A commercial cleaning RFP should give every bidder the same facility information, scope, performance requirements and pricing format. When those details are missing, proposals may look comparable while covering different tasks, frequencies, staffing levels or quality-control processes.
For an Atlanta office, warehouse, medical property or multi-location portfolio, the strongest RFPs define the result required in each area, explain when work can occur and state how performance will be inspected. The template below can be adapted for a private procurement process, but legal and insurance requirements should be reviewed by your organization.
What should a commercial cleaning RFP include?
At minimum, include an overview, facility profile, site-specific scope, frequencies, service windows, staffing expectations, supplies and equipment, quality-control requirements, vendor qualifications, pricing instructions, evaluation criteria and transition dates. Attach floor plans, current checklists or site rules when available.
This results-focused approach is consistent with federal service-contracting guidance. The Federal Acquisition Regulation emphasizes describing required results, using measurable performance standards and defining how performance will be assessed. A private facility does not need to copy government procedures, but the principle is useful: make the outcome measurable.
Commercial cleaning RFP checklist
Each section below states what to include and why it matters.
- Overview. Organization, objectives, sites, term and reason for the RFP. Why it matters: gives bidders the business context.
- Facility profile. Address, type, square footage, occupancy, hours, floors and special areas. Why it matters: allows realistic staffing and pricing.
- Scope of work. Tasks by room or zone, exclusions and periodic services. Why it matters: prevents assumptions and scope gaps.
- Frequency. Daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and event-driven tasks. Why it matters: makes proposals comparable.
- Access and schedule. Service window, keys, alarms, security, parking and restricted rooms. Why it matters: identifies operational constraints.
- Staffing. Supervisor coverage, training, screening, uniforms and subcontracting rules. Why it matters: clarifies accountability.
- Supplies and equipment. Who provides chemicals, consumables, liners, machines and storage. Why it matters: prevents hidden cost differences.
- Quality control. Inspections, checklist records, reporting, response time and corrective action. Why it matters: defines how performance is managed.
- Qualifications. Experience, references, insurance and required documents. Why it matters: screens for procurement readiness.
- Pricing and award. Standard price form, optional rates, evaluation weights and timeline. Why it matters: supports a fair comparison.
1. Explain the facility and the objective
Start with a short description of your organization, the facilities included and the outcome you need. State whether the RFP is for a new location, a scheduled rebid, a multi-site consolidation or replacement of an underperforming contractor. Include the expected contract term, renewal options and target start date.
Do not turn the introduction into a long company history. Bidders need operational information: who occupies the building, when it is open, which areas are customer-facing and what problems the new contract must solve.
2. Provide a complete facility profile
List every service address and identify the facility type. Provide cleanable square footage if known, operating hours, approximate occupancy, number of restrooms, breakrooms, elevators and major floor types. Note loading access, parking, security screening, union or building rules, storage space and restricted areas.
For multiple Georgia locations, create a separate facility profile for each address. A single total square-foot figure can hide meaningful differences between an open warehouse, a multi-floor office and a medical practice.
3. Build the scope by area, task and frequency
The scope of work is the core of a janitorial RFP. Organize it by zone, such as lobby, offices, conference rooms, restrooms, breakrooms, warehouse floor, loading areas and exterior entrances. For each zone, state the task, required result and frequency.
Use precise language. “Clean restrooms daily” is less useful than a list covering fixtures, counters, mirrors, partitions, floors, waste, dispensers and consumable restocking. Identify what is excluded, including personal desk items, production equipment, regulated waste, hazardous spills or work above an agreed height unless specifically included.
4. Separate routine and periodic services
Routine cleaning and periodic floor or detail work should not be blended into one vague monthly price. List carpet extraction, hard-floor refinishing, high dusting, pressure washing, window cleaning and post-event service separately. State the planned frequency and ask bidders to provide unit rates for additional work.
This makes the base contract easier to compare and gives the facility manager a clear budget for work that occurs quarterly, seasonally or on request.
5. Define the service window and access rules
State the earliest start time, required completion time, days of service, holiday expectations and whether daytime work is permitted. Include procedures for keys, badges, alarms, secure rooms, elevator use, loading docks and visitor logs. If the facility operates overnight, explain which zones remain occupied and how cleaning must be coordinated with operations.
6. Request a staffing and supervision plan
Ask bidders to explain crew structure, supervisor coverage, training, backup staffing and how absences are handled. Require disclosure of subcontracting and identify any background-screening or site-orientation requirements. Do not judge capacity only by total labor hours; ask how the bidder will complete the scope within the available window and verify performance.
7. Clarify products, consumables and equipment
The RFP should state who supplies cleaning chemicals, equipment, trash liners, paper products, soap and other consumables. Ask bidders to separate included materials from pass-through or optional costs. If your organization has sustainability requirements, identify approved product standards and any documentation required.
8. Make quality control measurable
Quality control should describe more than a promise of good service. Ask for the inspection schedule, checklist format, responsible supervisor, complaint-response process, corrective-action deadline and reporting method. Define what happens when work does not meet the agreed standard.
