Commercial cleaning bid template — Colorado Springs, CO
Colorado Springs is among the most federally dense commercial markets in the Mountain West, with Fort Carson, Peterson Space Force Base, Schriever Space Force Base, and NORAD generating federal cleaning contract volume well above its population size. UCHealth Memorial Hospital anchors the medical segment. Colorado's minimum wage is $14.42/hr as of 2024; the market wage for commercial janitors runs $16–$18/hr.
Colorado Springs Labor Cost Inputs
BLS OEWS May 2024 (SOC 37-2011) puts the Colorado Springs MSA mean in the $16–$18/hr range. Colorado minimum wage: $14.42/hr per the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment. See the wages breakdown for the Colorado Springs MSA.
Burden math on a $17/hr Colorado Springs base: FICA 7.65% = $1.30; FUTA/SUTA ~2% = $0.34; Colorado workers' comp approximately $2–$2.60 per $100 payroll; health insurance ~$3.25/hr; vacation ~4%. Total burden: 27–33%, loaded rate near $21.50–$23.50/hr. Colorado FAMLI (Family and Medical Leave Insurance) adds employer contribution of approximately $0.45–$0.55/hr per employee.
Sample Scope of Work: Class B Office Building
Hypothetical 35,000 sq ft Class B building on Tejon Street or the Powers Boulevard suburban corridor. High-altitude semi-arid climate: significant snowfall November through April, intense UV and low humidity, and the occasional wildfire smoke season July through September.
| Task | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Restroom service + restock | 5x/week | Full Monday detail; low humidity reduces mold but increases static dust |
| Lobby and entry service | 5x/week | Snow-melt and ice-melt salt Nov–Apr; high altitude snow is lighter and tracks differently |
| Common-area vacuuming | 5x/week | HEPA filter; wildfire smoke season Jul–Sep requires MERV-13+ filtration |
| Hard-floor auto-scrub | 2x/week | Salt tracking Nov–Apr; polished concrete common in new Powers corridor builds |
| Breakroom and kitchenette | 5x/week | Refrigerator monthly; defense contractor buildings have large shared kitchens |
| Conference room reset | 5x/week | Whiteboard, AV, glass surfaces |
| Day-porter coverage (4 hr) | 5x/week | Military and medical standard; continuous visible presence |
| Entry mat exchange | 2x/week Nov–Apr; monthly May–Oct | Separate line item |
| High-dusting: vents and ledges | Monthly | UCHealth Memorial accounts require quarterly HVAC documentation; wildfire smoke season requires additional filter inspection |
| Carpet extraction (full) | 2x/year | Spring post-salt and fall |
Colorado Springs Going Rates: Class B Office and Day Porter
Downtown Tejon Street and Briargate Class B commands $0.09–$0.13/sq ft/month. Powers Boulevard suburban: $0.08–$0.12. North Gate and Monument: $0.09–$0.13. Day-porter bill rate: $21/hr x 2.35 = approximately $49–$52/hr; 4-hr/day porter near $1,040/month. Use the day-porter ROI calculator. UCHealth Memorial and CommonSpirit adds +25–35%.
Colorado Licensing and Insurance Requirements
Colorado requires a state business registration through the Colorado Secretary of State. Colorado Springs requires a city sales tax license and business registration. Workers' comp through private carriers; contact the Colorado CDLE Workers' Compensation. Colorado FAMLI employer contribution is mandatory. GL minimums: $1M/$2M for Class B; $2M/$5M for military and hospital accounts. Bonds of $10,000–$25,000 standard.
Military Base Density and SCA Requirements
Colorado Springs has more active military installations than any other US metro its size. Fort Carson (US Army), Peterson Space Force Base, Schriever Space Force Base, and Cheyenne Mountain Space Operations Center all generate cleaning contracts. All military base cleaning requires SCA compliance; pull current Colorado Springs wage determinations from SAM.gov. SCA guidance: dol.gov/agencies/whd/government-contracts/sca. Each base has a separate contracting office and different access credential requirements.
What Colorado Springs Buyers Expect in a Bid Response
- Monthly base service: labor hours by position; Colorado FAMLI contribution included in burden.
- Winter entry protocol: mat exchange and salt-neutralization schedule, November through April.
- Federal/SCA compliance note: for any military base or federal facility account, include SCA wage determination reference and base-access confirmation.
- Insurance allocation: GL, workers' comp, and bond pro-rated to account.
- Overhead and margin: 12–18% overhead; 8–14% profit; pass-throughs quoted separately.
Bid Walk Checklist: Colorado Springs MSA
- Identify the specific base and contracting office for any military account; Fort Carson, Peterson, and Schriever each have separate procurement offices and different access requirements.
- Ask about Colorado FAMLI contribution in your cost model; it adds $0.45–$0.55/hr per employee and is frequently overlooked by BSCs new to Colorado.
- Walk Powers Boulevard corridor buildings; rapid post-2020 construction in this area means many buildings have polished concrete and new-build specifications.
- Confirm UCHealth Memorial or CommonSpirit system affiliation; hospital-affiliated clinics inherit system infection control requirements.
Five Bases and the SCA Compliance Infrastructure
Colorado Springs' multiple military installations create a federal cleaning market requiring a distinct operational infrastructure: separate SCA wage determinations for each base, individual base-access credential programs, and relationships with multiple contracting offices. BSCs who win two or three base accounts find that the compliance infrastructure gives them a competitive advantage on subsequent base bids. Price the first base account at the SCA wage floor rather than commercial market rate. Use the Opora bid generator to price SCA accounts correctly and the account profitability auditor to track margin across base accounts independently.
Primary Sources
- BLS OEWS SOC 37-2011 (Janitors and Cleaners)
- Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, Minimum Wage
- Colorado CDLE, Workers' Compensation
- Colorado Secretary of State, Business Registration
- US DOL, Service Contract Act
- SAM.gov, SCA Wage Determinations
Build your Colorado Springs accounts with the Opora bid generator. For UCHealth Memorial accounts, see the healthcare cleaning hub. Run military base SCA margin models with the account profitability auditor.
By the Opora Editorial Team · Last updated: 2026