A janitorial RFP, in short: a request for proposal that gives every cleaning bidder the same facts about your building and asks for the same information back, so you can compare proposals line by line. A strong janitorial RFP includes building data, a task-and-frequency scope, service hours, quality and inspection expectations, safety and insurance requirements, staffing and supervision questions, a site walk and a pricing format that rolls up to one monthly number.
Why a janitorial RFP saves money and headaches
Without a common scope, every bidder prices a different job. One assumes restrooms nightly, another three times a week; one includes supplies, another does not. A janitorial RFP removes the guesswork, makes low bids honest and gives you a contract you can actually manage after award.
The janitorial RFP checklist
1. Building information
- Address, building type and total cleanable square footage
- Floors and areas by type: offices, restrooms, break rooms, labs, production, warehouse
- Restroom and fixture counts
- Floor surfaces: carpet, VCT, LVT, sealed concrete, epoxy, tile
- Occupancy, visitor traffic and shift patterns
2. Scope of work
- Tasks by area with frequencies: nightly, weekly, monthly, quarterly
- Periodic work: floor stripping and refinishing, carpet extraction, high dusting, windows
- Day porter hours and duties if needed
- Who supplies consumables: paper, soap, liners
3. Service hours and access
- Cleaning windows and blackout times
- Key, badge and alarm procedures
- Restricted, secure or escorted areas
4. Quality and inspections
- How the bidder inspects and how often
- How complaints are logged and how fast they are fixed
- Reporting you expect: inspection results, issues, monthly reviews
5. Safety, insurance and compliance
- Certificates of insurance with required limits and additional insured status
- Bonding and background-check practices
- Chemical list and safety data sheets
- Training on PPE, lockout awareness and site rules for industrial buildings
6. Staffing and supervision
- Crew size and hours per night
- Supervisor assignment and contact
- How absences are covered
- Turnover and training practices
7. Supplier diversity
- Certifications such as WBENC or SBE, if your program tracks diverse spend
8. Pricing format
- One monthly price for the base scope
- Separate line items for periodic work and day porters
- Supplies priced separately or included, stated clearly
- Rates for additional or emergency requests
Planning a janitorial RFP? FlowerHill walks your building and sends a written scope with one monthly price.
Run a mandatory site walk
Require bidders to walk the building. Proposals priced from a floor plan alone miss restroom layouts, floor conditions, access problems and the areas tenants actually care about. Use the walk to answer questions once, for everyone.
How to compare janitorial RFP responses
- Check that hours per night are realistic for the square footage and scope
- Compare inspection and response commitments, not just price
- Call references for buildings like yours
- Look for red flags: no site walk, vague scope, missing insurance or a price far below the rest
How FlowerHill responds to a janitorial RFP
We walk every building, answer the scope line by line and price it as one monthly number with periodic work broken out. We are 100% women-owned with WBENC and SBE certifications, and we serve offices, campuses, medical buildings, warehouses and manufacturing plants in 21+ DFW cities. Invite us to bid.
How to score janitorial RFP responses
Decide how you will score proposals before they arrive. A simple weighted scorecard keeps the decision objective: for example, scope compliance and staffing plan, quality and inspection process, safety and insurance, references and experience with similar buildings, transition plan, supplier-diversity status if relevant, and price. Score each janitorial RFP response against the same criteria, and require a site walk so every bidder priced the same building.
Questions to ask finalists
- Walk me through your first 30 days in our building.
- Who is our supervisor, and how often will they inspect?
- How many labor hours per night does your price assume?
- How do you handle absences and turnover?
- What happens when we report a missed task?
- Can we speak with a client whose building is similar to ours?
After the award
Turn the winning proposal into the contract scope, set a 30-day review and agree on how inspection results will be shared. The best janitorial RFP processes end with a clear baseline, so performance can be measured from the first month.
Janitorial RFP timeline
- Week 1: finalize scope, building data and requirements.
- Week 2: release the janitorial RFP and schedule the mandatory site walk.
- Week 3: hold the site walk and answer questions in writing for all bidders.
- Week 4 to 5: receive proposals, score them and interview finalists.
- Week 6: award, sign and give notice to the current provider if needed.
- Week 7 to 10: onboarding and start, with a 30-day review.
Build in enough time for the current contract’s notice period so the transition is clean. A rushed janitorial RFP usually ends with a vague scope and the same problems you were trying to fix.
Mistakes to avoid
- Sending a floor plan instead of requiring a site walk
- Leaving frequencies vague, such as “as needed”
- Comparing totals without checking labor hours
- Ignoring the transition plan
Related reading and services
- Request a quote
- WBENC certified janitorial services
- Professional janitorial services in DFW
- Janitorial services
Frequently asked questions
What should a janitorial RFP include?
Building data, a task-and-frequency scope, service hours and access, quality and inspection expectations, insurance and safety requirements, staffing questions, a site walk and a clear pricing format.
Should bidders walk the building?
Yes. A mandatory site walk produces accurate, comparable pricing.
How should janitorial pricing be structured?
One monthly price for the base scope, with periodic work, porters and supplies broken out.
Will FlowerHill respond to our RFP?
Yes. Call (817) 422-4740 or request a quote to invite us.