Help with Bid on Large Building...?

[freshstart216]

Need help on this bid, any suggestions or comments are welcome. The bid is for a company that owns its own building, the building is much older, definitely not a new facility. The building has three floors, in which they would like separate bids for each floor. 3 bids total. I have met with the building manager and have taken a walk through and gave my presentation. The current cleaning company doesn't seem that it is doing a very good job, areas they are most concerned with is dusting a detailed cleaning of the offices and cubicles. I have finished putting together a bid but am just nervous it might be off, the thing I am most concerned with is the production rate of my company when it comes to cleaning offices and cubicles when it comes to dusting and intricate detailing. The other basic cleaning I can estimate accurately, like vacuuming, mopping, garbage and general cleaning.

OK so to the details:
4 times per week M-Thurs
Bid # 1 First Floor
Total Square feet estimate very close to 5,000
All of the area is carpeted, only flooring that would be mopped is kitchens, and bathrooms.
21 cubicles
4 offices
1 kitchen area
3 bathrooms
Specifications: All general cleaning: mop, sweep, empty receptacles, sanitize and clean bathrooms, vacuum, wipe blinds, dust window areas.

For this bid I estimated 1,756 dollars
Calculated this based on 4 times frequency so 17.3 times per month
From past experience I estimated it would take 2.6 hours for one custodian for all of the above specifications minus the detailing and dusting of offices and cubicles.
So with that, I then figured every Monday first day we are in there we would give a more detailed and deep cleaning of the offices, so just calculating how much time it would take to clean and dust 21 cubicles and 4 offices, I came up with at least and additional 3 hours, assuming it takes approx 7 min per cubicle, and min per office, also we are dusting all wall signages and hangings.
So with that on Monday we would be there a total of 5.6 hours for Monday.
Tue I would assume that there would be no need to add the additional 3 hours for dusting and detailing, the building doesn't have much traffic from customers although being old i wouldn't know how fast the dust builds.
So 5.6 on Mon, and just 2.6 on Tue, and for wed and Thurs I would assume just a light dusting maybe half what we did on Monday. So an additional 1.5 hours instead of 3.
So what we have is Monday 5.6 hrs
Tuesday 2.6 hrs
Wed 4.1 hrs
Thursday 4.1 hrs

Sorry if its confusing this is just how my mind works on this stuff, so bare with me.

So the total month hours for bid one and floor one is approximately 70 hours per month, and based on 25 dollars per hour comes to 1,756 dollars for bid one floor one

It seems high so I don't know, am I over estimating how long it will take, is 8 min per cubicle and 10 min per office to long? it seems about right, and another thing is I'm not sure how many days per week we should be dusting and detailing, i guess i wouldn't know for sure until we get in there and time our production.
The building manager is very unhappy with who they have, and has asked me for a recommendation on specifications so I want to present them with something honest but not an under bid. Please all the help is greatly appreciated, they need someone before the first of the year and it would be nice to land it. Thank You Kindly
We will get to the other bids after suggestions on this one

[freshstart216]

10 min per office should be

[Grizzly]

Okay, the crucial question I have is did you specify cleared desk area only or are you committed to moving all their paraphenalia, papers, chotchkies( personal knicknacks), phones, etc. This will have an impact on the productivity in your detailed cleaning. I assume that detailed means you are moving all this stuff. Also, are the cubicles cloth coverred partitions with glass on top and are you required to keep these clean? Other than that, I think on average 7 minutes for the standard office cubicle with standard desk finish is about right.

Bill

[freshstart216]

Yes they are cloth covered partitions with glass and no I havnt agreed to move the papers or any items on desk, only what is available to clean. What do you think about my price does it seem high, and the frequency of dusting? Sound about right?

[logan5127]

Sounds close. I would not specify on proposal how much you are charging per hour. Instead give them a weekly rate. Sometimes the hourly or monthly charge can shock them. I would add a couple of hours to your figures just to make sure. The more hours you work a week the less per hour you can charge and still make a good profit. Are they furnishing all supplies? That will effect the price as well. If so then I would say this will take about 19 hours a week (Just and estimate without seeing it) , I would figure what I wanted to clear on this job a week with using employees to do the job. IF I paid an employee say $10 an hour it will cost me with payroll fees about $13 an hour . So that would come to a cost of $247 a week. If I wanted to clear say $200 a week, than that plus labor cost of $247 equals $447 divided by 19 hours equals about $23.50 per man hour.
Different states and areas have different cost. The figures I use are for my area and may slightly vary where you are. This is also just my opinion for this estimate . In the end you are the one that knows the job and what it will take to do. You are also the one that knows how much competition is in your area and what their prices are.

If worried about being to high than try to point out anything that sets you apart from competition.

Other options that may help can be things included on proposal such as paid holidays included, lockable janitor supply room, lockable place for time clock for employees, background checks, bonding, insurance, inspectors, on site dumpster and so on.

[freshstart216]

I might be furnishing supplies, like bathroom producst and trash bag liners, but I wouldnt include that in my invoice...would I? It is hard to estimate that sort of thing I would think I would tell them they will get the products at whosale and just put it on the invoice at the end of the month.

[freshstart216]

Would you suggest putting down the price per cleaning on the estimate? and If I give the weekly estimate, should I leave the monthly out all together?

[logan5127]

If you think the price might be to high or scare them then I would just put the weekly cost down. They can figure the monthly and annual cost. Also make sure not to give them set prices on paper products as cost go up and down.
If you notice in todays markets a lot of advertising on things like life insurance will say only cost .31 cents a day , or things like for less than what a cup of coffee a day will cost you. IF they look at your price and see $447 a week it might be more pleasing to their eyes than seeing $1,937 month or even better yet than seeing $23,244.00 a year. Thats just my opinion though. It may also matter as to what they request or if they give you an actual bid sheet. What ever you do though make sure it is plain and simple as to what you are furnishing and what they are furnishing. Such as mops, buckets, vacuums, window cleaner, trash bags, sanitary bags, toilet tissue, facial tissue, roll towels, soap, and so on.

[freshstart216]

Great thank you for all the help. We are furnishing everything such as equipment, the only thing up in the air would be bathroom supplies and trash bags.