How to Write a Janitorial RFP: Free Template for Portland Property Managers

What Should a Janitorial RFP Include?

A good janitorial RFP should clearly explain what needs to be cleaned, how often work must be completed, when cleaners may access the property, who provides supplies, how quality will be measured, and how vendors should submit their proposals.

For most commercial properties, the RFP should include:

• Facility information
• Scope of cleaning services
• Cleaning frequency by task
• Service schedule and access requirements
• Supply and equipment responsibilities
• Quality-control expectations
• Communication and issue-resolution procedures
• Insurance and vendor requirements
• Proposal instructions
• References and relevant experience
• Evaluation criteria
• Facility walkthrough details

The goal is not simply to collect the lowest bid. A clear cleaning services RFP helps property managers compare vendors using the same scope, expectations, and service standards.

Oregon procurement guidance similarly emphasizes defining the procurement objective, scope of work, proposer requirements, proposal requirements, evaluation methodology, and contract expectations when preparing an RFP.

Why a Clear Janitorial RFP Matters

A poorly written janitorial bid request often produces proposals that cannot be compared fairly.

One contractor may assume restrooms are cleaned five times per week.

Another may assume three.

One may include floor-care services.

Another may consider those separate services.

One may include consumable supplies.

Another may expect the property to provide them.

The result is several proposals with different assumptions.

That makes it difficult for a property manager to determine whether a lower proposal represents better value or simply a smaller scope.

A well-written RFP solves this by giving every commercial cleaning company the same information.

Before Writing the RFP, Document Your Facility

Start with basic facility information.

Vendors need enough detail to understand the operational environment before proposing a cleaning plan.

Include:

Do not make vendors guess these details.

The more accurately the property is described, the easier it becomes to compare proposed cleaning approaches.

Define the Scope of Work

The scope of work is one of the most important parts of a commercial cleaning RFP.

Oregon's procurement guidance describes scope of work as the section that establishes what the buyer is looking for and helps define what will ultimately be covered by the contract.

For janitorial service, organize the scope by area.

Office Areas

Possible tasks may include:

• Emptying trash and recycling
• Cleaning accessible surfaces
• Vacuuming carpet
• Spot cleaning
• Dusting designated areas
• Cleaning interior glass where included
• Cleaning conference rooms
• Cleaning shared workspaces

Specify exactly which tasks are expected.

Restrooms

Your RFP might include:

• Clean and disinfect specified restroom surfaces
• Clean sinks and counters
• Clean toilets and urinals
• Clean mirrors
• Empty waste containers
• Mop floors
• Refill dispensers when supplies are provided
• Report maintenance issues

Avoid vague language such as:

“Clean restrooms as needed.”

Instead, define both the tasks and frequency.

Lobbies and Common Areas

Include requirements such as:

• Vacuuming or floor cleaning
• Entry glass cleaning
• Trash removal
• Dusting
• Furniture-area cleaning
• High-touch surface cleaning
• Entryway maintenance

Portland properties may also want to identify additional entry-floor requirements during the wet season because moisture and tracked-in soil can increase maintenance needs.

Breakrooms and Kitchens

Clarify whether the cleaning contractor is responsible for:

• Counters
• Sinks
• Tables
• Appliance exteriors
• Floors
• Trash
• Cabinet exteriors

Also explain what is not included.

For example, vendors should know whether cleaning dishes, personal refrigerators, food-preparation equipment, or appliance interiors falls outside the scope.

Specify Cleaning Frequency for Every Task

Do not simply write:

“Provide regular janitorial service.”

Define frequency.

Oregon guidance for janitorial scopes specifically notes that task frequency should be identified and that ordinary services can include daily, weekly, monthly, semiannual, annual, and other scheduled expectations.

A simple frequency table might look like this:

The exact schedule should reflect the property rather than an arbitrary industry template.

A busy office with heavy visitor traffic may require a different scope than a smaller professional office with limited daily occupancy.

Separate Routine and Periodic Services

This is one of the easiest ways to improve a cleaning services RFP.

Create two sections.

Routine Janitorial Services

These are recurring tasks completed according to the normal service schedule.

