Yes. There are commercial cleaning companies in Houston that specialize in cleaning government buildings.
But cleaning a government facility isn’t the same as cleaning a typical commercial office.
We’ve been in the commercial cleaning business since 2007, and government work has been a major part of what we do. Over the years, we’ve learned that cleaning is only part of the job.
Government customers also need a contractor that understands staffing requirements, security, documentation, detailed scopes of work, inspections, purchasing procedures, and sometimes very large facilities.
Here’s what makes government janitorial services different and what I would look for when choosing a company.
Government Buildings Have Different Requirements
A government building may look like any other commercial building, but behind the scenes there can be a lot more involved.
Background Checks and Building Access
Depending on the facility, cleaning employees may need background checks, badges, keys, access cards, or approval before they’re allowed into certain areas.
That makes staffing more complicated.
If an employee calls in sick, you can’t necessarily send a brand-new employee to replace them that evening. The replacement may need to already be approved to work at that facility.
A cleaning company needs to plan for that before there’s a staffing problem.
Documentation and Quality Control
Government contracts tend to have detailed scopes of work.
The contract may specify exactly what needs to be cleaned, how often it needs to be cleaned, what products should be used, and how the work will be inspected.
That’s why documentation is important.
A cleaning company should have a system for inspecting its work, documenting problems, correcting deficiencies, and showing the customer that the required work was completed.
This is also where technology can make a big difference.
At Caring Commercial Cleaning, we’re putting a lot of emphasis on Proof of Cleaning™ — providing customers with time-stamped and GPS-verified photo documentation of completed work.
If you’re responsible for a large government facility, you shouldn’t have to walk every restroom, hallway, office, and common area yourself to find out whether your cleaning company showed up and did what it was supposed to do.
Day and Night Cleaning
Many government facilities are open to employees and the public throughout the day.
That can mean having day porters handling restrooms, spills, trash, entrances, and other needs during business hours while another crew performs the regular cleaning at night.
Managing both takes coordination.
The cleaning company has to work around employees, visitors, meetings, security procedures, and building operating hours without getting in the way.
Government Procurement Is Different Too
One of the biggest differences between government and private-sector cleaning has nothing to do with cleaning.
It’s how the service is purchased.
Government entities generally have formal purchasing requirements. Depending on the agency and size of the contract, that might mean a competitive bid, RFP, existing government contract, or purchasing cooperative.
Federal opportunities can be advertised through SAM.gov. Texas and local government entities have their own procurement systems and requirements.
Another option is cooperative purchasing.
Organizations such as Choice Partners and the Purchasing Cooperative of America (PCA) establish competitively procured contracts that eligible government entities can use.
This can be a big advantage for a government customer.
Instead of starting an entirely new solicitation every time janitorial services are needed, an agency may be able to purchase through an existing cooperative contract, subject to its own procurement requirements.
If you’re considering a cleaning company, it’s worth asking:
“Do you already have a government or cooperative contract we can purchase from?”
You may find there’s a much easier way to buy the service.
What Should You Look for in a Government Cleaning Company?
If I were evaluating a cleaning company for a government facility, these are some of the first things I would ask about.
Do they have actual government experience?
Ask which government facilities they’ve cleaned and whether those facilities are similar in size and complexity to yours.
There’s a big difference between saying you’re capable of government work and having actually managed government contracts.
Who is doing the work?
Find out whether the cleaning company uses its own employees or plans to subcontract the work.
At Caring, we operate as the prime contractor and manage the people working in our customers’ facilities.
That gives the customer one company to hold accountable.
How will the account be staffed?
Ask how many employees will be assigned, how supervisors are involved, how employees are screened, and what happens when somebody is absent.
For larger contracts, the management structure is just as important as the number of cleaners.
How is quality verified?
Ask to see the company’s inspection process.
Who performs inspections? How frequently? How are problems documented? How quickly are deficiencies corrected?
And increasingly, I’d ask whether the company can actually show you that the work was completed.
Can they handle the administrative side of a government contract?
Government customers may require purchase orders, detailed invoices, specific billing procedures, insurance documentation, reporting, and other paperwork.
The cleaning company needs an administrative operation capable of handling those requirements.
Can they handle the size of your facility?
A company may do an excellent job cleaning a 20,000-square-foot building but struggle with a large multi-building contract.
Ask about staffing capacity, management structure, equipment, and experience with facilities comparable to yours.
Caring Commercial Cleaning’s Government Experience
Caring Commercial Cleaning has been serving customers in the Houston area since 2007, and government facilities have been an important part of our business for many years.
We’ve managed large and complex public-sector cleaning operations, so we understand that government customers expect more than somebody showing up at night with a mop and vacuum.
They need staffing. They need supervision. They need documentation. They need responsiveness.
And they need a contractor that understands the contract they’re working under.
Caring Commercial Cleaning currently holds cooperative purchasing contracts through:
- Choice Partners — Contract #24/017MR-03
- Purchasing Cooperative of America (PCA) — Contract #OD-396-23
Our NAICS classification is 561720 — Janitorial Services.
Our services include routine janitorial cleaning, day porter services, floor stripping and waxing, carpet cleaning, deep cleaning, and temporary custodial staffing.
We also understand something that’s extremely important when working with government customers: continuity of service.
During COVID-19, our government customers didn’t stop needing cleaning. In many cases, cleaning and disinfecting became more important than ever.
We continued providing service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year when needed.
That experience taught us a lot about operating under pressure and keeping large facilities staffed when circumstances aren’t ideal.
Can a Government Agency Hire Caring Without Issuing a New RFP?
Possibly.
If your agency is eligible to purchase through Choice Partners or PCA, you may be able to use one of our existing competitively procured contracts instead of conducting a separate solicitation.
Your purchasing department will ultimately determine which procurement method is appropriate for your organization, but it’s worth asking before starting a new RFP.
We can provide our cooperative contract information directly to your purchasing department so they can review the available options.
The Bottom Line
Yes, there are cleaning companies in Houston that specialize in government facilities.
But I wouldn’t choose one simply because its website says “government cleaning.”
Ask them to show you the experience. Ask who will staff your building. Ask how they inspect their work. Ask how they’ll prove the work was completed. And ask whether they already have a purchasing contract your agency can use.
Those answers will tell you quite a bit about whether the company is actually prepared to handle your facility.
Need Janitorial Services for a Government Facility in Greater Houston?
If you manage a government building or public facility in Greater Houston, we’d be happy to review your current cleaning program and scope of work.
We can also provide information on our Choice Partners and PCA cooperative contracts if you’re looking for a faster procurement option.
Call Caring Commercial Cleaning at 281-738-3951 or email gcastellon@caringtx.com to request a walkthrough and proposal.
With Proof of Cleaning™, you don’t have to wonder whether the work got done.
We’ll show you.