For Facilities Managers ·
What you'll accomplish
By the end of this guide, you'll be able to write professional vendor RFPs and scopes of work for any facility service — HVAC maintenance, janitorial, security, landscaping, pest control — in 30–45 minutes instead of half a day. Your RFPs will be more complete and specific, which means you'll get more comparable bids and fewer surprises during the contract.
What you'll need
Go to {{tool:ChatGPT.url}} and start a new chat. Provide your building details upfront — this is what makes the RFP relevant and specific:
I'm a facilities manager preparing an RFP for [service type]. My building: [building type], [square footage], [number of floors], [year built], [number of occupants]. Key equipment relevant to this contract: [list]. Special requirements or compliance standards: [any OSHA, local code, certifications required]. Help me write a complete RFP.
After setting context, request the complete document:
Write a complete RFP for [service type, e.g. HVAC preventive maintenance] contract. Include all of these sections:
1. Introduction and overview
2. Building information
3. Scope of services (detailed task list by frequency: monthly, quarterly, annual)
4. Performance standards and KPIs
5. Response time requirements
6. Required certifications and qualifications
7. Insurance requirements
8. Documentation requirements
9. Pricing format requested
10. Evaluation criteria
11. Contract term and renewal provisions
12. Submission requirements and deadline
This contract will go out to 3 vendors for competitive bidding.
The scope section is the most important part. Review it and refine:
The scope looks good but I need more detail on the HVAC tasks. Add these specific items:
- Monthly: [what your system needs monthly]
- Quarterly: [quarterly tasks for your equipment]
- Annual: [annual tasks, certifications, filter replacements]
Also add tasks for [any building-specific equipment, e.g. building automation system, energy recovery units, cooling tower].
Ask for specific, measurable performance standards:
The performance standards section needs to be more specific. Add:
- Response time by issue severity (emergency, urgent, routine)
- Penalty provisions for missed PMs or slow response
- Customer satisfaction measurement process
- Grounds for contract termination for non-performance
Copy the completed RFP into a Word document. Add your building's logo, contact information, and submission deadline. Review the insurance requirements against what your organization's legal/risk team requires (standard minimums may not match your requirements).
What you should see: A complete, professional RFP that vendors can respond to with comparable bids
1. HVAC Preventive Maintenance:
RFP for HVAC preventive maintenance at [building]. Equipment: [list RTUs, chillers, boilers, cooling towers]. Monthly/quarterly/annual task detail, response time requirements, required EPA 608 certification, insurance minimums.
2. Janitorial Services:
RFP for janitorial services at [building, size, occupancy]. Nightly scope, day porter, green cleaning requirement, inspection protocol, pricing format.
3. Security Services:
RFP for security officer services at [building]. Coverage schedule, post orders, licensing requirements, incident reporting protocol, supervision requirements.
4. Pest Control:
RFP for integrated pest management at [building type]. Required certifications, treatment schedule, service documentation, emergency response protocol.