Examples may include:

• Restrooms
• Trash
• Vacuuming
• Mopping
• Common areas
• Breakrooms
• Surface cleaning

Periodic Services

These are services performed less frequently.

Examples:

• Carpet deep cleaning
• Floor scrubbing
• Floor refinishing where applicable
• Window cleaning
• Power washing
• Detail cleaning

This prevents disagreements later about whether a periodic service was supposed to be included in the regular janitorial scope.

Define Service Hours and Building Access

Property managers should tell bidders when cleaning can occur.

Include:

• Earliest building-access time
• Latest completion time
• Weekend access rules
• Alarm procedures
• Key or badge requirements
• Restricted areas
• Parking/loading requirements
• Security procedures
• Building contact information

If tenants remain in the building during cleaning hours, mention that too.

A provider may need to adjust equipment, sequencing, staffing, or communication procedures accordingly.

Clarify Who Provides Supplies and Consumables

A janitorial RFP should distinguish between:

Cleaning supplies

Examples:

• Cleaning chemicals
• Microfiber cloths
• Mop supplies
• Equipment
• Vacuum supplies

and:

Building consumables

Examples:

• Toilet paper
• Paper towels
• Hand soap
• Trash liners

State whether the property manager or cleaning contractor is responsible for supplying each category.

This is one of the most common areas where otherwise similar proposals can differ.

Require a Facility Walkthrough

For many commercial properties, bidders should inspect the facility before submitting a final proposal.

A walkthrough allows vendors to review:

• Floor types
• Restroom count
• Building layout
• Access conditions
• High-traffic areas
• Waste volume
• Entryways
• Common spaces
• Specialty-cleaning needs
• Equipment access
• Operational restrictions

The State of Oregon's procurement process similarly recognizes pre-proposal conferences and scope clarification as useful parts of a structured solicitation process.

For a commercial cleaning RFP, the walkthrough helps reduce assumptions.

Ask Vendors to Explain Their Quality-Control Process

Do not ask only:

“How often will you clean?”

Ask:

How will you verify that the cleaning was completed correctly?

Useful questions include:

• Who supervises the cleaning team?
• How are inspections performed?
• How are deficiencies documented?
• Who is the property manager's primary contact?
• How quickly are service issues acknowledged?
• What happens when an assigned cleaner is absent?
• How are repeated issues escalated?
• Is there a documented quality-control process?

The strongest cleaning relationship is not necessarily the one where nothing ever goes wrong.

It is often the one where problems are identified and corrected reliably.

Request Relevant Experience, Not Generic Claims

Ask bidders to explain their experience with facilities similar to yours.

For example:

Describe your experience cleaning multi-tenant commercial office properties between approximately [SIZE] and [SIZE].

or:

Provide examples of experience servicing medical-office environments.

or:

Describe your experience working with property management companies responsible for multiple buildings.

Relevant experience is more useful than generic statements such as:

“We provide the highest-quality cleaning.”

Ask for Commercial References

Request references from comparable commercial clients where appropriate.

Useful information includes:

• Client type
• Facility type
• Approximate relationship length
• Services provided
• Contact information where permission has been granted

Do not evaluate a cleaning company solely on marketing claims.

References can help confirm whether service quality and communication remain consistent after the initial onboarding period.

Define Your Proposal Format

If every bidder submits information differently, comparison becomes difficult.

Tell vendors exactly how to organize their response.

For example:

1. Company information
2. Relevant experience
3. Proposed service plan
4. Staffing approach
5. Quality-control process
6. Communication process
7. Required credentials and documentation
8. References
9. Scope clarifications
10. Commercial proposal
11. Exceptions or assumptions

This makes vendor evaluation substantially easier.

How Should Property Managers Score Janitorial Proposals?

Do not automatically award the contract based on one factor.

A simple evaluation framework might be:

These percentages are examples, not rules.

Adjust them to your property's priorities.

For example, a high-security property may place greater weight on staffing and access procedures, while a multi-property manager may prioritize account management and service consistency.

