Professional cleaning services are necessary for every type of office and building. Cleaning services usually work behind the scenes on nights and weekends to prevent getting in the way. Companies must be reliable, responsible and have professional grade equipment to do the job properly. Bidding on cleaning jobs in North Carolina requires knowing the areas to work, types of clients available and what the local competition offers. Through word of mouth, solid references and competitive bidding, cleaning companies can gain a strong foothold in this business.

Decide on the locale and types of cleaning you wish to bid on within the state of NC. For example, if you are a commercial cleaner for business, bid on sites located in metropolitan work centers such as Charlotte, Raleigh/Durham. If your specialty is commercial cleaning for industries such as resorts and hotels, bid on sites located in resort towns such as Asheville and The Outerbanks.

Contact the Chamber of Commerce department within the specific city to obtain a list of businesses to approach. Contact the Better Business Bureau for a list of businesses. To bid on large contracts for federal, state and local governments of North Carolina, search Bidcontract.com to obtain a list of available entities who are currently accepting request for proposals or RFPs. Large entities use these services to submit their requirements and deadlines for RFP review so that businesses don’t have to contact them for work.

Contact each business for permission to submit a proposal. Ask for a visit to the facilities or for a detailed description and photos of the interior building and exterior of the grounds (if the work includes the outside grounds). Obtain the total square footage of the rooms and areas to be cleaned, along with the scope of what needs to be done. Clarify with the client the exact tasks that need to be done, when they need to be completed and how often. Ask the client to specify what the expectations are in completing the tasks. For example, if the client needs hallway floors cleaned, ask whether this means cleaning and waxing or just cleaning.

Calculate the bid based on estimated time in hours for completing the tasks if you are a new cleaning business. This method will compensate for the larger spaces that may take a bit longer due to equipment used or lack of experience. Offer to put a cap on the amount of the total job to make the bid more attractive. If you are an experienced cleaning business, calculate the bid based on the total square footage in the facility, number of rooms and the specific tasks to be completed.