TivloYou quoted a new contract last week. The client asked what your cleaning specification covered. You sent them a PDF with your standard service sheet and a price.
The competitor who got the contract sent a document with the client's building name on it, broken down by zone, with frequencies, products and access notes. Same price. Different presentation.
A well-written site-specific cleaning specification isn't just a formality. It demonstrates that you've thought about the client's building, understood their requirements, and can deliver a consistent service. That matters to a procurement manager or facilities director who is choosing between two cleaning companies they've never worked with before.
Here's how to write one that actually works.
What a Site Specification Is (and Isn't)
A site-specific cleaning specification is a detailed document that describes what will be cleaned, how often, to what standard, using what products, and by how many people. It is specific to a single site.
It is not your generic service leaflet with the client's name swapped in. Procurement professionals can spot that immediately.
A strong specification:
- •Is written around the actual building and its use type
- •Breaks the site into logical areas or zones
- •States the cleaning frequency for each zone and each task within it
- •References relevant standards or compliance requirements (COSHH, BICSc, NHS cleaning standards where applicable)
- •Includes any site-specific instructions (access, alarm codes procedure, hazardous areas)
- •Shows what the client will receive in return for the contract (inspection schedule, reporting, escalation contacts)
Start With a Site Survey
You cannot write a good specification without seeing the site. A site survey before tendering takes 30 to 60 minutes and is the single highest-value activity in the tendering process.
During the survey, capture:
Floor types and areas. Hard floors and carpeted areas require different methods and products. Knowing the split affects your labour estimates and your product choices.
High-traffic zones. Reception, corridors, stairwells, toilets and kitchen areas need higher frequency. A specification that treats all areas the same will either over-service low-traffic areas or under-service high-traffic ones.
Number of toilets and kitchens. These are the most time-intensive areas to clean. The specification should list them individually.
Access requirements. Who has keys? Is there an alarm? Are there areas that require supervision or restricted access (server rooms, labs, clean rooms)? Note these explicitly.
Existing issues. Floor damage, persistent staining, grout that needs attention, carpet tiles that need replacing. Document them at survey stage so there's no dispute later about pre-existing conditions.
The client's priorities. Ask directly: what does a good clean look like to you? What has been a problem with previous cleaning companies? The answers go directly into your specification.
Structure the Document by Zone
A site-specific specification should be broken into zones that reflect how the building is actually used. A typical commercial office might be:
- •Reception and entrance lobby
- •Open-plan office areas (by floor)
- •Meeting rooms
- •Kitchen and break areas
- •Male toilets, female toilets, accessible toilets
- •Stairwells and corridors
- •External (if in scope)
For each zone, list the tasks and their frequency. A table format works well:
| Task | Frequency | |---|---| | Vacuum carpeted areas | Daily | | Mop hard floors | Daily | | Wipe down desks and surfaces | Daily | | Empty bins and replace liners | Daily | | Clean glass partitions | Weekly | | Deep clean carpets | Quarterly |
The client should be able to read this and know exactly what they're getting. If they have a question after reading it, the specification isn't specific enough.
Specify Products and Standards Where They Matter
For general office cleaning, product specification is less critical. For healthcare, education, food production or any site with specific compliance requirements, it matters significantly.
If you're tendering for a school or medical facility, reference the relevant standards:
- •NHS England National Specifications for Cleanliness (PAS 5748) for healthcare sites
- •COSHH compliance for any site where chemicals are used
- •BICSc method statements if you use them (they're a quality signal)
For sites where the client has specified products (some facilities managers do), include those product names. For general commercial sites, stating that all products are COSHH-assessed and REACH-compliant is usually sufficient.
Include Frequencies That Are Actually Deliverable
A specification that promises daily deep cleans of all areas is either priced wrong or not going to be delivered. Both outcomes end the contract early.
Build your specification around what is actually achievable within the contract value. If the client's budget doesn't support daily carpet vacuuming in a low-traffic archive room, say so and specify the appropriate frequency. A client who understands what they're paying for has realistic expectations. A client who feels misled has a complaint.
The frequencies should also reflect the site type. A food production facility has different daily requirements to a professional services office. Your specification should show that you understand the difference.
Add the Operational Layer
The specification isn't just about cleaning tasks. It should also tell the client how you're going to manage the contract:
Supervision and inspection. How often will a supervisor visit? What does an inspection report look like? Who receives it?
Escalation process. If there's a problem, who does the client contact? What's the response time? For commercial cleaning contracts, a clear escalation process is a genuine differentiator. Many small cleaning companies have no formal process and the client calls the owner's mobile.
Staff continuity. Will the same operatives work this site regularly? If you can commit to this (and it's worth being honest about whether you can), it's worth stating. Regular operatives learn the site and deliver a better service.
Document provision. Health and safety file, COSHH assessments, public liability insurance certificate, employer's liability certificate, DBS checks for relevant sites. List what you'll provide and when.
Presenting the Specification
The document itself matters. A specification presented in a branded template, with the client's building name and address on the cover, a contents page, and consistent formatting throughout signals that you take the work seriously.
That doesn't require expensive design work. A clean Word or Google Docs template with your logo, a professional font and consistent table formatting is enough.
If you're submitting a digital document, PDF it before sending. It preserves the formatting and looks more polished.
The Ongoing Specification
A specification isn't a fixed document. It should be reviewed when the scope changes (the client takes on additional space, a new area comes into scope, frequencies are adjusted by agreement), and it should be used as the basis for your inspection reports.
If your inspector is checking against the specification, both you and the client know what good looks like. Disputes about whether a task was completed become much easier to resolve when there's a written standard to refer to.
Keeping your specification live and accessible (both for your team and your client) is one of the clearest signals that you're running a professional operation.
Making the Specification Work for You
A well-written site-specific specification does two things simultaneously. It wins the contract at tender stage because it demonstrates competence and attention to detail. And it protects you once the contract is live because expectations are clear in writing.
The cleaning companies that lose contracts to competitors aren't always less capable. Often they've just failed to demonstrate their capability on paper.
If you want to assess how your business handles contracts, client management and operational systems, take the Tivlo Cleaning Business Scorecard at score.tivlo.app. You'll get a personalised view of where your business stands and where to focus.