How to Write a Snow Removal RFP for Commercial Property

4 min read · Thames Valley Snow, London, Ontario

Why most snow quotes are hard to compare

If you send three contractors a one-line email asking for a winter price, you will get three quotes based on three different guesses. One assumes walkways are included, another does not. One prices a fixed season, another per visit. One plans to be done by seven in the morning, another by nine. The cheapest number may simply be the one that includes the least.

A request for proposal, even a short one, removes that guesswork. It is useful for property managers, condo boards, plaza owners and facilities staff alike.

Section 1: describe the site

Give bidders the address, a site plan or aerial image, and a list of surfaces to be cleared. Include the approximate paved area if you have it, the length of sidewalks and walkways, and the number of entrances, ramps and steps. Note anything unusual: loading docks, drive-throughs, gated areas, speed bumps, islands or tight corners. Contractors can measure from City of London maps and aerial imagery, but your knowledge of how the site is used is just as important.

Section 2: define the service

State the level of service you expect. Useful items to cover include:

• The time the lot and walkways must be open each day, and on weekends
• Whether crews should return during long storms or clean up once at the end
• That sidewalks, entrances and ramps are hand-cleared and salted every visit
• How freezing rain and refreeze are handled when no snow has fallen
• Where snow may be piled, and areas that must stay clear such as doors, drains and fire routes
• Whether snow relocation or hauling should be priced separately

Section 3: ask for a pricing structure

Tell bidders how you would like the price laid out. Common options are a fixed seasonal price, a per-visit price, or a seasonal price with an event cap. You can ask for more than one so you can weigh budget certainty against cost in a light winter. Ask for billing terms too; some organizations prefer monthly billing to match their budget cycle.

Section 4: require documents and records

Ask every bidder to include or confirm:

• A certificate of commercial general liability insurance, and whether your organization can be named as additional insured
• WSIB registration
• A sample of their service records, such as a timestamped photo log of visits
• A written contract that matches the scope in your RFP

These documents are often what separates a professional contractor from someone with a truck and a plow blade.

Section 5: timeline and how you will decide

Give a clear due date and a contact for questions. If you will allow a site walk, list the date. Tell bidders how you will decide, whether on price alone or on price plus service level and records. Send the same package to every bidder and share any answers you give one bidder with all of them. Our property managers page explains what we provide when responding to an RFP.

Timing matters as well. Snow contractors plan routes and crews well before the first snowfall, so an RFP issued in early fall gives bidders time to visit or measure the site properly and gives you time to review contracts before winter starts. An RFP sent out after the first storm tends to get rushed answers, fewer bidders and less room to negotiate the details that make the service work.

Get a written quote for your site

Thames Valley Snow responds to RFPs and requests for quote for commercial and multi-unit sites in London, usually with a written quote within 2 business days. Request a measured price through our quote form, or call or text (548) 888-8702. A written quote usually comes back within 2 business days.

What's included… and what's extra

Commercial snow service is priced per site from paved area, walkway length and opening time. A typical contract includes plowing at the agreed trigger depth, clearing before opening, hand-cleared entrances, sidewalks and ramps, and a timestamped photo log of every visit.

Common extras are quoted separately so you only pay for what the site needs: salting and de-icing per event, extra sidewalk or ramp coverage, after-hours or priority service, and snow relocation when piles run out of room. See commercial snow removal or request a site quote by calling or texting (548) 888-8702.