Bid Requirements for Commercial Buildings
A clean building may not always be a healthy building—but a healthy building is always a well-cleaned one.
We’ve reached a moment where the old standards of appearance just aren’t enough. As a building manager, facilities leader, or maintenance professional, you know the goal isn’t simply polished floors or shiny restrooms—it’s a building that supports wellness, productivity, and safety. That means more than tidy spaces. It means a space that’s truly healthy.
That’s why every commercial cleaning service invited to bid must bring more than a promise. They must bring certification—specifically, Green Clean Certification—to prove they’re trained, equipped, and committed to creating a building that works for the people inside it.
Here’s why that matters:
Over 60% of all commercial buildings are classified as either semi-toxic or outright toxic. That’s right—more than half of our workspaces are subtly harming the people who walk through them each day. Airborne contaminants, chemical residues, poor ventilation, improper cleaning methods—all of these contribute to headaches, fatigue, asthma, and even long-term respiratory and neurological issues.
And while these risks may go unnoticed in the short term, the long-term effects are undeniable, especially for senior workers, who are more vulnerable to chronic health conditions aggravated by toxic exposure.
This is why cleaning contractors cannot just be vendors. They must be stakeholders in the health and vitality of your workforce.
We know how it usually goes: vendors pitch “green” cleaning by holding up a few biodegradable products or pointing to a paperless billing system. But real Green Cleaning is more than optics. It’s a holistic system rooted in science, training, and certified protocols.
Green Clean Certification ensures that a cleaning crew understands:
The chemistry behind safe product use
How to reduce indoor air pollutants
The importance of cross-contamination controls
Safe equipment handling and maintenance
And how to protect sensitive populations such as those with asthma, allergies, or compromised immune systems
But it doesn’t stop there. When a building is maintained by a properly trained Green Clean team, it doesn’t just prevent harm—it creates value.
Healthier buildings mean healthier people. That shows up in:
Lower medical claims
Fewer sick days
Reduced absenteeism
And yes: increased productivity
In fact, research shows that healthier indoor environments can lead to cognitive performance gains and a measurable improvement in worker output. So, when you select a cleaning partner with certified Green Clean credentials, you’re not just protecting your building—you’re investing in your people.
This is the kind of thinking that changes everything. The unrealized value of a Green and Healthy Building isn’t found in the lowest bid. It’s found in a well-managed space where employees breathe cleaner air, touch safer surfaces, and walk into work with less risk.
In the long run, that’s the kind of environment that retains top talent, reduces long-term health costs, and builds a reputation for responsibility and forward-thinking management.
So, as you evaluate the next round of janitorial bids, ask this:
Are we looking for the lowest bidder or are we selecting a partner in health?
Choose the team that sees cleaning not just as a job, but as a mission.
Require Green Clean Certification. Expect real training. Demand more than image—require impact. Because healthy buildings start with the people who clean them. And your people deserve nothing less.
