What is a commercial cleaning contract?
A commercial cleaning contract is a written agreement to clean a building on a set schedule for a fixed monthly price. It spells out the scope of work, how often each task happens, the term, how either side can end it, and the insurance you carry.
Commercial cleaning contracts reach you in four main ways:
| Type | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Direct, negotiated | You meet the decision maker, walk the building and send a proposal | Small offices, clinics, churches; the main source for new companies |
| Request for proposal (RFP) | A property manager or company sends the same specification to several cleaners and compares bids | Larger buildings and property portfolios |
| Government bid | A public agency posts a solicitation with strict rules, deadlines and forms | Companies with references, payroll systems and patience |
| Subcontract | A larger janitorial company or facility services firm hands you one or more buildings | Learning the work and building references |
Typical terms include a one-year term that renews automatically, a 30-day notice period for either side, a price review each year, and a list of extra work billed separately. If you have not set up the business yet, start with how to start a commercial cleaning business.
Where to find commercial cleaning contracts
The best places to find cleaning contracts are the people who control buildings: office managers, small business owners, property managers and facility managers. Bid boards and government portals come second for most small companies.
| Source | Who to reach | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Business parks and office buildings | Office manager or owner | Walk in during business hours, ask who handles cleaning and when the contract renews |
| Property management companies | Property or facility manager | One manager may control common areas for several buildings and can refer tenants |
| Medical and dental offices | Practice manager | Higher standards, loyal once you deliver; show bloodborne pathogen training |
| Other building vendors | HVAC, security, pest control and office supply reps | They hear first when a client is unhappy with its cleaner |
| Networking groups | Chamber of commerce, referral groups | Slow to start, then steady referrals |
| Public bid portals | City, county, school district and state purchasing offices; SAM.gov for federal work | Formal process; see the government section below |
| Subcontracting | Regional janitorial firms and facility services companies | Lower price per hour, but steady work and references |
Keep a simple list of every prospect with the decision maker’s name, the building size, the current cleaner if you know it, and when their contract renews. Contracts often change hands around renewal, so a “not now” today can be a bid request in six months.
How to get cleaning contracts by reaching out directly
Contact a small number of buildings in one area every week, by walk-in, phone and email, and ask for a walkthrough rather than a sale. The goal of the first contact is to learn who decides and when.
Walk-in script
“Hi, I’m Maria with Brightline Cleaning. We clean offices here in the business park in the evenings. Who handles your cleaning service? … Would they be open to a free walkthrough and quote, so they have a comparison when the contract comes up?”
Leave a one-page sheet with your services, service area, insurance status, phone number and a few references once you have them.
Email template
Subject: Evening cleaning for [Company] at [address]
Hi [Name], I run [Business], an insured janitorial company that cleans offices in [area] after hours. Many offices your size ask us for a second quote when their cleaning contract renews. If that would help, I can walk your space in 20 minutes and send a written proposal within two days. Would [day] or [day] work?
Follow-up rhythm
- Day 1: walk-in or first email.
- Day 4: short follow-up email or call.
- Day 14: a useful note, such as a tip on restroom odor or floor care.
- Every quarter: a brief check-in, especially near their renewal date.
The same approach works for office cleaning contracts and for medical, retail or church accounts. For general lead sources that also apply to commercial work, see how to get cleaning clients.
The walkthrough: what to measure and ask
Walk every building before you bid. Measure or confirm the cleanable square footage, count restrooms and fixtures, note floor types, and ask what the client wants done and how often. A bid without a walkthrough is a guess.
Questions to ask
- What days and times can we clean, and when does the building lock up?
- What do you like and dislike about your current cleaning?
- Which tasks happen every visit, weekly and monthly?
- Who supplies paper towels, toilet paper, soap and liners?
- Are there areas we should not enter, such as server rooms or records?
- How do keys, fobs and alarm codes work?
- When does your current contract end, and how much notice does it require?
- Who signs the contract, and who will we report to day to day?
- What insurance limits do you require, and do you need to be named as an additional insured?
Take photos (with permission) of restrooms, break rooms and floors. They help you price the job and remind you of the details when you write the proposal.
A cleaning bid sheet you can copy
A cleaning bid sheet is a one-page form you fill in during the walkthrough so every bid uses the same facts. Copy the fields below into a spreadsheet or a printed form.
| Field | Example |
|---|---|
| Client, contact, decision maker | Lakeside Dental, practice manager |
| Address and access hours | After 6 pm, Monday to Friday |
| Facility type | Dental office |
| Cleanable square feet | 4,000 |
| Restrooms and fixtures | 3 restrooms, 3 toilets, 3 sinks |
| Floor types | Vinyl in clinical areas, carpet in offices and waiting room |
| Trash and recycling points | 22 bins |
| Break room | Sink, microwave, refrigerator wipe-out on Fridays |
| Frequency | 5 nights a week |
| Consumables | Client supplies paper and soap; we supply liners |
| Periodic work | Carpet extraction twice a year, quoted separately |
| Special requirements | Bloodborne pathogen training, $1M/$2M liability, certificate of insurance |
| Production rate used | 1,800 sq ft per hour (medical) |
| Estimated hours per visit | 2.22 |
| Current contract ends | March 31 |
How to bid commercial cleaning jobs so they pay
Turn the bid sheet into labor hours, price those hours with all your costs, and present the result as a monthly price. Check it against price per square foot, but do not start from a per-square-foot number.
