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For steady, long-term bank cleaning contracts, you’ll need to take some extra steps. But the effort is well worth it.

The Federal Depository Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has a lot to say about bank cleaning contracts. In their 5,300-word document about managing third-parties, they put forth a detailed risk assessment and management guide for working with outside vendors. Citi Bank has a 42-page document outlining the requirements for third-party suppliers. TD Bank includes a Code of Conduct for suppliers, and Bank of America has a 19-page help guide for registering as a third-party supplier. 

This may seem like a lot, and it is. That’s good news for you, though. Why? Once you go through the process and start bidding on (and winning!) bank cleaning contracts, you’ll face limited competition. Not only that, but once you’re established, and because banks are so highly regulated, they won’t be in any hurry to get rid of you and hire a new vendor. 

So let’s take a look at some of these regulations, what they mean to you, and what steps you need to take to start bidding on bank cleaning contracts.


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Bank Cleaning Contracts

Everything you need to know to start winning bank cleaning contracts for your janitorial company

Despite all these guidelines, rules, regulations, and forms, most bank cleaning contracts will have the same requirements. Rather than look through the overwhelming amount of documents out there, it can be helpful to step back and look at this process from the viewpoint of the people who would be contracting with you. 

The FDIC guidelines, for example, point out that it’s the board of directors and senior management that is “ultimately responsible” for managing outside vendors and controlling potential risks.

Here are some of the things the FDIC suggests looking at when contracting with an outside vendor:

  • Experience and ability
  • Business reputation
  • Employment policies
  • Quality initiatives
  • Knowledge of consumer protection regulations
  • Insurance coverage

Beyond that, they also recommend regular auditing and oversight, meaning you can expect bank management to review your work. Individual banks will have their expectations, as well. Citi Bank, for example, states that vendors must follow the Citi Code of Conduct, which includes speaking up about ethical concerns and contributing to a respectful work environment. 

You can expect to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), and you may be required to provide financial statements from the previous three years. Not surprisingly, they also require background checks, and you may also need to validate the past seven years of employment history for your team. 

If you plan to bid on bank cleaning contracts at Bank of America or Citizens Bank, the first step is to fill out a new supplier form. Then if you fit their requirements, they will send you a request to bid when the opportunity opens. 

That’s a lot of information. What does it look like in practice?

CSG, in Danvers, MA, specifically reaches out to banks on their website. Aside from what you would typically expect on a janitorial services website, they point out some of the unique needs of a bank, and go on to problem-solve for them. They state that they “respect your institution’s need for tight security by communicating when we will be onsite and wearing clear identification.” They also run background checks on their employees and provide extensive, job-specific training. 

CleanNet USA lists the services they provide in their bank cleaning contracts, including “green cleaning according to LEED standards,” background checks, and company uniforms with badges. Jan-Pro offers similar benefits, including compliance with OSHA standards, onsite management, uniformed staff with ID tags, and Jan-Pro’s own bank-specific cleaning standards. 

Stratus Building Solutions provides a 50-point, 5-star inspection system. And ServiceMaster Clean offers over 65 years of experience in the cleaning industry. 

These aren’t just marketing ploys, though. Looking back to the people responsible for bank cleaning contracts, they want reliability. They want to know that when they hire you, the job is going to get done the right way, every time. It’s a lot of work and a big commitment on their part. Remember, they are dealing with pages and pages and pages of regulations. So how can you make this process more likely to work in your favor? 

Here’s a short list of tips to help you win bank cleaning contracts:

  1. Run background checks when you hire new employees (and for any current employees who don’t already have them).
  2. Keep an easily-accessible file of your business records, including any business certifications, tax records, and insurance verification.
  3. Fill out any online or hard copy paperwork the bank requires, such as the new supplier form.
  4. Keep a list of references handy. That’s a good idea for any bid you put in, but especially so for more regulated institutions like banks, schools, or health care facilities. 
  5. Supply uniforms and name tags to your team. Again, that boosts your professional look, even if you’re not working at banks.
  6. Buy the right equipment if you don’t already have it. Electrostatic sprayers, for example, will help you more thoroughly clean bank equipment such as keyboards, ATM buttons, and similar hard-to-access surfaces.
  7. Offer a detailed “generic” proposal. Of course, your specific bid will take into account things like frequency of cleaning, square footage, and particular duties, but you can supply a list of what that might include (entry points, carpets, teller stations, floors, etc.).
  8. Go to your local bank. You’ll still need to follow through with most of these requirements, but a local bank will have some autonomy on who they hire. And face-to-face networking is almost always preferable to being just a business name on a proposal. 

In addition to the bank-specific requirements, it may be helpful to be a member of your local Chamber of Commerce or other business associations. Anything you can do to appear like the clear choice is beneficial not just with bank cleaning contracts, but also attracting additional customers. 

Again, it will take work to establish your cleaning company with a bank, but your hard work will pay off and make your company more marketable to all of your potential customers.


Easily stay in touch with employees and clients, bid on jobs, manage inventory, perform inspections, and more with Janitorial Manager. Check out a free demo to learn about all the great features!


 

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