Commercial cleaning bid template — Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
Hampton Roads is the US’s largest military concentration by personnel: Naval Station Norfolk, Langley-Eustis, and dozens of defense contractor support buildings generate substantial federal-contract cleaning volume. SCA Wage Determinations set the floor on a meaningful share of contracts here, and BSCs who confuse the commercial market rate with the SCA rate underbid and lose year-one profitability on federal work. Virginia’s minimum wage reached $12.41/hr in January 2026; North Carolina’s side of the MSA holds at the federal $7.25.
Wage Floor and Labor Cost Inputs
BLS OEWS May 2024 (SOC 37-2011) puts the Hampton Roads MSA mean in the $14.50–$15.50/hr range. Virginia minimum wage: $12.41/hr per the Virginia DOLI; North Carolina side follows the federal $7.25. See the wages breakdown for the Hampton Roads MSA.
Burden math on a $15/hr base: FICA 7.65% = $1.15; FUTA/SUTA ~2.5% = $0.38; Virginia workers’ comp approximately $2.00–$2.50 per $100 payroll; health insurance ~$3/hr; vacation ~4–5%. Total burden: 27–32%, loaded rate near $19–$21/hr.
Sample Scope of Work: Class B Office Building
Hypothetical 38,000 sq ft Class B building in Norfolk CBD or Virginia Beach Town Center. Coastal humidity and salt air affect equipment longevity and floor-finish durability.
| Task | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Restroom service + restock | 5x/week | Full detail on Monday; humidity accelerates mold risk in restrooms |
| Lobby and entry glass | 5x/week | Salt-air haze on glass requires daily wipe near coastal buildings |
| Common-area vacuuming | 5x/week | Low-noise equipment for early AM; HEPA recommended near HVAC intakes |
| Hard-floor auto-scrub | 2x/week | Coastal sand and salt intrusion accelerates floor wear |
| Breakroom and kitchenette | 5x/week | Refrigerator monthly; pest protocols elevated in coastal humidity |
| Conference room reset | 5x/week | Whiteboard, AV, glass surfaces |
| Day-porter coverage (4 hr) | 5x/week | Lobby mid-day; restroom check on high-traffic days |
| High-dusting: vents and ledges | Monthly | Coastal salt deposits accelerate HVAC diffuser fouling |
| Carpet extraction (full) | 2x/year | Spring and fall; separate bid line |
| Exterior window cleaning | 2x/year | Salt-air haze; separate quote |
Hampton Roads Going Rates: Class B Office and Day Porter
Norfolk and Virginia Beach Town Center Class B commands $0.08–$0.12/sq ft/month for 5x/week. Newport News and Hampton suburban: $0.07–$0.10. Day-porter bill rate: $20/hr x 2.3 = approximately $46–$48/hr; 4-hr/day porter near $960/month. Use the production rate calculator. Medical office adds +20–30%. Federal contract work is priced at SCA WD rates, which typically run 30–50% above the commercial going rate in this market.
Virginia and NC Licensing and Insurance Requirements
Virginia does not require a statewide janitorial license but requires a contractor registration card through the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation for some service categories. Norfolk requires a business license through the City of Norfolk Business Office. North Carolina side accounts require a local privilege license. Virginia workers’ comp is regulated through the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission. GL minimums: $1M/$2M for Class B; $2M/$5M for federal and Class A. Janitorial bonds of $10,000–$25,000 standard; federal contracts require performance bonds scaled to contract value.
Federal Contracts and SCA Wage Determinations
The Service Contract Act governs all federal contracts in this market. Current Hampton Roads wage determinations are at SAM.gov; SCA WD janitor rates typically run $17–$20/hr depending on the WD and fringe. Full guidance: dol.gov/agencies/whd/government-contracts/sca. Naval and Air Force base accounts require base-access badging per crew member; budget 2–4 weeks for clearance processing. Hampton Roads janitorial union presence is weak; right-to-work market with competitive commercial pricing and above-commercial federal rates.
What Hampton Roads Buyers Expect in a Bid Response
- Monthly base service: labor hours by position at loaded rate.
- Federal compliance addendum: SCA WD rate schedule, fringe computation, and E-Verify for federal RFPs.
- Supplies schedule: unit prices; federal contracts often specify brand and concentration.
- Equipment depreciation: 36-month amortization; coastal environments accelerate corrosion.
- Insurance allocation: GL, workers’ comp, and bond pro-rated to account.
- Overhead and margin: 12–18% overhead; 8–14% profit; federal cost-plus bids typically allow 10–15%.
Bid Walk Checklist: Hampton Roads MSA
- Identify building type (federal, defense contractor, commercial); pricing and compliance obligations differ.
- Budget badge processing time for military or defense contractor sites; allow 2–4 weeks per crew member.
- Note coastal salt-air intrusion; glass and floor finishes require more frequent service than inland markets.
- Confirm E-Verify enrollment; Virginia federal contracts require it.
The Federal Premium Tradeoff
SCA Wage Determinations in this market pay 30–50% above the commercial going rate. The tradeoff is compliance burden: E-Verify enrollment, SCA fringe computation, base-access badging per crew member, and performance bond requirements on larger contracts can consume 3–5% of contract revenue if not budgeted. BSCs who treat federal contracts as commercial-plus-premium without accounting for compliance costs find margin narrower than projected. Use the account profitability auditor to model federal account margins net of compliance overhead.
Primary Sources
- BLS OEWS SOC 37-2011 (Janitors and Cleaners)
- Virginia Department of Labor and Industry, Minimum Wage
- Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission
- Virginia DPOR, Contractor Registration
- US DOL, Service Contract Act
- SAM.gov, SCA Wage Determinations
For federal janitorial contract bids in Hampton Roads, see the federal janitorial RFPs page for this MSA. Build your bid with the Opora bid generator. For medical office and military clinic accounts, see the healthcare cleaning hub.
By the Opora Editorial Team · Last updated: 2026