How to respond to a commercial cleaning RFP
How to respond to a commercial cleaning RFP — who buys, what to price and how to get started.
Read the scoring first
Most RFPs score price, method, experience and compliance separately. Write to the scoring, not to what you want to say.
Answer every question
Missing one required form or certificate gets many bids rejected before anyone reads the price.
Show your method
Explain staffing, schedules, supervision, quality checks and how you handle complaints — buyers want to see a plan.
Price clearly
Give a simple monthly figure with a breakdown by area or service and list any extras separately.
Follow up
Ask for feedback whether you win or lose; it makes the next bid stronger.
FAQs
What is a cleaning RFP?+
A request for proposal — a formal document where a buyer asks cleaning companies to bid on a contract.
How long should my RFP response be?+
As long as the questions need and no longer; clear, direct answers score better than long ones.
Why do cleaning bids lose?+
Missing paperwork, unclear pricing or a vague method statement are the most common reasons.