Lichen | Nil |
| Pests and Diseases | |
| Diseases | max. 2% |
| Earthworms | max. 5% |
| Pests | Nil |
| Profile | |
| Evenness: 2m straight edge, or | Max. variation 18mm |
| 0.5m straight edge | Max. variation 10mm |
| Thatch depth | Max. 10mm |
| Soil pH | 5.8 - 7.5 |
| Soil nutrient level: P2O5 | Index 2 |
| Soil nutrient level: K2O | Index 2 |
| 2. Presentational Quality | |
| Appearance | min. 90% uniform texture |
| Surface debris | Nil |
| Sward colour | 90% uniform |
| 3. Playing Quality | |
| Ball roll | to be between 4 to 12m |
| Hardness | to be between 55 to 140 gravities |
| Traction | Min. 30 Nm |
| Vertical ball bounce | to be between 25 to 45% |
Playing quality is normally assessed after the pitch has been prepared for play, however, for a newly constructed pitch it would be appropriate to assess this throughout the period of the maintenance guarantee period.
For the rest of the facility that is within the contract area, the performance standards would typically be in line with Performance Quality Standards for amenity grass areas. The following figures are used to indicate some of the criteria that may be considered. In practice a category of turf (A - J) that is similar to that specified in The Institute of Groundsmanship's Performance Quality standards for Amenity Turf would be used.
Pitch Surrounds and Remainder of Facility
| Performance Standard | Parameter |
| 1. Structural Quality | |
| Herbage | |
| i) Length of herbage | to be between 25 to 50mm |
| ii) Bare area. | max. 15% |
| iii) Total ground cover | min. 85% |
| iv) Desirable grass species | min. 70% |
| v) Poa annua | max. 20% |
| vi) Other undesirable grass species | max. 10% |
| vii) Weeds - Large-leaved | max. 8% |
| viii) Weeds - Small-leaved | max. 8% |
| ix) Moss | max. 10% |
| x) Algae and Lichen | max. 2% |
| Pests and Diseases | |
| Earthworms | max. 5% |
| Profile | |
| Evenness: 2m straight edge, or | Max. variation 25mm |
| 0.5m straight edge | Max. variation 15mm |
| Soil pH | 5.0 - 7.5 |
| 2. Presentational Quality | |
| Appearance | min. 70% uniform texture |
| Surface debris | Nil |
| Sward colour | 70% uniform |
5. The Customer might have a water supply nearby, which might be used by the Contractor. This would usually be utilised in an economical and appropriate way by the Contractor for the maintenance of the facility. A water meter might be installed to ensure this is the case. The cost of the water would usually be the responsibility of the Customer.