Worked example for the 4,000 square foot dental office above, cleaned five nights a week:
- Hours per visit: 4,000 ÷ 1,800 sq ft per hour = 2.22 hours
- Wages: 2.22 × $18 = $40, plus 20% payroll burden = $48
- Supplies (5% of labor) $2.40 and overhead (15% of labor) $7.20, for a cost of $57.60 a visit
- Price at a 20% margin: $57.60 ÷ 0.80 = $72 a visit
- Visits per month: 5 × 52 ÷ 12 = 21.67, so the monthly bid is about $1,560
ISSA, the cleaning industry association, explains how to build cleaning times from production rates and fixture counts in How to Calculate Cleaning Times. Time your own crew on real buildings and replace the starting rates with your numbers. The free commercial bid calculator runs this math for you, and our guide to commercial cleaning prices covers hourly rates, minimum charges and price per square foot.
Common bidding mistakes
- Using total square feet instead of cleanable square feet.
- Forgetting drive time and a minimum charge for small accounts.
- Counting 20 visits a month for a weeknight account instead of about 21.67.
- Leaving out payroll taxes and workers’ comp.
- Bidding low to win, then cutting corners. Underpriced accounts are the ones you lose.
What to put in a janitorial bid proposal
Strong janitorial bids are short and specific: a one-paragraph summary, the scope of work by area and frequency, the monthly price, what is extra, your insurance and references, and the contract terms. Make it easy for the manager to compare you with other commercial cleaning bids.
- Summary. Building, days, start time, monthly price and start date in three lines.
- Scope of work. A table by area and frequency, like the one below.
- Price. One monthly number, plus prices for optional or periodic work.
- Supplies. Who provides consumables and at what cost.
- Quality. How often you inspect, and who the client calls with a problem.
- Proof. Certificate of insurance, bond if you have one, and two or three references.
- Terms. Contract length, notice period, payment terms and annual price review.
| Area | Every visit | Weekly | Monthly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Offices | Empty trash, spot-clean glass, vacuum traffic areas | Dust desks and sills, vacuum fully | High dusting, vents |
| Restrooms | Clean and disinfect fixtures, restock, mop | Scrub partitions and walls near fixtures | Detail grout and floor drains |
| Break room | Wipe counters, sink and tables, empty trash | Clean microwave, wipe refrigerator outside | Refrigerator wipe-out if requested |
When the client says yes, put the scope and terms in a signed agreement. The free contract template and estimate template give you a head start.
How to bid on janitorial contracts from government agencies
To bid on federal janitorial contracts, register your business on SAM.gov, confirm you qualify as a small business for your NAICS code, then answer solicitations exactly as written. Start with city, county and school district bids, which are usually smaller and closer to home.
Federal basics
- Register on SAM.gov. The SBA’s basic requirements for selling to the government include a Unique Entity ID, a NAICS code (janitorial services are usually 561720) and registration in the System for Award Management. It costs nothing: the Department of Labor notes there is no fee to register or renew at SAM.gov, so ignore anyone who charges to “activate” it.
- Check your size. Many contracts are set aside for small businesses. Use the SBA size standards tool to confirm you qualify for code 561720.
- Price the required wages. Federal service contracts over $2,500 are generally covered by the McNamara-O’Hara Service Contract Act, which requires paying service workers the locally prevailing wages and fringe benefits set in the contract’s wage determination. Build your bid on those rates, not on what you pay today.
How to read a solicitation
- Read the whole document, including the statement of work and the evaluation criteria.
- Go to the site visit or pre-bid meeting. Some agencies make it mandatory.
- Submit questions before the question deadline.
- Fill in every required form and price sheet in the requested format.
- Submit early. Late bids are usually rejected without being read.
Government bid results are often public, so ask for the winning price on bids you lose. It is the fastest way to learn what your local market pays. Free help is available from APEX Accelerators, a national network of government contracting advisors.
Follow up, learn from losses and keep every contract
Follow up on every proposal on a set schedule, ask why when you lose, and protect the accounts you win with regular inspections. Keeping a contract is cheaper than winning a new one.
- After the proposal. Call or email on day 3, day 10 and day 30. Ask whether they have questions about the scope, not whether they have decided.
- When you lose. Ask what decided it: price, scope, references or timing. Note it on your prospect list and check back before the next renewal.
- Track your win rate. Divide contracts won by proposals sent each quarter. If you win almost everything, your prices are probably low. If you win almost nothing, look at your scope, follow-up and proposal before cutting price.
- The first 90 days. Inspect weekly for the first month, then monthly. Send the client a short note after each inspection.
- Renewals. Ask for a price review each year, tied to wage increases, and give at least 30 days’ notice.
Clean records help you keep accounts: checklists, clock-in times and notes show what was done and when. BroomBook is built for residential cleaning, with recurring schedules and a crew app with checklists and clock-in, so it fits best if you run homes alongside a few commercial accounts.