Commercial Procurement Resource
Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Commercial Janitorial Provider
The right questions help facility leaders compare what each proposal actually includes instead of choosing between prices built on different assumptions.
Checklist section 1
Ask how the janitorial scope was developed
A provider that has not examined the facility may be pricing a checklist that does not match the property.
Which areas and tasks are included or excluded?
Request a written list of applicable entrances, offices, workspaces, restrooms, breakrooms, common areas, floors, accessible glass, trash points, restricted areas, and periodic tasks. Ask how out-of-scope requests will be handled.
How was frequency matched to traffic and occupancy?
Ask which areas need different frequencies, what conditions the proposed schedule can realistically support, and how seasonal traffic, operating changes, or repeated concerns may affect the service plan.
What assumptions affect the proposal?
Look for assumptions about square footage, occupancy, cleared surfaces, furniture, waste volume, access, utilities, existing floor condition, consumables, work hours, and the responsibilities retained by facility staff.
Checklist section 2
Clarify access, security, consumables, and facility responsibilities
Operational details should be resolved before the first service, not during a missed access window.
Who controls keys, alarms, and schedule changes?
Identify the authorized contacts, access method, restricted zones, alarm responsibilities, closure notice, holiday process, incident communication, parking, loading, elevators, and any sign-in or escort requirement.
Who supplies liners and restroom consumables?
Ask who purchases, stores, replenishes, and monitors bags, liners, paper, soap, and other supplies. Confirm whether consumption, delivery, inventory, and emergency restocking are included or separate.
What must facility staff prepare?
Clarify desks and counter clearing, confidential material, fragile equipment, food, personal items, furniture movement, locked rooms, specialty surfaces, waste separation, and conditions that prevent safe or authorized service.
Checklist section 3
Understand communication and quality-control expectations
Quality control is more useful when the provider and client agree on how an issue will be reported, verified, and connected to scope.
Who is accountable for the account?
Ask who receives routine questions, urgent facility notices, access changes, scope requests, and service concerns. Confirm the authorized facility contact and the provider’s communication path in writing.
How is work reviewed against the scope?
Request an explanation of quality-control reviews, communication records, correction handling, and how the provider distinguishes a missed included task from a frequency limitation, new condition, damage, or out-of-scope request.
How are changes authorized and priced?
Discuss new areas, added frequency, event cleaning, project work, schedule changes, unusual waste, floor projects, and other requests that may require a written change instead of informal direction to onsite personnel.
Checklist section 4
Compare periodic services and vendor readiness
A recurring proposal should make periodic needs and vendor documentation visible without using unsupported claims as a substitute for scope.
Which floor and deep-cleaning services are separate?
Ask how carpet cleaning, machine scrubbing, strip and wax, scrub and recoat, tile and grout, restroom deep cleaning, commercial property turnover, and suitable pressure washing are assessed and scheduled.
Which vendor documents can be provided?
Confirm the documents your procurement process requires. ILBEX LLC can provide a Certificate of Insurance and W-9 upon request; any additional requirement should be identified before proposal approval.
Are the competing proposals truly comparable?
Compare applicable areas, frequency, task detail, service windows, consumables, floor work, periodic services, exclusions, assumptions, communication, change process, and pricing structure—not only the total number.
Scope-control note
Warning signs in a commercial janitorial proposal
Be cautious when the proposal does not identify applicable areas, frequency, access, consumables, client responsibilities, periodic services, exclusions, or a communication path. A broad promise of a consistently clean facility cannot replace a scope the contracted frequency can actually support.