Commercial cleaning bid template — Rochester, NY
Rochester’s commercial cleaning market is anchored by the University of Rochester/Strong Memorial Hospital complex, the Rochester Regional Health system, and a legacy of precision-manufacturing employers including Paychex, Xerox, and Bausch + Lomb. Lake Ontario drives persistent lake-effect snow from November through March, though Rochester’s snowfall totals run somewhat lighter than Buffalo’s. New York’s upstate minimum wage of $15.50/hr sets the statutory floor, and SEIU 32BJ has a moderate footprint on the larger Class A downtown and hospital system accounts.
Loaded Labor Cost: Upstate New York
BLS OEWS May 2024 (SOC 37-2011) puts the Rochester MSA mean in the $16.50–$18/hr range. New York upstate minimum wage: $15.50/hr per the New York State Department of Labor. See the wages breakdown for the Rochester MSA.
Burden math on a $17/hr Rochester base: FICA 7.65% = $1.30; FUTA/SUTA ~2.5% = $0.43; New York workers’ comp for janitorial approximately $3.00–$3.80 per $100 payroll per the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board; health insurance ~$3.75/hr; vacation ~5%. Total burden: 29–35%, loaded rate near $22–$24.50/hr.
Sample Scope of Work: Class B Office Building
Hypothetical 38,000 sq ft Class B building in downtown Rochester or the East Avenue medical corridor. Lake-effect snow season runs November through March; older downtown buildings often have narrow freight corridors that limit auto-scrubber size.
| Task | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Restroom service + restock | 5x/week | Full Monday detail; mid-day for UR Medical-adjacent buildings |
| Lobby and entry service | 5x/week | Lake-effect salt removal Nov–Mar; mat exchange 2x/week in winter |
| Common-area vacuuming | 5x/week | Low-noise for pre-7am starts; narrow aisles in older buildings |
| Hard-floor auto-scrub | 2x/week (3x Nov–Mar) | Winter salt cycle; specify compact-width scrubber for historic buildings |
| Breakroom and kitchenette | 5x/week | Refrigerator monthly; Friday detail clean |
| Conference room reset | 5x/week | Whiteboard, AV, glass surfaces |
| Day-porter coverage (4 hr) | 5x/week | Lobby and restroom mid-day |
| Entry mat exchange | 2x/week Nov–Mar; monthly Apr–Oct | Separate line item |
| High-dusting: vents and ledges | Monthly | Strong Memorial buildings require quarterly HVAC documentation |
| Carpet extraction (full) | 2x/year | Spring post-lake-effect; fall; separate bid line |
Rochester Going Rates: Class B Office and Day Porter
Downtown Rochester Class B commands $0.09–$0.14/sq ft/month for 5x/week. East Avenue and Henrietta suburban: $0.08–$0.11. Day-porter bill rate: $22/hr x 2.35 = approximately $52–$54/hr; 4-hr/day porter near $1,050/month. Use the production rate calculator. UR Medical and Rochester Regional Health medical office adds +25–35%. Post-construction: +40–55%.
New York State Licensing and Insurance
New York requires no statewide janitorial license but requires UI registration with the New York DOL. Rochester requires a city business license. Workers’ comp through the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board; a Certificate of Workers’ Comp Insurance is required before most commercial contract awards. GL minimums: $1M/$2M for Class B; $2M/$5M for hospital systems. New York’s comp rates are high; do not use a neighboring state’s comp rate in your cost model. Bonds of $10,000–$25,000 standard.
32BJ and Prevailing Wage Rules
SEIU 32BJ has moderate organizing presence in Rochester downtown Class A and UR Medical facilities. Their scale runs $2–$3.50/hr above the BLS mean with health and pension. New York State prevailing wage applies to public construction and some public service contracts; check the New York DOL prevailing wage portal for Monroe County rates. Federal buildings and VA facilities require SCA compliance; wage determinations at SAM.gov. Full SCA guidance: dol.gov/agencies/whd/government-contracts/sca.
What Rochester Buyers Expect in a Bid Response
- Monthly base service: labor hours by position at loaded rate.
- Winter services add-on: mat exchange and salt-removal protocol as a separate line item.
- NY Workers’ Comp Certificate: most Rochester commercial buyers require this at or before contract award.
- Supplies schedule: consumable unit prices; hospital accounts specify supply brand.
- 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: Rochester MSA
- Measure freight corridor widths in older downtown buildings; historic Rochester buildings often limit scrubber width to 24–28 inches.
- Confirm NY Workers’ Comp Certificate is current before bid submission.
- Ask about 32BJ status of the building; prior BSC labor model affects pricing basis.
- Count mat bays; lake-effect season requires adequate mat storage, though Rochester’s volumes run lighter than Buffalo’s.
- Ask about UR Medical or Rochester Regional background check and TB testing requirements for any healthcare-adjacent accounts.
The Upstate NY Comp Rate Trap
New York’s workers’ comp rates for janitorial run approximately $3.00–$3.80 per $100 payroll, roughly 50–70% higher than most Midwest or Sunbelt states. BSCs entering Rochester from Ohio, Indiana, or Tennessee and using their home-state comp rate in their cost model will under-price every account. The error compounds over a 12-month contract: on a $300,000 annual contract with $200,000 of payroll, a $1.50/hundred difference in comp rates is $3,000 of annual unbudgeted cost. Get a New York comp quote before submitting any Rochester bid, and use the bid stress-test tool to verify the impact on margin before signing.
Primary Sources
- BLS OEWS SOC 37-2011 (Janitors and Cleaners)
- New York State DOL, Minimum Wage
- New York State Workers’ Compensation Board
- New York DOL, Prevailing Wage
- US DOL, Service Contract Act
- SAM.gov, SCA Wage Determinations
Build your Rochester accounts with the Opora bid generator. For UR Medical and Rochester Regional Health accounts, see the healthcare cleaning hub. Run NY comp-rate scenarios with the bid stress-test tool.
By the Opora Editorial Team · Last updated: 2026