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Guide · Florida · 7 min read

How to Win Government Janitorial Contracts in Florida

By the XL Eagle bid team · Updated November 2, 2026 · Built from our live bid database and USAspending.gov

Most janitorial contracts in Florida are won on price and on proof that you can staff a building every night. If you run a cleaning crew, public buildings are a steady source of work. Offices, schools, clinics, airfields and courthouses all need cleaning on a schedule.

Cleaning bids are mostly about labor. The buyer wants to know how many people you will send, what hours they work, and how you will cover a sick call. The price is mostly wages, supplies and your margin.

You can bid on these jobs yourself. This guide shows you how. If you would rather not do the paperwork, you can send XL Eagle your price on a job. We write and submit the bid as the prime contractor. If we win, you do the work and get paid. You do not need your own SAM.gov registration to work this way.

Janitorial contracts in Florida at a glance

  • 5 open janitorial bids in Florida on XL Eagle today. See them all.
  • 21 janitorial solicitations in Florida in the last 12 months that we tracked (7 federal, 14 state and local).
  • Federal agencies made 190 contract awards worth $59.7 million for work performed in Florida under NAICS 561720 in FY2025 (Oct 2024 - Sep 2025).
  • Top federal buyers that year: Department of Defense ($33.1 million); Department of Veterans Affairs ($19.4 million); Department of Transportation ($3.7 million).
  • Agencies posting this work most often in our data: Air Force, Army.
  • Where these jobs get posted: MyFloridaMarketPlace, OpenGov.

Bid counts from the XL Eagle bid database as of November 2, 2026. Award totals from USAspending.gov.

Who buys janitorial work in Florida

  • Local governments and school districts that post bids on portals such as OpenGov. These are often the easiest first jobs.
  • State agencies that post formal bids over $35,000 in the MyFloridaMarketPlace Vendor Information Portal.
  • Air Force and Space Force bases. Eglin and Tyndall have both put janitorial work out as small business set-asides, according to public notices.
  • Federal offices such as the FAA. A consolidated FAA janitorial bid for its Jacksonville District facilities was set aside for 8(a) firms.
  • Veterans Affairs facilities and national cemeteries, which post custodial work on SAM.gov.

Open janitorial bids in Florida right now

All open janitorial bids in Florida →

Licenses you need in Florida

Florida does not appear to have one state license just for a cleaning company. What you do need is a Local Business Tax Receipt from your city or county. It is issued by the local government and expires every September 30. If you use chemicals beyond normal cleaning products, or work in a regulated trade, ask the buyer what else applies. Your company must also be active on Sunbiz, and you should register in MyFloridaMarketPlace if you want state bids.

Register to bid in Florida

State and local jobs in Florida are posted on these sites:

  1. Make sure your business has an active registration with the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations (Sunbiz).
  2. Register in the MyFloridaMarketPlace Vendor Information Portal: enter your FEIN, your locations for ordering, payment and billing, your contacts, your preferred ordering method, and the commodity codes that fit your work.
  3. Say yes to taking part in electronic procurement events and give an email address for bid alerts.
  4. Accept the MFMP Terms of Use. The state says your registration is available within 24 hours after that.
  5. Have your E-Verify status on file and a current Substitute Form W-9 on file with the Department of Financial Services.
  6. After your first solicitation alert, create a Business Network account (formerly Ariba Network) so you can answer an electronic solicitation.
  7. Do not be on the state's Convicted, Discriminatory, Suspended or Antitrust Violator vendor lists.

The state says there are no subscription or registration costs to do business with it, but a MyFloridaMarketPlace transaction fee of one percent (1.0%) applies to payments received on covered state contracts, under Florida Administrative Code Rule 60A-1.031.

Federal jobs in Florida use SAM.gov, which is free. What SAM.gov is and how to register.

Small business certifications in Florida

  • Certified Business Enterprise (CBE), Office of Supplier Development: Free certification for Florida-based small businesses at least 51% owned and managed by a woman, veteran or minority who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, with net worth under $5 million and 200 or fewer full-time permanent employees; recertify every two years.

Wage rules on public jobs

Florida has no state prevailing wage law for public works. Since September 30, 2026, a 2024 state law (HB 433) also stops cities and counties from setting wage or benefit requirements for their contractors on new contracts, which ends local living wage programs such as Miami-Dade County's for contracts signed after that date. You still must pay at least the Florida minimum wage, and any wage terms written into an older contract.

On federal jobs, service work such as cleaning, grounds care and guard services falls under the Service Contract Act, and construction work over $2,000 falls under Davis-Bacon. The solicitation includes the wage determination you must pay.

What janitorial jobs look like in Florida

  • Schools add a step. Florida law requires level 2 background screening for contract workers who may be on school grounds when students are present. Plan the time and cost for every cleaner on that crew.
  • Read the schedule closely. Night, weekend and day-porter hours change your labor math. Some sites want a lead person on every shift.
  • Buyers often ask for a supply list and an equipment list. Name your products and show that you have safety data sheets.
  • Federal cleaning jobs usually come with a Department of Labor wage determination. Your hourly rates must meet it, plus the listed benefits.
  • After a storm, many buildings need extra cleaning. A buyer may ask if you can add crews on short notice. Say yes only if you can.

Pricing janitorial work for Florida public buyers

  • Start with hours. Count the cleaning hours per visit, then visits per month, then multiply by the loaded labor rate.
  • Load the wage with payroll taxes, workers' comp and insurance. These add real cost on top of pay.
  • Add supplies, equipment wear, travel and a supervisor's time. Do not hide these in your hourly rate.
  • Price extras separately when the bid allows it. Carpet extraction, floor stripping and window cleaning are usually unit-priced.
  • Check the term. A one-year deal with options can support a lower margin than a single short award.

Mistakes that lose these bids

  • Bidding below the wage determination on a federal job. The bid can be rejected, or you can lose money for years.
  • Forgetting the background screening cost on school work.
  • Missing a required form, such as a public entity crimes affidavit or a reference sheet. One missing page can disqualify you.
  • Quoting a flat price without counting the square footage and visit schedule in the bid documents.

The fastest way to bid: send us your price

You can register and bid on your own using the steps above. If you would rather not, send XL Eagle your price on any janitorial job in Florida. We write and submit the bid as the prime contractor under our registrations. If it wins, you do the work and get paid. You do not need your own SAM.gov registration to work this way.

Pick a Florida janitorial job or read the national guide to government janitorial contracts.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a state license to clean government buildings in Florida?

We did not find a single state license for janitorial companies. You do need a Local Business Tax Receipt from your city or county, and the buyer may ask for insurance and references. Always read the solicitation for anything extra.

How do I find janitorial bids at Florida schools and cities?

Many local buyers post on portals such as OpenGov, and the state posts formal bids over $35,000 in the MyFloridaMarketPlace Vendor Information Portal. Register in MFMP and pick cleaning commodity codes so alerts reach you.

What is the state transaction fee?

On covered state contracts, Florida charges a one percent MyFloridaMarketPlace transaction fee on the payments you receive. Registering itself is free.

Can I work on a federal cleaning contract without my own SAM.gov registration?

Yes, if XL Eagle bids as the prime. You send us your price, we submit the bid, and if it wins you do the work and get paid.

Sources

Have a price for a government job?

Send it to us. XL Eagle writes and submits the bid under our registrations, free to you. If we win, you do the work at your price.

Find a job and send your price →