Commercial Cleaning Guides
What to Include in a Commercial Cleaning Scope of Work
A practical guide to writing a commercial cleaning scope of work: areas, tasks, frequencies, supplies, building access, insurance, quality control and communication, with a sample table and a checklist you can use.
Quick answer
What should a commercial cleaning scope of work include?
A commercial cleaning scope of work should list every area to be cleaned, the specific tasks in each area, how often each task is done, who supplies consumables and equipment, access and security procedures, building rules, insurance and certificate of insurance (COI) requirements, how quality is checked, and who to contact when something is missed. The more specific each line, the easier the scope is to price, follow and enforce.
Why the scope of work matters
Most complaints about a cleaning vendor come back to one problem: the two sides had different ideas about what was included. The office manager expected the conference room glass to be cleaned every night. The vendor priced it as a weekly task. Neither was wrong, because nobody wrote it down.
A written scope of work fixes that. It gives every bidder the same basis for pricing, so proposals can be compared fairly. It gives the cleaning crew a checklist to work from. And it gives you something specific to point to when a task is missed, which makes problems faster and less awkward to resolve.
Start with an inventory of the space
Before listing tasks, list the spaces. Walk the floor plan and name each area type: entrance and reception, open workstations, private offices, conference rooms, restrooms, kitchens and pantries, copy and mail rooms, server or IT closets, storage, corridors and stairwells. Note which areas are client-facing and which are restricted.
Record the floor surfaces as you go, because they drive both tasks and cost. Carpet, sealed concrete, vinyl tile, hardwood and natural stone such as marble or terrazzo all need different care. Note approximate quantities that affect labor, such as the number of restrooms and fixtures, the amount of interior glass and how many kitchens or pantries there are.
Then record how the space is used. Note headcount, which days are busiest, when visitors arrive and whether any areas run late or open early. A hybrid office with three anchor days needs a different schedule from a five-day client-facing suite. These details let a vendor set realistic frequencies instead of guessing, and they explain the schedule to anyone who reads the scope later.
Sample scope of work by area
A useful scope pairs each area with specific tasks and a frequency. This sample is a starting point; adjust it to your occupancy and building.
| Area | Typical tasks | Typical frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Entrance and reception | Empty trash, dust and polish desk, clean entry glass, vacuum or mop, clean walk-off mats | Each cleaning visit |
| Open workstations and offices | Empty trash and recycling, vacuum traffic areas, dust clear surfaces, spot-clean glass | Each visit; full vacuum and detail dusting weekly |
| Conference rooms | Wipe tables and chairs, clean whiteboards if requested, clean glass, vacuum | Each visit |
| Restrooms | Clean and disinfect fixtures, mirrors and partitions, mop floors, restock paper and soap | Each visit |
| Kitchens and pantries | Clean counters, sinks and appliance exteriors, empty trash, mop floors | Each visit; refrigerator clean-out on an agreed day |
| High-touch points | Disinfect door handles, switches, elevator buttons in the suite, shared equipment | Each visit |
| Floors (periodic) | Carpet extraction, hard floor scrubbing, stripping and refinishing | Quarterly to annually, based on traffic |
| Windows (periodic) | Interior partition glass detail, exterior window washing where permitted | Monthly to semi-annually |
Supplies, consumables and equipment
Spell out who provides what. Cleaning chemicals and equipment are usually supplied by the vendor. Consumables such as toilet paper, paper towels, hand soap and trash liners are handled either way: some offices buy their own and ask the crew only to restock, while others have the vendor supply and bill for them. Either works, as long as the scope says which.
If your company has preferences for green products, fragrance-free products or specific dispensers, include them. Note where supplies and equipment can be stored on site, since storage space affects how a crew works. Citywide uses environmentally friendly cleaning products and practices in all of its work, and supply arrangements can be set out in the proposal.
Finally, separate routine work from one-time or as-needed work. Event clean-ups, move-related cleaning, after-hours spill response and post-renovation cleaning are easier to manage when the scope says how they are requested, approved and billed, rather than handled through informal requests to the crew.
Access, security, building rules and insurance
In Manhattan, the building often has as much say as the tenant. The scope should state cleaning hours, how crews sign in, whether they use the freight elevator or service entrance, how keys, cards and alarm codes are issued and returned, and which rooms are off limits. Include any building rules on trash removal, loading dock use and noise after hours.
Insurance belongs in the scope or the contract as well. Most buildings and management companies ask outside vendors for a certificate of insurance naming specific parties as additional insureds before any work starts. Ask your building manager for the exact requirements and attach them to the bid documents, so every vendor prices the same coverage.
Quality control and communication
A scope without a way to check it tends to drift. Describe how quality will be measured: written checklists for each visit, periodic site inspections by a supervisor, and a simple way for your team to report issues. Agree on how quickly reported problems are addressed, and on a regular review, such as a monthly walk-through, while the program is new.
Name the contacts on both sides, including who to call for after-hours issues and who approves extra work. Citywide crews work from detailed checklists, and Citywide uses site inspections and client feedback to keep standards consistent. If you are deciding how often each task should happen, our scheduling guide covers common patterns.
Scope of work checklist
Before you send a scope out for bids, confirm it covers each of these points:
- Every area listed, with client-facing and restricted areas marked
- Floor surface types and approximate quantities of restrooms, kitchens and glass
- Specific tasks for each area, written as actions
- Frequency for each task: per visit, weekly, monthly or periodic
- Cleaning days and hours, including holidays and occupancy changes
- Who supplies chemicals, equipment and consumables
- Access, keys, alarm codes, sign-in and freight elevator procedures
- Building rules and certificate of insurance requirements
- Quality control method, issue reporting and response expectations
- Named contacts and a process for approving extra or one-time work
Frequently asked questions
Who should write the scope of work, the client or the vendor?
Either can start it. Many facility managers draft a basic scope and ask vendors to refine it after a walkthrough. What matters is that the final version is agreed in writing before work begins and that every bidder priced the same document.
How detailed should the scope be?
Detailed enough that two different crews would do the same work. “Clean restrooms” is open to interpretation; “clean and disinfect toilets, urinals, sinks and partitions, mop floors and restock paper and soap each visit” is not. Avoid so much detail that the document cannot be updated.
Should periodic services like carpet cleaning be in the same scope?
It usually helps. Listing carpet extraction, floor refinishing and window work with target frequencies lets you budget for them and avoids treating them as surprises. They can be priced separately from the routine cleaning.
How often should a scope of work be reviewed?
Review it whenever occupancy, layout or building rules change, and at least once a year. Hybrid schedules in particular change how often areas are used, so the frequencies that made sense at signing may not fit a year later.
Does Citywide provide a written scope with its proposal?
Yes. Citywide offers a free consultation, walks the space, and provides a clear, upfront written proposal with no hidden fees, covering the areas, tasks and schedule agreed with you.