JANITORIAL BIDDING GUIDE
How to bid on government cleaning contracts
Start with a contract your crew can service. Before you write the quote, make sure you can meet the agency’s requirements and make money at the price you plan to submit.
1. Find a contract in your service area
Search federal opportunities under NAICS 561720 for janitorial services. Check your state purchasing portal and the sites of local schools, cities, and counties. Open the original notice for the scope and place of performance. The contracting office can be in a different city from the building you’ll clean.
2. Check eligibility and the walkthrough
Look for registration, required certifications, insurance, past work, and any restriction on who may respond. Check if the site visit is mandatory, whether you have to register for it, and when questions are due. Record the agency’s stated time zone next to each date.
3. Price the full scope
List the locations, cleaning frequencies, periodic tasks, access windows, and who provides supplies. Work out paid hours including supervision and travel where applicable. Check for an agency wage determination and separate prices for option years or extra work. Use your actual costs to see how much room you have if the job takes longer.
4. Read the latest amendments before submitting
Compare the current deadline, attachments, and required forms against the version you used to prepare your quote. Check whether the agency asks you to acknowledge changes. Follow its submission instructions and keep the confirmation.
In one Oregon example, the agency moved the quote deadline from September 8 to September 17 and changed the closing hour. The original date was no longer useful once that amendment appeared.
Have a specific bid in hand?
Send the public notice for a review of eligibility, deadlines, amendments, and what you need to submit.
Request a bid review →