036-DW-0426_Cust_Grounds_Mgt_Svc_RFI.pdf

1915 S. Floral Avenue, Bartow, FL 33830, www.polkschoolsfl.com

036-DW-0426, Custodial & Grounds Management Services RFI

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)

Custodial & Grounds Management Services RFI Number: 036-DW-0426

Broadcast RFI Date: 03/12/2026

Question Deadline: 03/27/2026, 3:00 PM Response to RFI Deadline: 04/14/2026, 3:00 PM

Point of Contact: Denise Whitaker, Senior Manager – Competitive Solicitations, email:

denise.whitaker@polk-fl.net, phone 863-534-0576 x693

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

2. District Background

3. Purpose of This RFI

4. Scope Areas for Vendor Input

4.1 Management Services

4.2 Workforce Models

4.3 Custodial Services & Capabilities

4.4 Grounds Maintenance Services

4.5 Equipment & Capital Investments

4.6 Supplies, Materials & Procurement

4.7 Technology Solutions

4.8 Quality Control & Performance Management

4.9 Safety, Compliance & Training

4.10 Financial & Pricing Models

5. Vendor Response Format & Content

6. Submission Instructions

7. Communications and Questions

8. Confidentiality & Public Records

9. Disclaimers Appendix A – Summary of Current State Requirements Appendix B – Vendor Questionnaire & Forms

1. Introduction The School Board of Polk County, Florida (the "District") is seeking information from qualified vendors regarding current market solutions, service models, technologies, staffing approaches, and cost structures for comprehensive custodial and grounds management services across District facilities. This Request for Information (RFI) is for planning purposes only and will not result in a contract award. Information received may be used to shape a subsequent competitive solicitation.

2. District Background The District operates a large portfolio of educational facilities, including K–12 campuses, administrative buildings, athletic complexes, and open grounds. Custodial services are required year‑round, with defined summer deep‑clean programs, support for extracurricular/community activities, and specialized environments (e.g., laboratories, gyms, auditoriums). Grounds services mailto:denise.whitaker@polk-fl.net include turf care, mowing, landscape maintenance, tree/shrub care, irrigation support, athletic field preparation, and safety inspections.

3. Purpose of This RFI

• Understand market capabilities and best practices for school district custodial and grounds programs.

• Evaluate alternative staffing and service delivery models (District‑employed, vendor‑employed, hybrid).

• Identify technologies that enhance quality assurance, inspections, scheduling, reporting, and analytics.

• Explore equipment provision and capital investment models, including amortization approaches.

• Assess sustainability, safety, and compliance innovations applicable to K–12 environments.

• Gather feedback on cost drivers and pricing structures for large, multi‑site portfolios.

4. Scope Areas for Vendor Input

4.1 Management Services

• On‑site leadership structure (e.g., regional director, director of operations, assistant managers, admin support).

• Approach to supervising District‑employed and/or vendor‑employed staff, communications and escalation protocols.

• Training and onboarding programs; development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and job aids.

• Quality assurance program design: inspection cadence (daily/weekly/monthly/annual), scoring, corrective actions, reporting.

• Stakeholder engagement: joint reviews, governance cadence, and executive business reviews.

4.2 Workforce Models

• District‑employed custodians with vendor management; fully outsourced; hybrid/shared models.

• Recruitment, retention, and attendance strategies; market wage analytics; contingency staffing.

• Transition and change‑management for workforce model shifts; union/CB (Collective Bargaining) impacts where applicable.

4.3 Custodial Services & Capabilities

• Daily, weekly, and project cleaning programs for classrooms, offices, corridors, restrooms, cafeterias, and specialty spaces.

• Floor care (strip/scrub/recoat/burnish) and carpet care (extraction, interim methods).

• Athletic facility cleaning; special events; emergency response and after‑hours support.

• Window cleaning, wall washing, high dusting, fixtures/relamping coordination.

• Summer deep‑clean program planning and execution.

4.4 Grounds Maintenance Services

• Mowing standards and frequencies; edging, trimming, and policing grounds.

• Turf care programs: fertilization, aeration, turf repair; weed and pest management per licensing requirements.

• Irrigation support; tree/shrub care; bed maintenance and mulching; seasonal color (if any).

• Athletic field preparation/lining coordination; event set‑ups; safety inspections.

