Schools and trusts
How to write a school cleaning tender specification that gets comparable bids
By the Long Lever team · 8 min read · Last checked 6 November 2026
The short answer
A good school cleaning specification tells every bidder exactly the same thing: what areas there are, how big they are, how often each must be cleaned, to what standard, and when. Give floor areas by zone, a frequency schedule, periodic tasks, opening hours, current staffing and TUPE information, and a fixed pricing schedule, and the bids you get back will be comparable line by line.
Why do school cleaning bids come back so different?
Usually because each bidder has guessed something the specification didn't say. One assumes classrooms are cleaned daily, another three times a week. One prices holiday deep cleans, another leaves them out. One allows for the sports hall, another didn't know it was in scope. When bids range from 60 to 140 hours a week for the same school, the specification is normally the cause, not the bidders.
What must a school cleaning specification include?
| Section | What to include | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Site information | Buildings, floors, opening hours, term dates, lettings and access arrangements | Sets when cleaning can happen |
| Zones and floor areas | Every area by type, in square metres: classrooms, corridors, toilets, offices, kitchens, halls, specialist rooms | The basis of every bidder's hours calculation |
| Frequencies | How often each zone is cleaned, and which tasks are daily, weekly or periodic | Removes the biggest source of guesswork |
| Standards | What good looks like for each zone, and how it will be checked | Lets you hold the contractor to account |
| Periodic and holiday work | Deep cleans, carpet and floor care, high-level cleaning, window cleaning, with timings | Often the costliest items to leave out |
| Staffing and TUPE | Current staff numbers, hours, pay and terms, provided anonymously | Bidders must price transferring staff correctly |
| Consumables and equipment | Who supplies what: chemicals, paper, soap, bin liners, machines | A common hidden difference in price |
| Performance measures | Audit scores, response times, reporting and meetings | How the contract will be managed |
| Pricing schedule | A fixed table every bidder completes the same way | Makes bids comparable line by line |
Should you specify inputs or outputs?
Most schools do best with a mix. An output specification describes the result (toilets clean, stocked and odour-free at all times) and leaves the method to the contractor. An input specification describes the effort (toilets cleaned twice daily, 15 minutes each). Outputs encourage good contractors to bring their expertise; inputs make bids easier to compare. A sensible middle way is to set clear outputs and minimum frequencies, and ask bidders to state their hours by zone.
Why are floor areas and frequencies so important?
Because hours drive about everything else in a cleaning price, and hours come from area multiplied by frequency, divided by how fast each type of area can be cleaned to the standard you want. Give bidders accurate floor areas by zone and the frequencies you expect, and their hours become comparable. Leave them to measure or guess, and you can't tell a lean bid from an unrealistic one.
If you have floor plans, measured areas can usually be taken from them, including from CAD drawings, and tidied into a zone schedule.
What do you need to know about TUPE?
When a cleaning contract moves to a new provider, the staff working on it usually transfer with it under the TUPE regulations, on their existing terms. The outgoing contractor must give employee liability information to the new employer at least 28 days before the transfer. For a tender, ask for anonymised staffing information early, so every bidder prices the same workforce, pay rates and terms.
A checklist before you publish
- Floor areas given for every zone, and totals that add up.
- A frequency for every zone, including toilets and kitchens.
- Term-time and holiday hours clearly separated.
- Periodic tasks listed with how often and when.
- Anonymised TUPE information attached or promised by a date.
- Who supplies consumables and equipment made clear.
- A fixed pricing schedule with hours by zone, hourly rate and on-cost lines.
- Evaluation criteria and weightings published with the tender.
- A site visit offered to every bidder on the same terms.
What this won't do
This is practical guidance, not legal advice. Your trust or local authority may have its own procurement rules and thresholds, and higher-value contracts must follow the Procurement Act 2023. A specification also can't make up for a weak evaluation; see our article on scoring tenders fairly. If you're an incumbent contractor's client, declare any conflicts of interest early.
Questions people also ask
What should a school cleaning specification include?+
Site information, zones and floor areas, cleaning frequencies, standards, periodic and holiday work, staffing and TUPE information, consumables, performance measures and a fixed pricing schedule.
How many cleaning hours does a school need?+
It depends on floor area by zone, the frequencies you set and the standard required. That's why giving every bidder the same areas and frequencies is the key to comparable bids.
Does TUPE apply when changing school cleaning contractors?+
Usually, yes. Staff working on the contract normally transfer to the new provider on their existing terms, and employee liability information must be provided at least 28 days before the transfer.
Should a cleaning specification be input or output based?+
A mix works best for most schools: clear outputs and minimum frequencies, with bidders asked to state their hours by zone.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Buying procedures and procurement law for schools
- GOV.UK: Business transfers, takeovers and TUPE
Facts and rates last checked 6 November 2026. We review every article at least every six months.
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