a best practices guide to writing an rfp for professional ... · boston’s best commercial...

A Best Practices Guide toWriting an RFP for Professional CommercialCleaning Services

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Boston’s Best Commercial Cleaning

Writing a Request for Proposal for Professional Commercial Cleaning Services

Developing an RFP is a time-consuming but much necessary task when it comes to prospecting providers for commercial cleaning services. The key is to consider and view your RFP as a tool for efficiency. One that clearly states your needs and expectations, and mandatory requirements for any and all who submit an RFP for your review.

By taking the time to think through your needs, and write it right --- you will discover that in the end you will make your decision-making process fair, equitable and achieve the best outcome of candidates for your commercial cleaning services contract!

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To that end, we have prepared this eGuide to Assist you with the process.

What’s Included?

Content discuss & Include...

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Cover Letter Business Description Description of Your Office Space/Facilities Cleaning Tasks, Specifications & Scope of Work Company Profile for RFP Respondents Required Staffing for Your Commercial Cleaning Services Preferences & Disclosure Regarding Cleaning Materials Additional Services Mandatory Insurance Requirements Reporting, Customer & Client Services Requirements Invoicing & Payments On-Premise Site Assessment Key Contract Award Evaluation Criteria Announcement of Contract Award

… along with Best Practice Tips from your friends at BBCC

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COVER LETTER

Name of Company Key Contact Person (Title, eMail, Telephone) Total locations to be serviced Type Locations to be Serviced (Offices, Distribution Center, Call Center, etc.) Address of Properties to be Serviced Special Considerations (brands, green products, recycling policy, more) Mandatory Inclusions (Company Profile, Insurance Capabilities, References, more) Deadline for RFP Submissions (state a firm date and end time)

Use your cover letter to briefly summarize the following:

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PROVIDE A BUSINESS DESCRIPTION

Briefly describe the nature of your business. For example: advertising agency, architecture firm, customer service call center, law firm, multi-business center, distribution/warehouse facility, etc.

Include the number of employees, office/facility hours of operation, and/or shifts when employees are present – and how many employees per shift. This enables bidders to get a picture of your operations and what the office space incorporates.

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DESCRIBE YOUR OFFICE SPACE / FACILITIES

Type Office/Facility Space (open, private, warehouse, distribution, etc.) Total Facilities (office locations, warehouse/distribution, other) Estimated Total Square Footage Total Floors Inhabited Type Windows (floor-to-ceiling, etc.) Type Flooring (carpet, wood, laminate, concrete, etc.) Total Lunch & Break Rooms Total Bathrooms (men, women) Lobby, Reception Area(s) Hallway(s) Elevator(s)

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CLEANING TASKS, SPECIFICATIONS & SCOPE OF WORK

TASKS FREQUENCY (Daily, Weekly, Biweekly, Monthly, Quarterly, Annual, As Needed)

WindowsDustingVacuumingMoppingLight Bulb ReplacementDeep Carpet ExtractionCarpet Bonnet ServicesFloor Strip & WaxBathrooms Floor ScrubbingTrash RemovalRecyclingCeiling


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Legal Name of Business Business Headquarters Legal Address Business Structure (Corporation, LLC, Sole Proprietorship) Years in Commercial Cleaning Business Overview of Business Credentials Types of Businesses and Clients Served Names of Owners Name(s) of Primary Contact(s), Telephone, eMail After Hours/Emergency Services Contact(s), Telephone, eMail References (3-5)

COMPANY PROFILE

Just as you are providing a description of your company, you need similar information from prospective service providers. As for a Company Profile, inclusive of the following:

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REQUIRED STAFFING FOR YOUR COMMERCIAL CLEANINGSERVICES

TASKS FREQUENCY (Daily, Weekly, Biweekly, Monthly, Quarterly, Annual, As Needed)

BEST PRACTICE TIPS FROM BBCC… You might also indicate your expectations in regards to site service audits, meaning how regularly you want a management team member from the company to conduct a walk-through with you to assess service quality. Stating this upfront notifies candidates that you are open to structuring respectful, scheduled opportunities for you as client, and for the provider to collaboratively resolve any service issues and agree to corrective actions to be taken, going forward. It also provides a structured schedule for your service provider to provide you with insights and recommendations to keep your offices and facilities in conditions that meet your requirements and expectations.

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PREFERENCES & DISCLOSURE REGARDING CLEANINGMATERIALS

TIP: ask for the MSDS sheets to

ensure the chemicals used by the cleaning providers are ecofriendly.

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ADDITIONAL SERVICES

TIP: You might consider requesting an hourly or day rate for

additional services. Or, if you do not want to include a request for pricing at this time – just indicate: timing, services and costs to be determined.

Snow Removal Landscaping Deep Carpet Extraction / Cleaning Floor Strip & Wax Floor Scrubbing Tenant Move Out / Move In Elective or Routine Maintenance (if required):

Light plumbing, interior painting, etc.

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MANDATORY INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

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REPORTING, CUSTOMER & CLIENT SERVICES REQUIREMENTS

Weekly, Monthly Reports (brief description: light out, damage, new work order, recommendations, other/more)

Weekly, Monthly Reports Primary Provider Contact for Commercial Cleaning Service Issues/Concerns

Provider Contact Telephone Provider Contact eMail Requirements & Timing for Audits, Walk-Throughs,

Assessments, Other

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INVOICING & PAYMENTS

Payment Terms (Upon service completion, Net 10, Net 30, Net 45, Net 90 etc.)

Billing closing dates for invoicing Required Banking information for paperless check

payments Alternative payment channels (credit cards, PayPal, etc.) More, as/if applicable)

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ON-PREMISE SITE ASSESSMENT

BEST PRACTICE TIPS FROM BBCC… Include days and times for bidders to request and schedule time for an on-premise visit in the writing of your RFP. Keep the time short, such as 30 minutes. Or, schedule one set time for a “group” walk-through and Question/Answer session. Provide attendees with a print out of your floor plan for reference. And schedule all individual appointments or your group session at least 2 week prior to the deadline for RFP submissions.

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KEY CONTRACT AWARD EVALUATION CRITERIA

BEST PRACTICE TIPS FROM BBCC… Specify and rank your evaluation criteria. This “levels the playing field” for all RFP respondents. AND you receive submissions that you can fairly assess in terms of what is most important to you in terms of criteria. For example: Cost 35%.

TIP: Keep a 1 pager Evaluation Criteria

and make notes about the cleaning providers as the meeting ends.

So take a moment to list your primary, core evaluation criteria that you will use to guide your decision-making, such as: Cost Completion of Your RFP Experience Credential & References Other –To your Needs & Specifications

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ANNOUNCEMENT OF CONTRACT AWARD

BEST PRACTICE TIPS FROM BBCC… Call the contract award winner immediately upon your decision. Once all parties have signed the contract – make it official! Prepare an at-the-ready eMail to send to ALL candidates who submitted an RFP. Thank them for their time in completing the RFP and going through the submission process. That’s the right and reasonable way to do business and maintain a positive attitude towards your company. Then, move on to building a positive, sustainable relationship with your new commercial cleaning services provider!

We wish you all the best in developing RFPs that make your decision-making efficient –going forward!

If you have any further questions on how to develop an RFP that meets your specific needs – please do not hesitate to contact me, directly!

Sincerely,Victoria Amador, CEO

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-Victoria Amador-CEO, Co-Founder

Tel: 617-553-1393Email:

[email protected]: www.bostonsbestcommercialcleaning.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoriaamador


http://www.bostonsbestcommercialcleaning.com


www.bostonsbestcommercialcleaning.com

A Woman / Minority Women Owned & Operated Business

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