4.5 Equipment & Capital Investments

•Equipment ownership models (vendor‑owned, District‑owned, lease); maintenance responsibilities and replacement cycles.

• Capital investment approaches and amortization; inventory visibility; embedded telematics/IoT for utilization and uptime. IoT (Internet of Things) technology transforms asset management by providing real-time visibility into machine health and activity.

4.6 Supplies, Materials & Procurement

• Supply provision options; inventory management; warehousing/distribution support.

• Green cleaning programs; chemical management; standardized SKUs and cost‑savings initiatives.

4.7 Technology Solutions

• CMMS/work order; inspection apps; dashboards; labor scheduling; mobile tools; geo‑enabled grounds routing. Integrating IoT with a Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) automates the transition from "detecting an issue" to "fixing it."

• Data governance and integrations; sample screenshots of reports/dashboards.

4.8 Quality Control & Performance Management

• KPIs (Key Performance Indicators), SLAs (Service Level Agreement), and benchmarking;

corrective action workflows; continuous improvement methods. An SLA defines the expected service level between a provider (internal or external) and the business.

• Frequency of reviews and reporting packages (daily/weekly/monthly/annual).

4.9 Safety, Compliance & Training

• OSHA compliance; hazardous materials protocols; chemical handling; PPE programs.

• Licensing for herbicide/pesticide use; injury prevention; emergency response procedures.

https://f7i.ai/blog/service-level-agreement-sla-the-definitive-guide-to-industrial-performance-management

4.10 Financial & Pricing Models

• Overview of fee structures (fixed management fee, fully loaded, cost‑plus).

• Primary cost drivers and sensitivity to scope, wage rates, and geography; typical term lengths.

• Optional value‑add investments and ROI (Return on Investment) frameworks.

5. Vendor Response Format & Content A. Executive Summary

• Overview of proposed service model(s), key differentiators, and value to the District.

B. Company Qualifications

• Company profile, years in business, relevant certifications, and organizational chart for proposed account team.

• Experience with K–12/public‑sector clients of similar size and complexity (include at least three references).

C. Technical Approach

• Narrative addressing each Scope Area in Section 4, including processes, tools, and assumptions.

D. Technology & Reporting

• Descriptions and screenshots of systems for CMMS, inspections, dashboards, labor management, and analytics.

E. Staffing & Transition

• Staffing plan by role; recruiting/retention; training curriculum; 90‑day implementation plan and risk mitigation.

F. Safety & Compliance

• Programs, policies, and training addressing OSHA and hazardous materials; licenses for herbicide/pesticide use.

G. Sustainability

• Green cleaning, waste reduction, water/energy considerations, and sustainable procurement practices.

H. Financial Overview (Non‑Binding)

• Narrative of typical pricing structures and cost drivers; optional investment concepts; budgetary estimates, no firm pricing requested.

I. Appendices

• Case studies, sample reports, sample SOPs, sample inspection forms, and references.

6. Submission Instructions Submit one (1) original proposal, along with a redacted copy (if applicable). It is the sole responsibility of the vendor to ensure that their proposal is submitted electronically at www.myvendorlink.com by the deadline in this document or as amended in the form of an http://www.myvendorlink.com/ addendum issued by the Purchasing Department. If technical difficulties arise during submission of documents, it is the vendor’s responsibility to contact VendorLink technical support at support@evendorlink.com. Polk County Public Schools shall not be responsible for delays caused in any occurrence. Submittals sent by mail, facsimile, electronic mail, telephone or any other means not specified herein will not be accepted. Acceptable file formats for uploading are Microsoft Excel (.xls or .xlsx), .pdf or .ZIP file formats. Printing must be enabled on all files submitted.

7. Communications and Questions All questions must be submitted at www.myvendorlink.com where this document is posted. It is the sole responsibility of the vendor to ensure that questions are received at www.myvendorlink.com no later than the question deadline in this document. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted. Answers may be shared with all respondents at www.myvendorlink.com at the District’s discretion. If it becomes necessary to revise or amend any part of this document, an addendum will be posted at www.myvendorlink.com. All provisions of School Board Policy 6324 Cone of Silence are applicable to this RFI.

All visitors must register in person, present a photo id, and will be issued a district badge. For ADA assistance, contact the Office of Equity and Compliance, 863-534-0781 at least 3 business days before visiting.

