Requesting Janitorial Bids? Here's What to Include in Your RFP

If you've ever sent out a janitorial RFP and gotten back three bids that all describe different scopes of work at wildly different price points, the problem usually isn't the vendors — it's the RFP. A loosely written request forces every bidder to fill in the gaps with their own assumptions, and you end up comparing numbers that aren't actually measuring the same thing. A tight, specific RFP does the opposite: it forces every vendor to price the exact same scope, which means the bids you get back are genuinely comparable.

What to include in the scope of work section

This is the section vendors will price against, so ambiguity here creates the biggest swings in bid quality. Be as specific as possible:

• Square footage and area breakdown. Total cleanable square footage, broken down by area type — office space, restrooms, break rooms, common areas, and any specialty spaces (server rooms, medical suites, retail floor).
• Cleaning frequency per task. Don't just say "nightly cleaning" — specify which tasks happen nightly (trash, restrooms, high-touch surfaces) versus weekly (detail dusting, baseboards) versus periodic (floor stripping and waxing, interior window cleaning, carpet extraction).
• Consumable supplies. State clearly whether the vendor is responsible for restocking restroom paper products, hand soap, and trash liners, or whether your facility supplies them. This is one of the most common sources of scope disputes after a contract starts.
• Access hours and constraints. Note whether cleaning must happen after-hours, overnight, or during specific windows, and flag any security/access procedures (badge access, sign-in logs, restricted areas) vendors need to plan around.
• Seasonal or occupancy variability. If your facility sees seasonal swings — a hotel or retail space tied to Grand Canyon tourism traffic, for example — state it so vendors can price flexibility into their bid rather than assuming a flat year-round schedule.

Vendor qualification requirements

A strong RFP asks vendors to prove they can actually deliver, not just quote a number. Requesting the following up front filters out unqualified bidders before you waste time evaluating their pricing:

• Proof of general liability insurance and, where applicable, workers' compensation coverage.
• Confirmation of business licensing and any applicable bonding — [Licensed, Bonded & Insured] status should be verifiable, not just claimed.
• Staff screening practices — whether cleaning staff undergo background checks, and how staff turnover and training are handled.
• References from comparable facilities — similar square footage, facility type, or industry, ideally within the same region.
• Backup staffing plan — what happens when a scheduled cleaner calls out, especially for overnight or single-technician routes.

Pricing structure and contract terms to request

Ask every vendor to break out pricing the same way so you can compare line by line rather than just a single bottom-line number:

• Base recurring janitorial rate (monthly or per-visit).
• Add-on service rates priced separately — floor care, window cleaning, carpet extraction, disinfection services.
• Contract term length and any renewal, cancellation, or price-escalation clauses.
• Change-order process — how additional or one-time cleaning requests outside the base scope get quoted and approved.

Evaluation criteria — don't default to lowest price

Price matters, but a scoring rubric that weighs qualifications, references, and responsiveness alongside price protects you from a bidder who won the RFP on paper but can't actually deliver consistent service. Consider scoring proposals across pricing, scope completeness, qualifications/insurance, references, and communication responsiveness during the bid process itself — how a vendor communicates while courting your business is often a preview of how they'll communicate once they have the contract.

A realistic RFP timeline

Rushing an RFP tends to produce weaker bids and a higher chance of a scope mismatch once the contract starts. A workable timeline generally looks like this:

• Week 1 — RFP distribution. Send the written scope of work and qualification requirements to your shortlist of 3–5 vendors, and offer a window for walkthroughs.
• Weeks 1–2 — Site walkthroughs. Schedule each vendor's walkthrough separately so they can ask questions specific to their read of the facility without being influenced by a competitor's questions.
• Weeks 2–3 — Bid deadline and review. Give vendors adequate time to price accurately after their walkthrough, then compare bids line by line against your scope document rather than by bottom-line number alone.
• Week 3–4 — Reference checks and award. Call at least one reference per finalist before signing, ideally a facility of comparable size or type, and confirm insurance documentation is current before the contract start date.

Building in this much lead time also gives you room to negotiate scope adjustments with your top choice before committing, rather than discovering a gap once cleaning has already started.