The three systems under one contract
“Electromechanical” (often written M&E) covers the plant a building runs on:
- HVAC — air handling units, fan coil units, split and VRF systems, chilled and condenser water circuits, pumps and motors, filter and belt schedules.
- Electrical — panels and distribution, earthing checks, lighting and small power, DG-set coordination.
- Plumbing and public health — pump rooms, hydro-pneumatic systems, water tanks and lines, drainage and sanitary upkeep.
Facilities that contract these separately end up with three vendors, three report formats and three versions of “not our scope”. An AMC puts one owner on all of it.
Preventive, not reactive: the PM calendar
The substance of an AMC is its preventive-maintenance calendar. Each asset on the register gets tasks and frequencies set from its age, condition and criticality — not from a template. A chiller pump feeding a data-centre floor is not maintained on the same cycle as a pantry exhaust fan.
The calendar matters for a simple reason: breakdowns cost more than servicing. A contract that only promises “we’ll come when it fails” is a repair rate-card, not a maintenance contract.
Comprehensive vs non-comprehensive
Two commercial models are standard in India:
| Model | Labour | Spares & consumables |
|---|---|---|
| Comprehensive | Included | Included in the contract value |
| Non-comprehensive | Included | Billed as consumed, at agreed rates |
Comprehensive contracts cost more but fix the annual budget. Non-comprehensive contracts run cheaper when the plant is young. The honest answer to “which is better” comes from the asset register: old plant with no service history usually starts non-comprehensive until a year of data exists.
What a good AMC reports every month
The monthly report is how a facility head — and later an auditor — knows the contract is being worked, not just invoiced. It should list work done against the calendar, faults attended with response times, observations (things degrading but not yet failed), and what falls due next month. A recurring fault should trigger a root-cause note, not a third identical repair.
Questions to ask before signing
- Is there an asset register, and did anyone survey the plant before pricing?
- Are preventive frequencies stated per asset — or is the calendar one line?
- What are the breakdown response windows, by criticality?
- What does the monthly report contain? Ask for a sample.
- Who supervises, and under what quality and safety systems?
A vendor who prices your AMC without walking your plant room has already told you how the contract will run.