Common Janitorial RFP Mistakes

1. Asking for a Bid Without a Defined Scope

If vendors receive different information, their proposals will naturally differ.

Fix: Create one written scope for all bidders.

2. Not Specifying Task Frequency

“Clean the lobby regularly” is not measurable.

Fix: Define service frequency.

3. Combining Routine and Periodic Work

This can create confusion over what the recurring service includes.

Fix: Separate them.

4. Giving Vendors Only Square Footage

Square footage matters, but it does not describe the entire cleaning workload.

Two 20,000-square-foot buildings can have very different cleaning requirements because of:

• occupancy
• restroom count
• flooring
• visitor traffic
• kitchens
• access
• operating schedule.

5. Skipping the Facility Walkthrough

A vendor may otherwise make assumptions that affect the proposed service plan.

Fix: Give serious bidders an opportunity to inspect the property.

6. Choosing Based Only on the Lowest Proposal

A lower proposal may represent:

• fewer tasks
• lower frequency
• different staffing assumptions
• different supply responsibilities
• excluded periodic work.

Compare scope before comparing proposals.

7. Not Defining Quality Expectations

Without a process for inspections and corrections, problems become subjective.

Fix: Require bidders to describe their quality-control and issue-resolution procedures.

Free Janitorial RFP Template

Property managers can copy the following structure into Word or Google Docs.

COMMERCIAL JANITORIAL SERVICES REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

1. Property Information

Property name:

[INSERT]

Property address:

[INSERT]

Facility type:

[INSERT]

Approximate square footage:

[INSERT]

Operating hours:

[INSERT]

Preferred cleaning schedule:

[INSERT]

Primary property contact:

[INSERT]

2. Project Overview

[COMPANY / PROPERTY MANAGER] is requesting proposals from qualified commercial janitorial providers to perform recurring cleaning services at the property identified above.

The selected provider will be expected to deliver consistent janitorial service according to the agreed scope, schedule, access procedures, communication requirements, and quality standards.

3. Areas Included

Check or modify as required:

• Offices
• Conference rooms
• Restrooms
• Lobby
• Hallways
• Breakrooms
• Kitchens
• Common areas
• Stairways
• Elevators
• Entryways
• Other: [INSERT]

4. Routine Cleaning Scope

List required tasks and frequencies.

5. Periodic Services

Indicate whether proposals should include or separately address:

• Carpet care
• Floor scrubbing
• Floor refinishing where applicable
• Window cleaning
• Power washing
• Detail cleaning
• Other specialty services

Frequency:

[INSERT]

6. Supplies and Equipment

The cleaning provider will supply:

[INSERT]

The property will supply:

[INSERT]

Consumable responsibilities:

[INSERT]

7. Access and Security

Include:

• Approved service hours
• Key/badge requirements
• Alarm requirements
• Restricted areas
• Parking/loading instructions
• Building security procedures

Details:

[INSERT]

8. Quality-Control Requirements

Vendor should describe:

• Supervision structure
• Inspection process
• Issue-reporting procedure
• Response/escalation process
• Primary account contact
• Coverage procedures for staff absences

9. Vendor Qualifications

Please provide:

• Company information
• Relevant commercial cleaning experience
• Required insurance documentation
• Applicable licenses or registrations
• References
• Account-management approach
• Staffing approach
• Quality-control process

Only request certifications that are genuinely relevant to the work.

10. Facility Walkthrough

Walkthrough date:

[INSERT]

Time:

[INSERT]

Meeting location/contact:

[INSERT]

Attendance required:

[YES / NO]

Questions following the walkthrough should be submitted to:

[INSERT]

11. Proposal Requirements

Please organize proposals as follows:

1. Company overview
2. Relevant experience
3. Proposed scope
4. Service schedule
5. Staffing approach
6. Quality-control plan
7. Communication procedure
8. References
9. Required documentation
10. Commercial proposal
11. Assumptions/exclusions

12. Submission Information

Proposal deadline:

[INSERT]

Submit to:

[INSERT]

Email / submission method:

[INSERT]

Questions due:

[INSERT]

13. Evaluation

Proposals may be evaluated based on:

• Understanding of the property
• Completeness of scope
• Service approach
• Relevant experience
• Quality control
• Communication
• References
• Commercial proposal
• Ability to meet scheduling requirements

The property manager reserves the right to request clarification before making a final decision.

