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Cole County commissioners pause decision on countywide janitorial contract after wide bid spread
Summary
Commissioners reviewed seven bids for countywide cleaning services that ranged from about $234,000 to $734,000, discussed splitting public works into a separate RFP, and agreed to return the item to next week's agenda for more research and references.
Cole County commissioners on Sept. 16 reviewed seven proposals for a countywide general cleaning and janitorial services contract and decided to postpone awarding the contract while staff checks references and considers bidding public works separately.
The bids for the 2025-23 janitorial services procurement ranged from roughly $234,000 to about $734,000 for countywide coverage, according to staff. Commissioners were told the county's current provider for the public works facility has given notice that it cannot continue, and that facility might need a separate procurement if the commission rejects the countywide bid.
"We bid out the cleaning and janitorial services countywide, and we had 7 vendors that submitted a response," a county staff member said during the meeting. "We kind of had the bids all over the board from 234,000 all the way up to 734,000 plus countywide." The staff member said public works indicated the contractor currently cleaning that facility will stay on only until a replacement is found.
Commissioners and staff discussed trade-offs between keeping janitorial work in-house as part of maintenance versus contracting some or all buildings. A commissioner noted current maintenance staff also perform janitorial tasks and that converting to a contracted service would not immediately reduce county full-time equivalents, because maintenance duties would remain.
"We're still going to have those salaries to pay and then this on top of it," a commissioner said, describing the county's existing payroll for maintenance employees. Staff said the county spent about $60,000 on cleaning supplies in 2024 and expects supply costs closer to $70,000 in 2025.
Concerns raised included: the range of proposed prices; whether contracted services would provide better janitorial standards (staff cited evidence of pests and stairwell cleanliness under the current arrangement); the need for background checks for employees entering secure facilities such as the juvenile center; and whether some buildings should be excluded from a single countywide contract.
Staff recommended verifying references and said public works may need its own RFP because cooperative procurement or piggyback options might not apply. Commissioners agreed to hold the item for one week for additional review and to add it to next week's agenda.
No binding action was taken on Sept. 16; commissioners were told the current vendor will continue cleaning the public works facility until a replacement is found, likely for about a month. Staff estimated a separate RFP, if required, could take roughly 30—5 days to fill and onboard a new contractor.
