By A commercial cleaning proposal is the document a buyer uses to compare you with two or three other companies, and often the only thing the person who signs will ever read about you. It does not need to be beautiful. It needs to be specific, easy to compare, and easy to say yes to.
Below is a complete template in nine sections. Each section has a short explanation of what it is for, then text you can copy and fill in. Replace everything in square brackets. Delete anything that does not apply to the building.
What should a commercial cleaning proposal include?
A commercial cleaning proposal should include a cover letter, needs summary, scope, price, inclusions and exclusions, quality control, staffing and security, terms, and a signature page.
| Section | Purpose | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Cover letter | Show you listened; give the headline price | Half a page |
| 2. Your needs | Restate their problems and goals | Short list |
| 3. Scope of work | Tasks by area and frequency | Table |
| 4. Price | Monthly price and what it is based on | A few lines |
| 5. Included and excluded | Stop disputes before they start | Two short lists |
| 6. Quality control | How you catch problems before they do | Short list |
| 7. Staffing and security | Who will be in their building | Short list |
| 8. Terms | Start, term, notice, adjustments, payment | Short list |
| 9. Acceptance | Signatures | Signature block |
Before you write, you need the facts from the walk-through. Our commercial cleaning walk-through checklist lists what to capture, and how to price commercial cleaning covers building the number.
How do you write the cover letter for a cleaning proposal?
Write the cover letter in the buyer's terms: what they told you is wrong, what will change, the monthly price and the proposed start date.
Template: Cover letter
[Date]
[Contact name] [Title] [Company] [Building address]
Dear [Contact name],
Thank you for walking [Building name] with me on [date]. You mentioned that [main problem in their words, e.g. restrooms are not being restocked on the second floor and tenants have complained twice this month] and that [second problem, e.g. the carpets in the main corridor have not been extracted in over a year].
This proposal sets out a cleaning program for [Building name] that addresses both, with [frequency, e.g. five nights a week] service across [cleanable square footage] square feet.
The monthly price is $[amount], with a proposed start date of [date]. The scope, what is included, and how we check the work are on the following pages.
I will call you on [day] to go through any questions. If it would help, I am glad to join a call with [owner / regional manager / anyone else who signs].
[Your name] [Title], [Company] [Direct phone] · [Email]
How do you summarize the buyer's needs?
Summarize their needs as a short list of what they told you, using their words, so they can see you understood before they read your solution.
Template: Your needs
What you told us
- [Problem 1, e.g. restrooms not restocked consistently]
- [Problem 2, e.g. trash left in conference rooms after evening meetings]
- [Problem 3, e.g. slow response when you report an issue]
What you want from a cleaning company
- [Goal 1, e.g. no tenant complaints about restrooms]
- [Goal 2, e.g. one contact who responds the same day]
- [Goal 3, e.g. carpets that look cared for in common areas]
This section is where most proposals are weakest and where yours can stand out.
How should the scope of work be laid out?
Lay out the scope as a table of tasks by area and frequency, so the buyer can check it and compare it with other bids line by line.
Template: Scope of work
Building: [Name, address] Cleanable area: [square footage] sq ft, based on [floor plans / walk-through measurement / figure provided by client] Service days and hours: [e.g. Monday to Friday, after 6:00 pm]
| Area | Task | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Offices and open areas | Empty trash and recycling, replace liners | Nightly |
| Offices and open areas | Vacuum carpeted traffic areas | Nightly |
| Offices and open areas | Vacuum all carpet edge to edge | Weekly |
| Offices and open areas | Dust horizontal surfaces to 6 feet | Weekly |
| Offices and open areas | Spot clean glass and doors | Nightly |
| Restrooms | Clean and disinfect toilets, urinals, sinks | Nightly |
| Restrooms | Restock paper and soap | Nightly |
| Restrooms | Mop floors with disinfectant | Nightly |
| Restrooms | Clean partitions and walls | Weekly |
| Break rooms | Clean counters, sinks, tables, appliance exteriors | Nightly |
| Break rooms | Clean microwave interior | Weekly |
| Lobby and entrances | Clean entry glass, vacuum mats | Nightly |
| Hard floors | Dust mop and damp mop | Nightly |
| Common areas | High dusting (vents, ledges above 6 feet) | Monthly |
| [Area] | [Task] | [Frequency] |
Edit the rows to match what you saw and what they asked for. Do not include tasks you did not price.
How do you present the price in a cleaning proposal?
Present one monthly price, state what it is based on, and list any separately priced work below it.
Template: Price
Monthly service: $[amount] per month, for the scope above at [frequency].
This price is based on [square footage] sq ft, [number] restrooms with [number] fixtures, service [days per week], and [client supplies paper and liners / we supply paper and liners].