A local example comes from a City of Powder Springs janitorial RFP, which specifies supervisor-signed daily checklists, verification logs for periodic work and random inspections. Your private RFP can be simpler, but it should still create a record of performance.
9. Standardize vendor qualifications
Request the same evidence from every bidder: legal company name, years in business, relevant facility experience, references, key personnel, insurance documentation and any required licenses or safety materials. Ask for examples that match your facility type and scale instead of accepting a general client list.
Insurance limits and contract terms should come from your risk, procurement or legal team. Avoid copying requirements from an unrelated RFP without checking whether they fit your building and exposure.
10. Use one pricing form
Require every bidder to complete the same pricing schedule. Include a base monthly price by location, periodic-service rates, consumable costs, emergency or additional-work rates, startup charges and any annual price-adjustment method. Ask bidders to list assumptions and exceptions in one designated section.
A standardized form prevents one bidder from bundling floor care while another prices it as an add-on. Price should be evaluated together with scope, staffing, supervision and quality control, not in isolation.
Suggested proposal evaluation scorecard
Adjust the weights to your organization, publish them in the RFP and use the same scoring process for every proposal.
- Understanding of the scope and service approach: 25 percent
- Supervision, inspections and quality control: 20 percent
- Price and completeness of pricing: 20 percent
- Staffing capacity and transition plan: 15 percent
- Relevant experience, references and qualifications: 15 percent
- Sustainability, reporting or other organization-specific priorities: 5 percent
Copy-and-paste commercial cleaning RFP template
Use the outline below as a starting point. Replace every bracketed item and attach a task-frequency matrix for each location.
- RFP title and number: [Commercial Janitorial Services for Organization and Locations]
- Organization and objective: [Who we are, why the RFP is being issued and the result required]
- Contract term and dates: [Issue date, walkthrough, questions, proposal deadline, award and service start]
- Facility profiles: [Address, type, square footage, occupancy, operating hours, floor types and special areas]
- Scope and frequencies: [Attach room-by-room or zone-by-zone task matrix]
- Service window and access: [Days, times, keys, alarms, restricted areas, parking and security]
- Staffing requirements: [Supervision, training, screening, uniforms, backup coverage and subcontracting]
- Products and equipment: [Cleaning products, machines, consumables, storage and sustainability requirements]
- Quality control: [Inspection frequency, reporting, issue response, corrective action and review meetings]
- Vendor response: [Company information, approach, staffing plan, references, insurance, exceptions and signed forms]
- Pricing schedule: [Monthly price by site, periodic rates, consumables, extra work and assumptions]
- Evaluation and award: [Criteria, weights, interviews, best-and-final offer process and reservation of rights]
Common janitorial RFP mistakes
- Using square footage without providing room types, occupancy or floor information.
- Writing “as needed” without defining who decides, how quickly work is required or how it is priced.
- Failing to separate recurring cleaning from periodic services and consumables.
- Requesting a price before bidders can attend a walkthrough or ask scope questions.
- Choosing the lowest total without checking exclusions, labor assumptions or quality-control coverage.
- Leaving the transition period, keys, supplies and opening inspection undefined.
Why a facility walkthrough matters
A walkthrough lets bidders verify the written scope against actual conditions. Use one scheduled visit for all bidders when possible, document answers in an addendum and avoid giving one company material information that others do not receive. The visit should confirm square footage, floors, traffic, access, storage, security, existing equipment and any problem areas.
How Georgia Facility Services can respond
At Georgia Facility Services, we can review an existing janitorial RFP or help define a site-specific scope after a walkthrough. We provide customized cleaning plans, flexible scheduling, hands-on supervision and quality-control inspections for offices, warehouses, healthcare properties and other commercial facilities in Metro Atlanta and across our Georgia service areas.
Send us your RFP through our contact page or call (770) 710-3424 to schedule a facility review. You can also learn more about our janitorial cleaning services and facility cleaning services.
Janitorial RFP FAQs
What is a janitorial services RFP?
It is a formal request asking qualified cleaning companies to propose how they would service one or more facilities. It provides the scope, schedule, requirements and response format so proposals can be evaluated consistently.
When should we use an RFP instead of requesting a quote?
Use an RFP when the facility is large, the scope is complex, multiple locations are involved or several stakeholders need a documented evaluation. A straightforward office with a clear checklist may only need a walkthrough and quote.
How long should a janitorial RFP process take?
The timeline depends on procurement rules and complexity. Allow enough time for bidders to review the documents, attend a walkthrough, submit questions and prepare a complete response. Also protect time for evaluation, references, negotiation and contractor transition.
Should the RFP include the current cleaning price?
It can, but it is not required. More important is giving every bidder the same complete scope and pricing form. If you share a budget, state whether it is a firm limit, a planning estimate or a target range.
Should we require a site walkthrough?
A walkthrough is strongly recommended when conditions cannot be understood from the documents alone. For a large, specialized or multi-use facility, it helps bidders validate labor, equipment, access and floor-care assumptions.
Can GFS provide a proposal for multiple Georgia locations?
Yes, subject to a service-area and staffing review. We can assess each address and prepare a coordinated scope identifying local schedules, checklists, supervision, inspections and reporting.