Use this free checklist to score how ready your cleaning business is to tender for contracts. Tick what you already have in place across insurance, compliance, staffing and quality. It is a self-assessment guide, not a guarantee — buyers set their own pre-qualification criteria.
Why these ten things matter
Public sector, NHS, education and larger private sector buyers routinely screen cleaning contractors on insurance cover, compliance paperwork (COSHH, RAMS), staff vetting and training, references, financial standing, and how you would mobilise the contract — including any TUPE transfer of existing staff. Missing items do not disqualify you outright, but they are common reasons a tender response scores poorly at the pre-qualification stage.
What the bands mean
- 0–4: Not yet tender-ready — focus on insurance and compliance documentation first, they are usually pass/fail requirements
- 5–7: Partly ready — you have foundations in place; close the remaining gaps before bidding for larger or public sector contracts
- 8–10: Tender-ready — you hold most of what buyers commonly ask for; focus on writing a strong response
See the how to win cleaning contracts in the UK guide for where contracts are advertised and how to structure a winning response.