A janitorial RFP should produce comparable proposals and a workable service agreement. Once the cleaning scope is written, the facility team still needs a controlled walkthrough, a clear question process, consistent evaluation, and a documented handoff. This CJT Janitorial guide focuses on those procurement decisions for Metro Detroit facilities.
Prepare the bid package
Include the building inventory, task-and-frequency schedule, access windows, floor-care requirements, consumable responsibilities, and exclusions. State the proposed contract period, start-date expectations, pricing format, and any mandatory site visit. Ask bidders to identify exceptions explicitly instead of burying assumptions in a cover letter.
Public entities should use their established purchasing procedures and approved contract terms. Confirm submission channels, deadlines, insurance documentation, screening requirements, and required forms with the procurement authority. A general cleaning guide does not replace the solicitation or legal review.
Give bidders the same site information
Use the walkthrough to show actual conditions, storage, restricted areas, and access constraints. Keep a record of questions. If an answer changes the work, issue it in writing to every participating bidder through the authorized contact. A private verbal clarification can create different assumptions and make prices difficult to compare.
Normalize the pricing before choosing a vendor
Separate recurring monthly service, periodic projects, consumables, and optional extra visits. Check that all bidders used the same service frequency and included the same rooms. If square footage remains uncertain, resolve it before treating the price comparison as final.
| Comparison item | What to verify |
|---|---|
| Recurring price | Same rooms, tasks, frequency, and service windows |
| Periodic work | Method, area, frequency, drying time, and separate price |
| Supplies | Cleaning products versus paper, soap, liners, and dispensers |
| Exceptions | Excluded rooms, restricted tasks, access assumptions, and extra charges |
| Quality process | Inspection records, contact person, correction process, and escalation |
Evaluate evidence and operational fit
Use criteria that match the building’s needs, and establish them before reviewing proposals. Ask for relevant documentation, the proposed supervision approach, and a plan for absence coverage. Check any references supplied through your normal procurement process. Do not treat a marketing claim or a generic certification label as proof that the proposed team meets your site’s requirements.
Record why a proposal meets or does not meet each requirement. If clarification is needed, follow the rules of your purchasing process. Avoid comparing a broad promise from one bidder with an itemized commitment from another as though they were equivalent.
Plan mobilization and the first review
Before service starts, confirm the final scope version, authorized contacts, key and alarm arrangements, storage, products, and reporting method. Walk the site together and document pre-existing damage or conditions outside routine maintenance. Explain how occupants should report an issue and who may authorize extra work.
Schedule an early service review to compare delivery against the agreed task list. Adjust the written scope when occupancy or room use changes. A documented change is more useful than silently adding tasks and later disputing what the monthly price covered.
Prepare your next step with CJT Janitorial
For the task-writing stage, read how to write a Detroit janitorial RFP scope. Review CJT Janitorial’s procurement information and our proposed service process, or request a walkthrough with the bid package and open questions.