Commercial cleaning bid template — Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO
Denver’s altitude means HVAC systems work harder than sea-level equivalents, and the dry high-desert air generates static-dust conditions on hard floors that standard mopping frequencies don’t address adequately. The LoDo and RiNo creative-office corridor competes for cleaning at rates above the Union Station suburban-ring market. Colorado’s regulated cannabis industry adds a niche but real segment of dispensary and grow-facility cleaning that pays significantly above standard office rates and requires specialized chemical protocols.
Colorado Labor Cost Inputs
BLS OEWS May 2024 (SOC 37-2011) puts the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood MSA mean near $17/hr, median around $15.50. Colorado’s minimum wage is $14.42/hr statewide in 2026, indexed annually to CPI per the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment. Denver city minimum is $18.29/hr as of January 2026.
Burden math on a $16/hr Denver base: FICA 7.65% = $1.22; FUTA/SUTA ~2.5% = $0.40; Colorado workers’ comp approximately $1.90–$2.50 per $100 payroll per the Colorado Division of Workers’ Compensation; health ~$3/hr; vacation ~5%. Burden: 27–32%, loaded rate near $21–$22/hr. See the wages breakdown for the Denver MSA.
Sample Scope of Work: Class B Office Building
Hypothetical 40,000 sq ft Class B building in LoDo, Cherry Creek, or the I-25 Tech Center corridor.
| Task | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Restroom service + restock | 5x/week | Full Monday detail; hard water mineral deposits require quarterly descaling |
| Lobby and elevator service | 5x/week + midday pass | Sand and gravel tracking from parking structures Nov–Mar |
| Common-area vacuuming | 5x/week | High-altitude dry air generates static; anti-static vacuuming protocol on data-floor areas |
| Hard-floor auto-scrub | 2x/week | Polished concrete and LVT common; high-altitude dry air requires more frequent scrubbing |
| Breakroom and kitchenette | 5x/week | Refrigerator monthly; Friday detail clean |
| Conference room reset | 5x/week | Whiteboard, AV equipment, glass table |
| Day-porter coverage (5 hr) | 5x/week | Sand and gravel entry tracking Nov–Mar; spill response |
| High-dusting: vents and ledges | Monthly | Dry air keeps AC running most of the year; fast duct accumulation |
| Carpet extraction (full) | 2x/year | Separate bid line item; spring and fall cycles |
Denver Going Rates: What Buildings Pay in 2026
LoDo and Union Station Class B: $0.11–$0.16/sq ft/month for 5x/week. Cherry Creek: $0.12–$0.17. Denver Tech Center (I-25): $0.09–$0.13. Aurora and Lakewood suburban: $0.07–$0.11. Day-porter bill rate: $21/hr x 2.3 = approximately $48/hr; 5-hr/day porter near $1,200/month. Use the per-clean vs. hourly calculator. Medical adds +20–35%; cannabis facility +35–50%; post-construction +40–55%.
Colorado Licensing and Insurance Requirements
Colorado requires a Colorado business license and a sales tax license if cleaning supplies are sold as part of service contracts, per the Colorado Department of Revenue. Denver requires a city business license. Standard GL minimum is $1M/$2M. Colorado workers’ comp: approximately $1.90–$2.50 per $100 payroll. Cannabis facility cleaning may require additional CDPHE permits.
SEIU-USWW Presence and Prevailing Wage
SEIU-USWW covers portions of downtown Denver’s Class A commercial office market. USWW scale runs $1.50–$3/hr above the BLS mean. Colorado’s prevailing wage applies to public building contracts; rates at Colorado Prevailing Wage Act. Federal facilities fall under the SCA; pull the Colorado wage determination from SAM.gov. Full SCA guidance: dol.gov/agencies/whd/government-contracts/sca.
What Denver Buyers Expect in a Bid
- Monthly base service: hours x loaded rate; winter gravel supplement shown separately.
- Colorado sales tax: note whether cleaning supplies are included in service price or billed separately; state sales tax applies if sold as a product.
- Supplies schedule: unit prices; hard-water descaling products for Denver municipal water.
- Equipment depreciation: 36–48 months; anti-static vacuums and high-altitude floor machines.
- Insurance and overhead: GL, workers’ comp, bond, and 12–17% indirect costs.
- Profit margin: 8–13%. Cannabis accounts require specialized scope; price separately.
Bid Walk Checklist: Denver MSA
- Confirm sales tax license status; Colorado requires a sales tax license for any BSC that sells cleaning supplies as part of the service contract.
- Inspect hard-water fixtures; Denver municipal water produces mineral scale that requires quarterly descaling in restrooms and kitchens.
- Note altitude effects on HVAC; Denver buildings at 5,280 ft run HVAC at different pressures than sea-level specs, affecting dust accumulation rates.
- For cannabis-adjacent accounts, ask for the CDPHE license and cleaning protocol requirements before pricing.
- Confirm entry sand and gravel scope November–March; Denver uses sand-heavy de-icing products that track into lobbies more aggressively than salt-only markets.
The Sales Tax Compliance Gap
Colorado requires a sales tax license for cleaning businesses that purchase and resell supplies as part of service contracts. Many BSCs new to Colorado treat their paper-supply purchases as a pass-through without registering for a sales tax license, which creates back-tax liability the CDOR collects at audit. The license itself is straightforward to obtain; the failure mode is not knowing the requirement applies. If you supply paper goods or dispensary products as part of the cleaning contract, register with CDOR before the first billing cycle.
Primary Sources
- BLS OEWS SOC 37-2011 (Janitors and Cleaners)
- Colorado CDLE, Minimum Wage
- Colorado Division of Workers’ Compensation
- Colorado Department of Revenue, Sales Tax
- US DOL, Service Contract Act
- SAM.gov, SCA Wage Determinations
Use the Opora bid generator to model Denver bids with sales tax implications. For UCHealth and SCL Health accounts, see the healthcare cleaning hub. Run margins with the bid stress-test tool. Check production rates with the production rate calculator.
By the Opora Editorial Team · Last updated: 2026