How to find federal janitorial bids on SAM.gov, step by step

1. Before you start

• You don't need an account to search. You only need to sign in (with a free Login.gov account) to save searches, follow notices and get email updates.
• You do need a registration to bid. To submit an offer you'll need an active entity registration in SAM.gov with a Unique Entity ID. Registering is free; companies that charge for it are optional third parties, not the government. It can take weeks, so start early.
• Know your radius. Janitorial work is daily and local. Decide which states and metro areas you can staff and supervise before you search.

2. Run the search

1. Open SAM.gov Contract Opportunities search.
2. Leave the keyword box empty at first. Titles are written by contracting staff and vary a lot ("custodial", "housekeeping", "janitorial services", "cleaning"), so codes catch more than words.
3. In the NAICS code filter, enter 561720 (Janitorial Services). In the Product and Service Code (PSC) filter you can add S201 (Housekeeping: Custodial Janitorial). Some cleaning work is coded differently, such as 561740 for carpet cleaning or 561790 for pressure washing and other building services, so add those if you do that work.
4. Keep the status filter on active notices so closed ones drop out.
5. Sort by response date so the soonest deadlines are on top, or by posted date to see what's new since you last looked.

Then try a keyword search too ("custodial", "janitorial", "window cleaning") with no code filter. It catches notices that were given a broad code, such as 561210 for facilities support, where cleaning is one of several services.

3. Filters that matter

• Place of performance: filter by state, or by ZIP code and distance if you need a tight radius. Not every notice fills this in; when it's blank, the notice text usually names the building or base.
• Set-aside: choose the set-asides you qualify for, such as Total Small Business or a program you're certified in. Don't filter out notices with no set-aside entirely; small firms can bid on those too. Our set-aside guide explains each type.
• Notice type: see the next section. Filtering to solicitations only hides early notices that are worth answering.
• Agency: useful once you know which local offices buy cleaning near you, for example a national forest, a VA medical center or a military base.

4. Know the notice types

• Sources Sought / Request for Information (RFI): not a bid. The agency is checking who could do the work. A short reply with your capability statement is free, and enough small-business replies can lead the agency to set the work aside for small businesses.
• Presolicitation: notice that a solicitation is coming, often with an expected date.
• Solicitation or Combined Synopsis/Solicitation: the actual request for offers. This is what you price and submit.
• Award Notice: who won and, often, the award amount. Useful for researching prices and incumbents.
• Special Notice: anything else, for example an industry day or site visit announcement.

5. Read a notice page

A SAM.gov notice page has a few parts. Check them in this order:

1. Response date (the deadline) and its time zone. Agencies use their local time zone, which may not be yours.
2. Set-aside and NAICS code. The NAICS code sets the small-business size limit for that bid.
3. Place of performance. Confirm it's within your radius.
4. Attachments. The work statement, price schedule, wage determination and forms are here. The description on the page is usually only a summary.
5. Notice history. If the notice was updated, there may be amendments that change the deadline, scope or wage rates. Acknowledge every amendment in your offer.
6. Contact information. The contracting officer or specialist named here is who you send questions to, by the questions deadline stated in the solicitation.

Next step: how to read the solicitation and its wage determination.

6. Save the search and follow notices

After you sign in, you can save a search and choose to get email notifications when new notices match it. You can also follow an individual notice so you're emailed when it's updated, which is the easiest way to catch amendments. Check the notice yourself the day before you submit anyway.

7. Work that isn't posted as an open bid

• Small purchases. Agencies can buy small amounts of services without posting a public notice, often from local vendors they already know. Introducing your company to the local contracting office can help.
• AbilityOne. Some federal custodial work is on the AbilityOne Procurement List, which agencies must buy from first, so it won't appear as an open bid.
• Subcontracting. Large prime contractors on base operations and facilities contracts often subcontract cleaning. SBA's subcontracting guide explains how to find those opportunities.
• Forecasts. Many agencies publish forecasts of upcoming contracts. The Acquisition Gateway forecast tool collects many of them.
• Past awards. USAspending.gov shows who holds current contracts and roughly what each contract is worth, which helps you price and spot upcoming recompetes.

General information from the Bid Brief team, not legal or contracting advice. SAM.gov's screens change from time to time; the solicitation and its amendments control. We aren't affiliated with SAM.gov, GSA or any government agency. Last reviewed Nov 4, 2026.