Council approves three‑year janitorial contracts after competitive bids
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Summary
Moscow City Council voted to award janitorial service contracts for seven building modules to two low bidders for a three‑year term beginning Oct. 1, 2025, after staff explained bid grouping, scope differences and a non‑comparable change in building square footage.
Moscow City — Moscow City Council voted April 21 to award three‑year janitorial service contracts for the city’s grouped building modules, approving Creative Cleaning Connections for modules 1, 6 and 7 and ServiceMaster Building Maintenance for modules 2, 3, 4 and 5.
City staff told council the city grouped its buildings into seven modules to encourage small bidders and to allow firms to bid on portions of the work. David Schott, a city staff member presenting the item, said the new agreements would begin Oct. 1, 2025, and run through Sept. 30, 2028, to align with next fiscal planning.
Schott said the current three‑year package costs about $470,000; the combined recommended contracts total about $533,082.49 for the three‑year term, a nominal 13% increase he attributed largely to changes in the package rather than uniform price increases. He told the council that the change in scope includes a remodeled city shop that will add square footage once it opens and a new parks and fleet shop expected online next year, plus parks restroom coverage added to this bid package.
Council members asked whether the city had considered bringing janitorial services in‑house. Schott said the city had evaluated that option in prior years and found it substantially more expensive. Council members also asked about continuity for local small businesses: several members noted that Veeva Cleaning Company, a current provider, did not win as a low bidder for the modules it previously served. Schott said the formal bidding process requires awarding to the low bidder and that all low bidders proposed — Creative Cleaning Connections and ServiceMaster Building Maintenance — had provided satisfactory service in the past.
Councilor Burke moved to approve the low bids and contract awards as recommended; the motion was seconded and passed on a roll call vote with council members recorded as voting aye: Drew; Julia; Gina; Bryce; Hailey; Sandra.
The agreements were described as professional services contracts tied to individual modules; Schott said the city will execute an agreement for each successful bidder and that services will not start until Oct. 1, 2025, to align with the FY26 budget.
The council discussion also addressed event‑day cleaning for high‑volume weekend events. Staff said that for events in the past, event organizers typically assume responsibility for consumables and on‑site needs, although the city can provide on‑site staffing for particularly high‑demand events through the parks department when warranted.
The contracts approved April 21 will be executed as separate three‑year professional services agreements for each module and will replace the city’s existing three‑year term that expires Sept. 30, 2025.
