A cleaning tender scorecard turns the responses into comparable numbers: list your criteria, weight each by importance before you open any response, score every bidder on every criterion and add them up. Its main value is not the arithmetic but that you can explain and defend the decision afterwards.
How do you build the scorecard?
Choose five to seven criteria that reflect what matters for your building. Decide the weighting for each before you receive responses, so the scoring cannot drift toward a favourite. Score each criterion out of five, multiply by the weight and total the result.
Suggested criteria and weightings
These weights are a starting point, not a standard. Adjust them to your site. A medical practice might weight compliance higher, and a tight-budget strata scheme might weight price higher.
| Criterion | What you are judging | Suggested weight (out of 100) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Total price against the same scope, and how it was built | 30 |
| Scope fit | Every task priced, with clear exclusions | 15 |
| People and supervision | Who does the work, how they are engaged and supervised | 15 |
| Quality assurance | How work is checked and reported to you | 15 |
| Compliance and insurance | Certificates, chemical management, correct pay | 10 |
| References and experience | Similar buildings, referee feedback | 10 |
| Contract terms | Flexibility, exit, variations | 5 |
How should you score each criterion?
Use a simple, written scale and apply it the same way to everyone:
| Score | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 5 | Fully meets the requirement, with clear evidence |
| 4 | Meets the requirement with minor gaps |
| 3 | Partly meets it or evidence is thin |
| 2 | Significant gaps |
| 1 | Barely addresses it |
| 0 | Not addressed |
How do you score price fairly?
Score price by comparing each bid to the lowest compliant bid, after you have checked that the scope is the same. Do not give top marks to a price that is low because tasks are missing or because it could not cover correct wages under the Cleaning Services Award. Ask the bidder to explain unusually low prices before you score them.
What should you record?
Keep the completed scorecard, the notes behind each score and the reasons for the final decision. If the choice is questioned by a committee, owner or unsuccessful bidder you can show how it was made. If scores are close, use a second round: a short interview or site visit with the top two.
What next?
Collect responses in a fixed format using what to ask for in a cleaning RFQ, and see where scoring fits in how to run a cleaning tender. For comparing the numbers themselves, read how to compare cleaning quotes like for like. To include us in your process, book a walkthrough.