Floor Care Bid Specifications: A Template You Can Copy
A floor care bid spec template you can copy into your next bid package.
Floor care is often tucked inside a larger janitorial or custodial contract as one vague line. The result is janitorial bid pricing that cannot be compared, because each vendor guesses at the floor work. A separate bid spec fixes that. Every bidder prices the same floors, the same steps, and the same schedule.
Below is a plain template buyers can copy into an RFP, RFQ, or custodial bid package. Each section explains what to write and why it matters. If you want the steps for building the whole request, see our commercial floor care RFP checklist. This page is the template itself.
Where Floor Care Fits in Janitorial Bid Opportunities
Most janitorial bids cover daily custodial services: trash removal, restroom restock, paper products, trash bags, janitorial supplies, spot window cleaning, and a mop pass in the lobby and hallway on a set number of days per week. Floor care is different. It is periodic work done on a monthly or yearly cycle, with its own equipment and supply needs.
When a school, office building, or municipal buyer posts government bids, requests for proposals, requests for qualifications, or a request for information, the floor work often gets one line. Keep this spec as its own attachment. Then a firm that bids to provide janitorial services can price the general cleaning, and floor care providers can qualify for the floor work, with each proposal pricing the same scope.
How to Use This Template
- Copy every section in order. Pulling sections apart leaves gaps.
- Replace every item in brackets with your building's details. Sample text left in place is the most common reason bids cannot be compared.
- Attach a floor plan with each area labeled.
- Send the same document to every vendor at the same time. State the issuance date, the question deadline, and the award date.
This template is for commercial buildings only: offices, schools, retail stores, medical offices, churches, and similar facility types.
Section 1: Scope and Areas
Template text: "The vendor shall provide floor care for the areas listed in Table A at [building name and address]. Areas not listed are not part of this bid."
Then list each area on its own line with three facts: the area name, the floor type, and the square footage (SF).
- [Main lobby] | [VCT] | [SF]
- [First floor hallway] | [VCT] | [SF]
- [Restroom] | [ceramic tile and grout] | [SF]
- [Conference rooms] | [LVT] | [SF]
- [Gym] | [wood] | [SF]
Why it matters: Floor type decides the service. LVT is never waxed. Wood gym floors are screened and recoated, never waxed. Tile and grout, concrete, terrazzo, and rubber each need their own method. List areas one by one so nothing gets skipped or counted twice. Measure the floor that will actually be worked, and leave out space under fixed shelving and equipment.
Section 2: Current Condition
Template text: "Current finish condition for each area is described below. Photos are attached."
- [Dull, traffic lanes showing, finish still clear]
- [Yellow or cloudy finish, dirt trapped between coats]
- [Peeling at edges and baseboards]
Why it matters: Condition decides whether an area needs a full strip or a lighter scrub and recoat. Wide photos show layout. Close ups show the worst spots. Both help a bidder price the job without guessing.
Section 3: Service Steps
Template text for strip and wax on VCT:
- "Move furniture as noted in Section 5."
- "Apply stripper and scrub to bare tile, including edges and corners."
- "Rinse and neutralize. Let the floor dry fully."
- "Apply [number] thin coats of floor finish. Each coat must dry before the next goes down."
- "Burnish after the finish has cured, if listed in Section 4."
Template text for scrub and recoat: "Deep scrub the existing finish without removing it to bare tile. Rinse, dry, and apply [number] coats of finish."
Why it matters: Strip and wax, scrub and recoat, and burnishing are three different services. List each one on its own. A bid that calls a scrub and recoat a strip and wax looks cheaper but is not the same work. For full VCT step language, copy from our VCT floor care specifications.
Section 4: Frequency
Template text: "Services shall be performed at the frequency shown for each area."
- [Lobby and main hallway] | [scrub and recoat] | [twice per year]
- [Lobby and main hallway] | [burnish] | [monthly]
- [All VCT areas] | [strip and wax] | [once per year]
- [Restrooms] | [tile and grout cleaning] | [as needed]
Why it matters: High traffic zones wear finish faster than private offices. Set frequency by area, not one building wide rule. State whether this is a single project or an ongoing maintenance contract with a renewal term.
Section 5: Schedule and Access
Template text: "Work shall take place [nights after 7 PM / weekends / during school break]. Work shall move one section at a time. Each section stays closed until the finish is dry. The building contact is [name, phone]."
- Entry point, keys, badges, and alarm codes
- Loading dock or service entrance for equipment and supply delivery
- Who moves furniture, and what stays in place
- Whether heat or air runs at night
Why it matters: Floor finish cannot take foot traffic while it dries. Do not ask for zero downtime. A realistic plan closes one area at a time and reopens it only after the finish is dry.
Section 6: Quality Checks and Safety Signage
Template text: "Wet floor signs shall be placed at every entry to a work area and removed only when the floor is dry. An inspection walkthrough with the building contact shall take place before each area reopens. Defects found at the walkthrough shall be corrected within [number] days."
A finished floor should show an even sheen, no streaks, no puddles, and no missed edges along baseboards. Name one person with final approval. Ask for before and after photos so both sides share the same record.
Section 7: What the Bidder Must Submit
- A written scope of work matched line by line to Table A
- Price for each area and each service, plus a total
- A work schedule that shows which sections close and when
- A product list, so the facility can confirm no wax is planned on LVT or wood
- Proof of insurance naming the owner or property manager as additional insured
- References from similar commercial buildings
Why it matters: When every proposal follows the same format, the comparison is fair. Leave product brands optional. Naming one brand can cut the number of bids you receive. State that the facility will not accept bids that skip any line in Table A.
What Changes the Price
- Square footage. The floor area worked, by area.
- Condition. Heavy buildup takes more time and product to strip.
- Service. A strip and wax has more steps than a scrub and recoat.
- Layout. Open floors go faster than small rooms and tight halls.
- Furniture. What has to move, and who moves it.
- Timing. Access hours and any deadline.
Request a Quote
Strip&Wax.com is a national commercial floor care brand serving commercial buildings in every state except California. Send your completed spec, or just your floor types, square footage, photos, and access hours, and we will price the floor work.
Use the form on this page or call 855-675-2181.
Bid Spec Questions
Do bid specs need to name a product brand?
No. Leaving the brand open usually brings in more bids. Ask for a product list instead so you can check what will be used.
Can floor care go inside our janitorial bid?
Yes, as long as this spec is attached as its own section. Daily janitorial work and periodic floor care are priced in different ways, so keep the floor lines separate.
How should add on areas be listed?
Give each add on area its own line with its floor type and square footage. Areas listed at the end without a floor type cause confusion.
Should we require a walkthrough before bids?
Offering one helps. If a walkthrough is not possible, clear photos and measured square footage close most of the gap.
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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