Janitorial Vendor Scoring Sheet

Use the same scoring criteria for every bidder.

A consistent scoring sheet helps prevent the evaluation from becoming:

“Which proposal looked cheapest?”

Instead, the question becomes:

Which provider presented the strongest complete plan for this facility?

Should a Portland Property Manager Use an RFP for Janitorial Services?

An RFP is particularly useful when:

• Multiple commercial properties are involved
• The building has a detailed cleaning scope
• Multiple vendors will be compared
• The current cleaning contract is being replaced
• Several stakeholders participate in the decision
• Specialty services must be coordinated with recurring janitorial work
• Service quality has been difficult to measure under the existing agreement

For a smaller property with a straightforward scope, a facility walkthrough followed by a written proposal may be sufficient.

The important part is that expectations are clearly documented before service begins.

Public-Sector vs. Private Commercial RFPs in Oregon

Private property managers do not generally need to follow the same formal procurement process as Oregon public agencies.

Public entities may be subject to specific Oregon procurement rules, approved solicitation templates, statutory requirements, and formal procedures. Oregon's procurement guidance includes detailed requirements around scope, proposal requirements, evaluation methods, communications, and contract terms.

This Deepli Clean template is intended as a practical commercial-property planning resource, not as a substitute for government procurement documents or legal advice.

Need Help Defining Your Janitorial Scope?

A good RFP starts with understanding what the facility actually requires.

Deepli Clean™ provides recurring commercial janitorial services for offices and commercial properties throughout the Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington metro areas.

A facility walkthrough can help identify:

• cleaning areas
• service frequency
• floor-care needs
• access requirements
• recurring janitorial tasks
• periodic specialty services.

Schedule a facility walkthrough with Deepli Clean™ to build a cleaning scope around your property.

Related Deepli Clean resources:

• Janitorial Services
• Floor Scrubbing
• Carpet Care
• Portland Commercial Cleaning
• Request a Walkthrough

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a janitorial RFP?

A janitorial RFP, or request for proposal, is a document property or facility managers use to describe their cleaning requirements and ask qualified janitorial companies to propose a service plan. It typically defines the facility, cleaning scope, frequency, access requirements, vendor qualifications, proposal format, and evaluation process.

What should be included in a commercial cleaning RFP?

A commercial cleaning RFP should include facility information, areas to be cleaned, task frequencies, service hours, supply responsibilities, quality-control requirements, vendor qualifications, references, walkthrough information, proposal instructions, and evaluation criteria.

Should cleaning frequency be included in the RFP?

Yes. Cleaning frequency should be specified wherever possible. This allows vendors to bid against the same scope and makes proposals easier to compare. Oregon janitorial procurement guidance also emphasizes identifying task frequency in janitorial scopes.

Should property managers require a walkthrough before accepting janitorial proposals?

For many commercial facilities, yes. A walkthrough allows vendors to inspect flooring, restrooms, traffic patterns, access conditions, common areas, and other factors that affect the cleaning scope.

Should a janitorial RFP include floor and carpet care?

If the property requires those services, they should be clearly identified. It is often helpful to separate recurring janitorial tasks from periodic services such as floor scrubbing, carpet care, window cleaning, or exterior cleaning.

How should janitorial companies be compared?

Compare vendors using the same criteria, such as understanding of the scope, proposed service plan, relevant experience, quality-control system, communication process, references, and commercial proposal. Avoid choosing based on one factor alone.

Is this template suitable for Oregon government contracts?

No. This template is designed for commercial property and facility managers. Oregon public agencies may be subject to formal procurement statutes, rules, templates, and solicitation procedures. Refer to the Oregon Department of Administrative Services procurement guidance for public-sector RFP requirements.

Sources

• Oregon Procurement Manual: Competitive Sealed Proposal (RFP)
• Oregon Forward: Janitorial Services Price Determination Requirements