Resources
Facility services vendor hiring kit: eight steps from scope to first month
Hire a cleaning or facility services vendor in the right order, with what to collect at each step and a printable kit with the blanks, from the first scope sheet to the 30-day review.
Request a quoteCall (408) 668-0624
Printable template
How to hire a facility services vendor, step by step
Hiring a facility services vendor works in a fixed order: write the scope, record the site data, choose who to invite, send one RFP, check licenses and insurance, compare the bids on one grid, sign a contract with measurable terms, then plan the changeover. Each step produces a document the next one needs, so skipping ahead usually means redoing work later. This kit sets out the order and what to collect at each step, and points to the guide or tool that covers the step in depth.
| Step | What to collect | Where to go deeper |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Scope the work | Building type, cleanable square feet, areas, tasks and frequencies, periodic work | Facility cleaning scope builder |
| 2. Record the site data | Floors, restrooms, operating and tenant hours, access and alarm rules, who supplies paper and liners | This kit’s site data sheet |
| 3. Choose who to invite | A shortlist, reference contacts and the questions you will ask each reference | One vendor or several |
| 4. Send the RFP | One scope for every bidder, the walkthrough date, the questions deadline and the insurance list | Janitorial RFP template builder |
| 5. Check licenses and insurance | Certificate of insurance, endorsement pages, workers’ comp evidence and license status where a license applies | Vendor insurance requirements builder |
| 6. Compare the bids | Each bid rebuilt on one grid of areas, tasks, visits and hours | Comparing janitorial bids |
| 7. Write the contract and SLA | Task list as an exhibit, service hours, change process, measures and remedies | Service agreement guide and SLA and KPI guide |
| 8. Plan the changeover and first month | Start date, key and alarm handoff, tenant notice, week-one and 30-day reviews | Switching vendors and the first 30 days |
Download the facility services vendor hiring kit to work through it on paper. It has blanks for the scope and site data, the invited vendor list, license and insurance checks, a bid comparison table, a contract and SLA checklist and a changeover plan.
Steps 1 and 2: scope and site data
Bids can only be compared when every vendor prices the same work. Start with the facility cleaning scope builder to list areas, tasks and frequencies, and add periodic work such as floor refinishing and high dusting on its own lines. Then write down the facts a bidder needs to staff the building: the number of floors and restrooms, cleanable square footage, when the building opens and closes, when tenants are in, how crews get in and set the alarm, and who supplies paper, liners and soap. Keep it on one sheet so every bidder receives exactly the same picture.
Step 3: who to invite
Decide first whether you want one vendor for cleaning, porter, grounds and maintenance or separate specialists; one vendor or several weighs the trade-offs. Then build a shortlist and ask each firm for references at buildings like yours. Useful reference questions: how long the vendor has served the building, how quickly missed work gets fixed, how often the supervisor walks the site, how staffing changes are handled, and whether the reference would hire them again. When you interview vendors, ask which managers hold the credentials compared in the guide to facility management certifications. Public agencies with small business or DVBE goals will ask vendors for proof of status, as the guide to small business certification for government contracts explains.
Step 4: the RFP and walkthrough
Send every bidder the same package: scope, site data, insurance requirements, contract term, walkthrough date and a deadline for questions. Share answers to questions with all bidders, not just the one who asked. The janitorial RFP template builder produces an editable Word RFP for one site or many, and our janitorial RFP page shows how we respond to one.
Step 5: license and insurance checks
Ask each finalist for its certificate of insurance and the endorsement pages your contract names, and check them before you compare prices. A certificate, usually the ACORD 25, is information only: additional insured status and a waiver of subrogation come from endorsements, not from the checkmarks on the form. Build the list of lines and limits for each vendor type with the vendor insurance requirements builder. If your company already screens vendors online, the vendor compliance platforms comparison covers the common systems.
California requires every employer to carry workers’ compensation, even with one employee. Where a vendor holds a California contractor’s license, CSLB ties workers’ comp to the license: a lapse suspends it, and work done while suspended counts as unlicensed. Look up the license status for each finalist that holds one, and note the date you checked. Your broker or attorney decides the limits.
Step 6: compare the bids
Rebuild each bid on one grid before looking at totals: the same areas, tasks, visits a week, staffing hours and periodic work. Lined up this way, a missing task stands out at once. The guide to comparing janitorial bids walks through the grid line by line and the questions to send bidders afterwards.
Step 7: the contract and SLA
Attach the final task list to the agreement, along with service days and hours, the process for changes and one-time requests, who supplies what, and the insurance exhibit from step 5. Then decide how the work will be measured: inspection scoring, how fast service calls are answered, how long rework can take and what happens when the work falls short. The janitorial service agreement guide covers the operating sections, and facility services SLAs and KPIs covers the measures, with a scorecard.
Step 8: changeover and the first weeks
Work back from the notice period in the current contract to set a start date with no gap in service. Before night one, finish the final walkthrough, hand over keys, badges and alarm codes, and tell tenants who to contact. Then walk the building after the first week and again at 30 days. Switching facility vendors covers the handover, and the first 30 days with a new cleaning company sets out the month-one reviews.
Get help
Putting cleaning, porter or grounds work out to bid? Continental is insured, bonded and carries workers’ compensation, crews are background-checked, and supervisors run quality inspections. Send your scope or RFP through our quote request, and we’ll book a free walkthrough at a time that suits your building and return a written quote.
A few useful answers
Common questions
What are the steps to hire a facility services vendor?
Scope the work, record the site data, choose who to invite, send one RFP, check licenses and insurance, compare the bids on one grid, sign a contract with an SLA, then plan the changeover and first month. Each step feeds the next.
What documents should a vendor hand over before the contract starts?
A certificate of insurance plus the endorsement pages the contract names, evidence of workers’ compensation, license details where a license applies, and references. The signed agreement should carry the task list and the insurance requirements as exhibits.
How do I check a California contractor’s workers’ comp?
For a vendor with a California contractor’s license, CSLB keeps workers’ comp tied to the license, and a lapse suspends it. Look up the license status before signing and again at renewal, and record the date you checked.
Should insurance requirements go in the RFP or the contract?
Both. Put the coverage lines and limits in the RFP so every bidder prices them, then attach the same list to the signed agreement. Your broker or attorney sets the limits for your building.
What does the vendor hiring kit include?
Blanks for the scope and site data, an invited vendor list with reference questions, license and insurance check rows, a bid comparison table, a contract and SLA checklist and a changeover plan with week-one and 30-day reviews.