Initial clean (one time): $[amount], to bring [areas] up to standard before regular service begins.
Optional periodic services (priced separately):
Service Frequency Price Carpet extraction, common areas [Quarterly] $[amount] per service Strip and refinish VCT [Twice a year] $[amount] per service Interior window cleaning [Quarterly] $[amount] per service
Stating the basis protects you. If the square footage changes or the client adds a floor, the price can change with it.
What goes in the included and excluded section?
List what the price includes and what it does not, so there is nothing left to assume.
Template: Included and excluded
Included in the monthly price
- All labor, supervision and cleaning chemicals
- Equipment: vacuums, mops, carts, [auto scrubber]
- [Trash liners / paper products / hand soap] if supplied by us
- Monthly inspection with a written report
Not included (available on request)
- Periodic floor care listed above
- Exterior window washing
- Cleaning after special events or construction
- [Anything else discussed but not priced]
How do you show quality control in a proposal?
Show quality control as a short, specific routine: who inspects, how often, how the client reports issues and how fast you respond.
Facility managers value this. In a Contracting Profits survey published in 2012, facility managers said responsiveness and communication drove loyalty, and many wanted to meet their provider one to four times a month.
Template: Quality control
- Supervisor inspections: [weekly] walk-through using a written checklist, shared with you [monthly].
- Your contact: [Name], [phone], [email]. Issues reported by [time] are addressed [the same night].
- Monthly check-in: a short meeting or call for the first [three] months, then [quarterly].
- Issue log: every reported issue is logged with date, action taken and date resolved.
- Certifications: [e.g. ISSA CIMS certification, if held]. Do not list anything you do not hold.
If you hold ISSA's Cleaning Industry Management Standard certification, this is the place to say so.
What should the staffing and security section say?
The staffing and security section should tell the buyer who will be in their building, how they are screened and trained, and how keys and alarms are handled.
Template: Staffing and security
- Crew: [number] cleaners and a supervisor assigned to your building, with the same crew wherever possible.
- Screening: [background checks / E-Verify / reference checks, as applicable to your company].
- Training: crews are trained on your building's scope, safety data sheets for all chemicals used, and your security procedures, in line with OSHA Hazard Communication requirements.
- Uniforms and ID: crew wear [company uniform and photo ID].
- Keys and access: keys and fobs are logged and held by [supervisor]. Alarm codes are issued per person.
- Insurance: general liability of $[amount], workers' compensation, and [janitorial bond of $amount]. Certificate attached, and we will name [building owner / management company] as additional insured on request.
What terms belong in a commercial cleaning proposal?
The terms should cover start date, contract length, notice period, annual price adjustment, change of scope and payment.
Template: Terms
- Start date: [date], subject to a signed acceptance by [date].
- Term: [12 months], renewing month to month unless either party gives notice.
- Notice: either party may end this agreement with [30] days' written notice.
- Price adjustment: prices are reviewed each year on [date]. Increases in legally mandated wages are passed through from their effective date.
- Changes in scope: changes to square footage, frequency or tasks will be priced and agreed in writing before they begin.
- Payment: invoiced [monthly in advance / monthly in arrears], due within [30] days.
- Supplies: [who supplies paper, liners and soap].
Short notice periods are common in this industry. In the same 2012 survey, 96% of facility managers said their contracts included 30-day cancellation clauses. Have a lawyer look at your standard terms once.
What does the signature page look like?
The signature page needs the price, start date and space for both parties to sign and date, so the buyer can accept in one step.
Template: Acceptance
Acceptance
[Client company] accepts this proposal for cleaning services at [Building name] at $[amount] per month, starting [date], on the terms above.
For [Client company]: Name: ____________ Title: ____________ Signature: ____________ Date: ____________
For [Your company]: Name: ____________ Title: ____________ Signature: ____________ Date: ____________
What should you check before sending the proposal?
Check that the proposal is specific to this building, that the numbers match, and that the next step is booked.
- Every bracketed placeholder replaced
- Buyer's problems stated in their words
- Scope table matches the hours you priced
- Square footage and assumptions stated
- Separately priced work listed with prices
- Insurance certificate attached
- Nothing claimed that you cannot prove
- Review call booked in both calendars
- Follow-up dates in your calendar
Then follow up. Our guide on how to follow up on a cleaning bid has a schedule, and janitorial bidding mistakes covers what to double check on price. To see the proposal from the other side of the desk, read how facility managers choose a cleaning vendor.
A great proposal needs a buyer to send it to. LeadWharf finds decision-makers in your area who want recurring cleaning and sends you their direct contact, so your walk-throughs and proposals go to people ready to decide. Book a call to see whether your area is open.