Commercial Floor Care RFP Checklist
What to put in a floor care RFP so bids come back clear and easy to compare.
A vague request for proposal brings back bids that cannot be placed side by side. One bidder prices a full strip and wax, another prices a scrub and recoat, and a third skips the break rooms. The numbers look nothing alike because each bidder priced a different job.
This checklist is for facility managers, property managers, and procurement offices that need to write an RFP for hard floor care. It covers what to put in the scope of work, what to ask bidders to send back, and how to compare prices fairly once the bids come in. Use it as an RFP checklist at each step of the RFP process.
Why a Clear Floor Care RFP Gets Better Proposals
Many buildings fold floor care into a general janitorial RFP or a commercial cleaning contract. That works for daily tasks like restroom care, trash, and a vacuum pass. Periodic floor work is different. It is priced by the job, and the price depends on details a general janitorial RFP rarely asks about.
Cleaning companies price daily commercial cleaning services, like a day porter, restroom restock, and consumable supplies, by the month. A janitorial company may not price periodic floor work at all. Floor care proposals are priced by the project, so they need their own section with your facility needs and cleaning goals spelled out.
When the request leaves those details out, each bidder fills the gaps with guesses. A specific request removes the guessing and makes every bidder price the same defined work. Then your evaluation criteria can focus on what matters: the method, the schedule, and the price for the same scope.
Write the Scope: Every Area and Floor Type
Start with an inventory. Walk the building with your point of contact and list every room, hallway, stairwell, lobby, and break room that needs floor care. Then name the floor type in each one. Floor types change the whole service, so this step does more than any other to stop bad bids.
- VCT. Gets stripped and waxed, or scrubbed and recoated. See our VCT floor care specifications for the steps to write in.
- LVT. Never waxed. It has a factory wear layer and needs its own cleaning method.
- Tile and grout. List it on its own line, since grout lines need deep cleaning apart from the tile face.
- Concrete. Note whether it is sealed, polished, or bare.
- Terrazzo and rubber. Each needs products made for that surface.
- Wood gym floors. Screened and recoated, never waxed.
Spots where two floors meet, such as VCT next to rubber or tile next to concrete, are the areas most often left off the list. Give them their own line.
Square Footage and Current Condition
Give bidders square footage for each area, not one building total. Use cleanable square footage, the floor area that will actually be worked, rather than rentable square feet from a lease. Leave out space under shelving and fixed equipment.
Layout matters too. An open floor goes much faster than the same space broken up by desks, fixtures, and tight halls. Note anything fixed to the floor that limits machine access.
Then describe the condition of each area in plain words:
- Dull finish or worn traffic lanes
- Yellow or cloudy finish, or dark lines from dirt trapped between coats
- Peeling or flaking finish along the walls
- Stains, damaged tiles, or discolored grout
Attach photos. A wide shot shows layout and scale, and close ups show the worst spots. Good photos often let a bidder price the job without a separate walkthrough.
Services and How Often
Name the service you want for each area, and how often. Use area and frequency together, like "main hallway, scrub and recoat, twice a year," so tasks by area are clear.
- Strip and wax. Removes all old finish down to bare tile, then lays down fresh coats. Used when the finish is yellow, cloudy, or peeling.
- Scrub and recoat. Cleans the top of the finish and adds new coats. A lower cost refresh when the finish is still clear.
- Burnishing. High speed buffing that brings back shine between heavier services. It adds no new finish.
- Tile and grout cleaning. Deep cleaning that mopping cannot reach.
Say if you want a one time project, such as floor work before a tenant turnover, or a recurring program with renewal options. Also state who moves furniture. That one detail changes labor time and the bid amount.
Access Windows and Security
Floor work means wet floors and coats of finish that need time to dry. Write the hours each area can close. Common windows are nights, weekends, and school breaks. If parts of the building must stay open, say so, and ask bidders to plan one section at a time.
Do not ask for zero downtime. Every area that gets finish has to stay closed while it goes down and dries. A bid that promises zero downtime is not realistic.
- After hours entry: a guard, a check in process, or an on site contact
- Keys, badges, and which zones need special approval
- Alarm codes and who can share them
- Loading dock, service entrance, freight elevator, and parking rules
- Whether heat or air turns off at night, since that slows drying
Finish and Product Requirements
List the gloss level you expect when the work is done. Add any approved product list or chemical limits your building has. If you follow green cleaning rules, say so, and ask each bidder to confirm their products meet them.
Low odor finish is worth asking for in schools, medical offices, and any space where people are close by. It affects product choice and scheduling, so put it in the request rather than leaving it to chance.
Insurance Requirements and Paperwork
Ask every bidder to send the same paperwork so you review them on equal terms:
- A certificate of insurance showing general liability and the coverage your building requires
- Your building named as additional insured, if required
- Any vendor registration or access forms the property needs
- References showing experience with similar facilities
- How they handle complaints and their quality control processes
Collect these before you pick a vendor. Missing forms found late can push back the start date.
Evaluation Criteria: How to Compare Prices Fairly
Before you look at price, check that every bid covers the same areas, the same services, and the same frequency. A bid missing any of the three cannot be compared to the others. The lowest bid is not a bargain if it left out the stairwells or quoted a scrub and recoat as a strip and wax.
- Flag any bid that prices wax on LVT or on a wood gym floor.
- Check that each bid states its schedule and drying plan.
- Ask how the bidder will check quality standards after each visit.
- Give every bidder the same time to respond, whether you send RFPs or shorter RFQs.
Price differences should trace back to real factors: square footage, finish condition, layout, furniture moving, and timing. For a ready to copy format, use our floor care bid spec template.
Common RFP Gaps That Cause Bad Bids
- One building total instead of square footage by area
- Floor types left out, or LVT listed as VCT
- No photos and no walkthrough offered
- No access hours, so bidders guess the schedule
- Furniture moving not mentioned
- Common areas and break rooms left off the list
Request a Floor Care Quote
Strip&Wax.com is a national commercial floor care brand serving commercial buildings in every state except California. If you want a price to check your RFP against, request a quote with your floor types, square footage, photos, and access hours.
Use the form on this page or call 855-675-2181.
Floor Care RFP Questions
What should a floor care RFP include?
Every area and its floor type, square footage by area, current condition with photos, the service and frequency for each area, access hours, product rules, and the paperwork bidders must send.
Should a walkthrough be required?
It helps. Offering a walkthrough lets bidders see layout and finish condition. If one is not possible, clear photos and measurements close most of the gap.
Should floor care be in our janitorial RFP or separate?
Either works if the floor care section is detailed. Many buyers send a separate request so floor bids are not buried inside daily janitorial services pricing.
How should mixed floor types be handled?
Give each surface its own line. VCT, LVT, tile, concrete, terrazzo, rubber, and wood gym floors each need a different service.
Relevant floor care pages
Compare floor services, floor types, building types, and planning guides.
Schedule a Walkthrough
- Tell us the building type and city.
- Photos, square footage, timing, and floor condition notes improve quote accuracy.
- Remote video walkthroughs can improve scope notes before follow up.
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