Given the persistence of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Cleaning and Services Interassociative Team (TIPS) has been formed.

TIPS is a new body bringing together the main associations representing Italy’s professional cleaning sector: for both cleaning and for the manufacturers and distributors of professional cleaning equipment. Its goal is that the institutions will be involved in the decision-making processes aimed at containing the pandemic through the cleaning of public and private facilities.

TIPS is comprised of the following organisations:

• AFIDAMP national association of professional cleaning equipment suppliers
• Confartigianato Cleaning Companies
• CNA Cleaning Companies
• Casartigiani Cleaning Companies
• Confcooperative Lavoro e Servizi
• FNIP Confcommercio
• National School Services Foundation
• ISSA EMEA
• Legacoop Production and Services
• Unionservizi Confapi

On 12 October 2021, the TIPS presented its Manifesto of Intent in the Press Room of the Chamber of Deputies in Rome. Those in attendance included Honourable Rossella Muroni (FacciamoECO); Andrea Loro Piana, AFIDAMP Board Member; Alvaro Giovannini, Confartigianato Cleaning Companies; Angelo Cornacchione, CNA Cleaning Companies; Paolo Melfa, Casartigiani Cleaning Companies; Milena Cannizzaro, Confcooperative Lavoro e Servizi; Carmine Esposito, FNIP Confcommercio; Toni D'Andrea, ISSA EMEA; Andrea Laguardia, Legacoop Production and Services; Franco Tumino, Fondazione Scuola Nazionale Servizi; and Vincenzo Elifani, Unionservizi Confapi.

The TIPS will immediately set up a control room, composed of representatives of all the member organisations, which will structure a set of proposals to bring to the attention of the Legislator and the Government, as well as awareness-raising actions towards stakeholders and public opinion.

Its main objectives include:

• Enhancement of the sector and its operators.
• The standardisation of cleaning processes and protocols, including the preparation of a price list that takes into account the actual execution times and methods.
• The regulatory clarification of the concept of sanitation and of which subjects are qualified for this professional service, as agreed in the definitions indicated in the memorandum of intent signed between the parties on 8 September 2021.
• The fight against contractual dumping, forms of unfair competition, and the total exit from the logic of the maximum discount for the purchases of services by the public administration.
• The recognition and enhancement of professional skills voluntarily obtained on the job also through qualification courses for cleaning company operators.
• A renewed pact between public and private based on increasing the quality of services.