8. Confidentiality & Public Records All responses to this RFI are subject to release as public records consistent with Chapter 119 Florida Statutes, subject to applicable statutory exemptions. Vendors should clearly mark any proprietary or confidential sections, understanding that the District must comply with public records requirements.

9. Disclaimers This RFI is issued solely for information gathering. The District is under no obligation to proceed with a procurement, and no contract will be awarded as a direct result of this RFI. The District may request demonstrations or meetings and may use information received to develop a subsequent solicitation.

Neither the vendor nor PCPS will discriminate against faculty, staff, contractors, or students on the basis of age, color, disability, ethnic origin, nationality, genetic information, gender, including gender identity, sexual orientation or gender expression, race, religion, or veteran status, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law in its educational programs, website accessibility, admission policies, financial aid, employment or other school administered programs. The Parties will abide by PCPS's anti-discrimination and anti-bullying policies in accordance with the law.

Appendix A – Summary of Current State Requirements

• Management Services: Vendor provides training, management, and direction of District service employees in custodial and grounds departments; related administrative services include time records and data for payroll.

mailto:support@evendorlink.com http://www.myvendorlink.com/

• Personnel Structure: Typical vendor staff include a Regional/Resident Director, Director of Operations, Assistant Area Custodial Managers, and administrative support; vendor staff remain vendor employees; District retains hiring/discipline and employment of custodial workforce.

• Materials & Supplies: District provides custodial and grounds supplies; vendor may sell supplies upon request; District responsible for disposal compliance.

• Equipment: Vendor provides, maintains, and/or invests in custodial equipment with specified amortization/ownership provisions; vendor provides grounds equipment and vehicles with defined maintenance responsibilities; District provides fuel/oil and maintains certain vehicles/equipment.

• Compensation & Adjustments: Monthly management fee with CPI or wage‑based annual adjustments; scope changes may adjust fee; certain cost changes outside vendor control trigger adjustments.

• Quality Control & Governance: Regular inspections, joint reviews (monthly), and annual reporting are required; service levels align to written SOPs and staffing plans.

• Custodial Program: Detailed frequencies for classrooms, offices, corridors, restrooms, cafeterias, athletics, summer programs, window cleaning, wall washing, trash removal, floor finishing, carpet/furniture care, and security routines.

• Grounds Program: Mowing, aeration, turf fertilization, weed/pest control per licensing, irrigation support, tree/shrub care, bed maintenance, athletic field coordination, policing of grounds, paved surface care, and seasonal planning calendar.

• Safety/Hazardous Substances: District designates AHERA person; vendor does not handle hazardous substances detection/removal; mutual indemnification aligned with roles.

Appendix B – Vendor Questionnaire & Forms B1. Vendor Profile (complete all items):

– Legal name, address, and year established

– Primary contact (name, title, email, phone)

– Relevant certifications and licenses (e.g., pesticide/herbicide application)

– Diversity classifications (if applicable)

B2. Experience and References:

– List up to five comparable K–12 clients with scope, scale, and years of service.

– Provide at least three references with contact information.

B3. Technical Questionnaire (attach additional pages if needed):

– Describe your proposed management structure for the District (roles, span of control, coverage).

– Detail your quality assurance/inspection program, including cadence, scoring, and corrective actions.

– Provide examples/screenshots of dashboards and reports available to District leaders.

– Outline your training curriculum by role and frequency; include safety and compliance modules.

– Explain your approach to capital equipment investment, ownership, maintenance, and replacement cycles.

– Describe your grounds program for turf care, fertilization, irrigation support, and pest/weed management.

– Explain how you would plan and execute the District’s summer deep‑clean program.

– Summarize your sustainability program (green chemicals, waste reduction, water/energy optimization).

– Provide a implementation/transition plan with risk mitigation and communication strategies.

B4. Financial Overview (non‑binding):

– Describe typical pricing structures and key cost drivers for programs of this size.

– Discuss any performance incentives or value‑share models you offer.

Proposal Certification

In submitting my company’s response to this Request for Information, I affirm that I have full and complete understanding of the contents, including any addendum issued in connection with this RFI, except as otherwise noted in this submission.

SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE:

PRINT NAME OF AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE:

TITLE: DATE:

PROPOSER (Legal name of firm):

STREET ADDRESS:

CITY, STATE & ZIP:

CONTACT PERSON:

CONTACT PERSON'S EMAIL:

PHONE: E-MAIL for Purchase Orders:

PROPOSER TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER: