A school cleaning scope of works turns "keep the school clean" into something a contractor can price, deliver and be measured against. A vague scope leads to quotes that can't be compared, missed periodical work and disputes about what was included.
This guide covers what to gather first, how to structure the scope area by area, and how to make every supplier price the same work. It includes an example scope and a checklist you can adapt.
Who this guide is for, and how school cleaning is arranged in Victoria
Not every Victorian government school appoints its own cleaner.
Metropolitan Melbourne government schools. Since 26 December 2024, cleaning at metropolitan government schools has been provided under Department of Education-managed agreements, with five providers appointed across 10 areas. These schools don't run their own cleaning procurement; they agree a cleaning services plan with the appointed provider. The area-by-area approach below may still help when reviewing that plan.
Regional government schools. School councils of regional government schools are responsible for entering into a cleaning agreement with a provider they select, for up to five years at a time. The Department publishes templates, including a school council cleaning checklist and a school council cleaning services agreement, on its Policy and Advisory Library cleaning resources page.
Catholic and independent schools. These schools set their own procurement and contract arrangements, so the scope needs to spell out every assumption. The Department's templates are a useful reference, but they don't apply automatically.
This guide is written mainly for business managers, facility managers and procurement staff at regional government schools, Catholic schools and independent schools.
Procurement thresholds for regional government schools
The Department's guidance sets a minimum market approach based on the estimated value of the whole contract, including any extension options, not the annual cost.
| Estimated total contract value | Minimum market approach |
|---|---|
| Less than $2,500 | One quote (verbal or written) |
| $2,500 to less than $25,000 | One written quote |
| $25,000 to less than $150,000 | Three written quotes |
| $150,000 or more | Tender process |
Source: Department of Education, Cleaning policy guidance for regional schools, reviewed on the release date. Multi-campus schools apply the threshold to the combined budget for all campuses.
The Department's own example: a school expecting to spend about $40,000 a year (including GST) on a three-year contract with two 12-month options has an estimated contract value of $200,000, so a tender is required.
What to gather before you write the scope
A scope is only as good as the site information behind it. Before writing, collect:
- School Plan and Cleanable Area Report. Regional government schools can use their Cleanable Area Report, developed from the School Plan, to identify cleanable spaces. The Department's guidance says quote and tender documents must include the School Plan, the Cleanable Area Report, a completed school council cleaning checklist and the relevant scope.
- Floor areas and finishes. Record the area of each space and its floor type: carpet, vinyl, timber sports floor, tiles or polished concrete. Finish determines method, equipment and periodical needs.
- Occupancy and use. Student and staff numbers, toilet blocks and their use, canteen operation, before- and after-school care, community hire and evening events.
- Access and security. Keys, access cards, alarm codes and zones, lock-up procedures, and the times the site is available for cleaning.
- Asbestos information. Government schools maintain an asbestos register, and the Department's asbestos policy requires the location of asbestos and the asbestos coordinator's contact details to be shared with contractors where relevant. Cleaning must not disturb suspected asbestos-containing material.
- Chemical management requirements. Government schools keep a chemical register and Safety Data Sheets (SDS). Decide what product and SDS information the contractor must provide before starting.
- Planned works and closures. Building projects, maintenance programs and site closures that will affect access, especially during term breaks.
How to structure a school cleaning scope of works
A clear scope usually has five parts:
- An area schedule. Each area, its size and floor finish, the tasks required and how often.
- A frequency key. Plain definitions of daily, weekly, term-break and other frequencies.
- Outcome standards. What "clean" looks like for each area, not just the tasks.
- Periodical and term-break work. Deeper cleaning planned into the year and priced separately.
- Service conditions. Access, security, child safety, safety documentation, consumables, reporting, quality checks, variations and price reviews.
Define your frequencies
Frequencies cause more disputes than almost anything else in a cleaning contract. Define each term once and use it consistently.
| Frequency | Suggested meaning |
|---|---|
| Daily | Once each school day |
| Daily check | Once each school day, checking high-touch points and dealing with spills, soiling or litter |
| Weekly | Once each week during term, on an agreed day |
| Monthly | Once each calendar month during term |
| Term break | Once during each term break |
| Biannual | Twice a year, in separate term breaks |
| Annual | Once a year, usually in the summer break before the school year starts |
| As required | Only when requested in writing, priced from an agreed schedule of rates |
The daily check, term-break and biannual meanings are based on the frequency key in the Department's Cleaning Standards and Frequency Guide for metropolitan schools. The annual timing reflects the Department's regional school council template, which says the annual clean must be completed before the school year starts. Monthly and "as required" are suggested additions.
Write outcomes as well as tasks
A task list says what to do. An outcome standard says what the result should be, for example "floors free of dust, grit, litter and spills". The Department's metropolitan Cleaning Standards and Frequency Guide works this way: providers must meet the standards even if that means cleaning more often than the recommended frequencies. Combining tasks with outcomes makes quality easier to check.
What to include for each area
| Area | What to specify |
|---|---|
| Classrooms and learning spaces | Bins, desks and shared surfaces, touch points, whiteboard ledges, floor care by finish |
| Toilets and amenities | Toilets, urinals, basins, partitions, mirrors, floors, touch points, dispenser restocking, sanitary bins |
| Administration and reception | Offices, reception counters, meeting rooms, touch points, bins, floors |
| Staff rooms and kitchenettes | Benches, sinks, tables, appliance exteriors, food-preparation surfaces, floors, bins |
| Libraries | Floors, tables, returns desks, touch points, bins |
| Specialist teaching spaces | Science, art, food technology, music and computer rooms: floors, benches, sinks, bins |
| Gym and multipurpose areas | Floors suited to the surface, change rooms, seating, entries |
| Sick bay and first aid | Surfaces, basin, floors, bins, touch points |
| Corridors, stairs and entrances | Floors, matting, glass doors, handrails, touch points |
| External hard surfaces | Entry paths, covered walkways, bin enclosures |
Watch for these in each area:
| Area | Watch for |
|---|---|
| Classrooms | Clutter on desks and floors that cleaners can't move: state what staff must clear |
| Toilets | Frequency should reflect use, not just floor area; decide whether a middle-of-day service is needed |
| Administration | Confidential areas and access to locked offices |
| Staff rooms | Whether fridge and microwave interiors are included, and how often |
| Libraries | Whether bookshelves and computers are cleaned, and by whom |
| Specialist spaces | Cleaners should not handle experiment chemicals, specialist equipment or student work: state that these areas are cleared first |
| Gym and halls | Sports floor manufacturer requirements; turnaround cleaning after events or community hire |
| Sick bay | The school's procedure for blood and body fluid spills, and the cleaner's role in it |
| Corridors and entrances | Wet-weather matting and slip risk at entries |
| External areas | Whether yard litter or graffiti removal are included or priced as extras |
Consumables: agree who supplies what
Consumables are a common source of mismatched quotes: one supplier includes toilet paper and bin liners, another assumes the school buys them.
| Item | Regional template | Metro agreements |
|---|---|---|
| Cleaning equipment and materials | Contractor supplies | Provider supplies |
| Toilet paper, hand towels, soap | School supplies, cleaner restocks | School supplies, provider restocks |
| Bin liners | School supplies | Provider supplies |
Regional column: the Department's school council cleaning services agreement and cleaning checklist templates, used by regional government schools. Metro column: the Department's guidance for metropolitan government schools, which also allows a school to agree that the provider buys personal consumables on the school's behalf. Actual contract arrangements can vary.
Catholic and independent schools have no default position. Neither set of Department documents applies to them, so the scope should state who supplies each item rather than assume either party does.
Whatever arrangement you choose, write it into the scope. The key point is that every tendering supplier prices against the same consumables assumptions. If the contractor is to buy consumables for the school, say how they will be charged: at cost, with a margin, or within the fixed price.
Daily, weekly and periodical work
Separate routine cleaning from periodical work, and ask suppliers to price them separately.
- Routine work (daily and weekly) keeps the school presentable and hygienic during term.
- Periodical work covers deeper tasks done less often, such as carpet hot-water extraction, hard-floor machine scrubbing, floor stripping and sealing, internal and external glass cleaning to safely accessible heights, and pressure cleaning of entry paths.
For each periodical item, specify the areas, the frequency, the method where it matters (for example "hot-water extraction" rather than "carpet clean"), and whether the work must happen during a term break.
School holiday and term-break cleaning
Term breaks are when most periodical work can be done without students on site. In your scope:
- list the work required in each term break, and the annual clean before the school year starts
- state which days the site is available, including any closure days, holiday programs or building works
- confirm alarm, key and lock-up arrangements for holiday periods
- allow time for floor finishes to cure before students return, following the product manufacturer's directions
- say what reduced routine cleaning, if any, is needed during breaks
The Department recommends that regional schools meet their provider in the last two weeks of each term to review performance, agree the periodical cleaning schedule, and discuss upcoming building works and site closures. It is a useful habit for any school.
Carpet and hard-floor maintenance
Specify floor care by finish. Carpets need vacuuming and periodic hot-water extraction; vinyl and other resilient floors may need scrubbing, buffing, or stripping and resealing; timber sports floors often have manufacturer requirements that rule out some methods and products. Ask suppliers to state the method for each finish, and require wet-floor signage wherever floors are wet.
Access, security and site rules
Include clear requirements for:
- issuing, recording and returning keys and access cards, and not copying them without permission
- alarm codes and responsibility for setting alarms and locking up
- signing in and out, and wearing identification where your policy requires it
- cleaning hours, including any times cleaners must not be on site
- site induction before work starts
- reporting damage, hazards, incidents and security issues, and to whom
The Department's Contractor OHS Management policy requires contractors at government schools to sign in and out and to receive a relevant OHS induction. Its guidance for regional cleaning agreements says providers should be briefed on the school's working hours, child safety requirements, OHS requirements, chemical management and security protocols before starting.
Working with Children Checks and child safety
This topic needs care, because three layers of requirements apply.
Legislation. In Victoria, Working with Children Checks are governed by the Worker Screening Act 2020. Under the Act, a person needs a check for child-related work, which generally involves direct contact with children as part of their duties. Contact that is only incidental is treated differently. So the law alone doesn't say that every cleaner in every situation needs a check.
Department requirements and guidance (government schools). The Department's cleaning policy requires principals to validate the Working with Children Check of every provider employee who may work on site, including labour hire employees, each year or when a new cleaner starts. Its guidance for regional schools also says schools may decide, through their local policy and procedures, that all visitors working on site, including contracted cleaners, must hold a current Employee Working with Children Check. The Department's suitability-check guidance sets out how schools assess checks for contractors and other visitors.
School policy. Individual schools set local requirements through their child safety and visitor policies, within any system-level requirements that apply to them. Catholic and independent schools should check their own policies and governing body requirements.
In your scope, state:
- which checks are required, and for which personnel
- that the contractor provides a register of card holders before starting and updates it when staff change
- that the school may verify checks using the Victorian Government's Working with Children Check status checker
- that new or replacement cleaners are not sent to site until their details have been provided
- the child safety induction and reporting requirements that apply
OHS: shared responsibilities between the school and the contractor
In Victoria, workplace health and safety is governed by the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic) and the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017, administered by WorkSafe Victoria.
Under the Act, the school and the cleaning contractor can both hold duties for the same work. Duties can apply to employers, including for matters under their control when contractors are engaged, and to people who manage or control a workplace. These duties can overlap, and they can't simply be transferred to another party by a contract. A good scope makes each party's practical responsibilities clear without suggesting that the contract removes anyone's legal duties.
Specify in the scope:
- site-specific risk assessments for the cleaning work, and Safe Work Method Statements for any high-risk work
- Safety Data Sheets for all products brought on site, and how products will be stored and labelled
- manual handling controls, for example for bins, furniture and floor machines
- arrangements for cleaners working alone or after hours
- how incidents, hazards and near misses will be reported to the school
WorkSafe Victoria publishes cleaning industry guidance and compliance codes on hazardous substances and hazardous manual handling.
Quality checks and KPIs
Decide how quality will be measured before the contract starts, and write it into the scope.
| KPI area | Example measure |
|---|---|
| Cleaning standard | Joint inspection results by area against the outcome standards |
| Rectification | Time taken to fix issues raised by the school |
| Periodical work | Periodical tasks completed within the agreed term break |
| Reporting | Completion reports provided for periodical and project work |
| Communication | Issues log or communication book kept up to date |
| Compliance | WWCC register, SDS and insurance documents current |
The Department recommends that regional schools review a new provider's performance within eight weeks of the contract starting. Record inspections and meetings so issues can be tracked. For more questions to ask about quality systems and evidence, see our checklist of questions to ask a commercial cleaning contractor.
Variations, additional work and price reviews
Enrolments grow, buildings change and events need extra cleaning. Your scope should say:
- how the school requests additional or one-off work, and who can approve it
- how extra work is priced, for example from a schedule of rates for common extras such as event cleans, additional toilet services, graffiti removal and spill responses
- how permanent changes to the scope are proposed, priced and agreed in writing
In the Department's regional school council agreement template, the school council can propose a change to the scope in writing, the provider must respond with a written price proposal within five business days, and the change only applies if the school council accepts it in writing.
Price reviews. For multi-year contracts, the Department's guidance recommends allowing for Consumer Price Index increases and minimum wage increases, and notes that prices must not change outside the agreement unless both parties agree in writing. State the review date, the index or mechanism used, and what evidence is required.
How to make supplier quotations comparable
The most useful thing a scope can do is make every quote price the same work. The Department's regional agreement template asks for annual costs and approximate hours for the daily, weekly, term-break and annual cleaning routines, and a similar structure works for any school.
| Ask suppliers to show | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Price for daily and weekly routine cleaning, with approximate hours | Shows whether the hours are realistic for the scope |
| Price for each term-break and annual cleaning routine | Stops periodical work being left out or priced later |
| Consumables included or excluded | Removes the most common hidden difference |
| Schedule of rates for additional work | Makes extra work predictable |
| Cleaning times and days | Timing affects labour costs |
| GST treatment | Avoids comparing inclusive and exclusive prices |
| Price-review mechanism | Shows how the price will change over the contract |
Why schedules affect price. Employees of contract cleaning businesses are generally covered by the Cleaning Services Award 2020. The award sets minimum engagement periods for part-time and casual employees based on the cleaning area of a location, for example generally at least two consecutive hours at a location of up to 2,000 square metres, with longer minimums for larger areas. It also sets higher minimum rates for shifts that start before 6am or finish after 6pm, and for Saturday, Sunday and public holiday work. A scope that requires short visits, early starts, weekend work or public holiday work can therefore change the price. See the Fair Work Ombudsman's Cleaning Services Award summary for current details.
Offer a site visit. The Department recommends that regional schools arrange site visits for interested bidders within three to five business days of releasing a quote or tender, and schools can make attendance mandatory. When evaluating, check that each supplier accepts the scope, includes applicable wages and entitlements in its pricing, and provides the required documents. For regional government schools, the Department's guidance includes public liability insurance of at least $10 million, an active ABN, WorkCover insurance where the provider has employees, and a labour hire licence for providers that employ cleaners at schools. Requirements aren't identical for every arrangement: the Department's guidance notes that sole traders and partnership contractors who work independently at schools are exempt from needing a labour hire licence, and it sets separate WorkCover expectations for them.
For more on why quotes for the same site differ, see our guide to commercial cleaning costs.
Example: a school cleaning scope of works
Illustrative only — not a Department template and not a BPS quotation. The example below is for a hypothetical regional primary school with classrooms, three student toilet blocks, an administration building, a staff room, a library, a science and art room, a multipurpose hall, a sick bay, corridors and entrances. Adapt the areas, tasks and frequencies to your school. No prices are included.
Daily (each school day)
| Area | Tasks |
|---|---|
| Classrooms | Empty bins; clean desks and shared surfaces cleared by staff; clean touch points; vacuum carpet and sweep and mop hard floors |
| Student toilets | Clean and sanitise toilets, urinals, seats, basins and taps; clean mirrors and partitions; mop floors; restock dispensers from school-supplied stock; empty bins |
| Administration | Empty bins; clean reception counter and touch points; vacuum or mop floors |
| Staff room | Clean benches, sinks, tables and appliance exteriors; empty bins; mop floor |
| Sick bay | Clean surfaces, basin and touch points; empty bins; clean floor |
| Corridors and entrances | Vacuum or mop floors; clean glass entry doors at hand height; spot-clean matting |
Weekly (during term)
| Area | Tasks |
|---|---|
| All areas | Dust accessible ledges, sills and furniture tops; clean internal door glass; spot-clean walls and doors |
| Library | Vacuum carpet edges and under tables; clean returns desk and study tables |
| Science and art room | Clean floors, sinks and benches cleared by staff (no handling of experiment chemicals or student work) |
| Multipurpose hall | Clean floor using the method suited to the surface; clean change rooms and entries |
| Staff room | Clean microwave and fridge exteriors; wipe cupboard fronts |
Monthly (during term)
| Area | Tasks |
|---|---|
| All areas | Clean light switches and power point covers; remove accessible cobwebs; clean skirting boards |
| Toilets | Detail-clean partitions, doors and wall tiles |
| External hard surfaces | Sweep covered walkways and entry paths; clean bin enclosure surrounds |
Term break (each term break)
| Area | Tasks |
|---|---|
| Toilets | Deep clean all fixtures, partitions, wall tiles and floors |
| Classrooms and library | Clean desks and chairs in full; clean internal glass to safely accessible heights |
| Hard floors (high traffic) | Machine scrub and restore finish as suited to the surface |
| Staff room | Clean fridge and microwave interiors after staff have emptied them |
Periodical (biannual and annual)
| Item | Areas | When |
|---|---|---|
| Carpet hot-water extraction | Classrooms, library, admin | Annual, summer break |
| Strip and reseal vinyl | Corridors, wet areas | Annual, summer break (allow curing time) |
| External glass, safely accessible heights | All buildings | Biannual, term breaks |
| Pressure clean entry paths | Entrances, walkways | Annual, term break |
| Upholstered chairs | Staff room, library | Annual, term break |
Service conditions checklist
- Cleaning days, times and site access windows
- Keys, access cards, alarm codes and lock-up responsibilities
- Sign-in, identification and site induction requirements
- Working with Children Check requirements and cardholder register
- Asbestos register awareness and "do not disturb" instruction
- SDS for all products and chemical storage arrangements
- Consumables: who supplies each item and how any purchases are charged
- Exclusions listed in writing
- Reporting: incidents, hazards, damage and completion reports
- KPIs, inspections and meeting schedule
- Variation process and schedule of rates for additional work
- Price-review date and mechanism
Inclusions and exclusions
Write down what is not included as clearly as what is. Common exclusions to state, or to price separately as options, include:
- cleaning above safely accessible heights
- removing graffiti beyond simple cleaning
- clean-up after community hire or school events
- moving heavy furniture or equipment
- handling experiment chemicals, sharps or clinical waste beyond the school's own procedures
- kitchen exhaust, canopy or grease-trap cleaning
- pest control, gutter cleaning and building maintenance
- any work that could disturb asbestos-containing material
Common mistakes when writing a school cleaning scope
- Writing "clean the school" instead of listing areas, so suppliers fill the gaps with different assumptions
- Setting toilet frequency by floor area alone, when use and student numbers matter more
- Leaving periodical work out of the price, so it returns as extra work each holiday
- Not stating who supplies consumables
- Using undefined frequencies such as "regularly" or "as needed"
- Ignoring access and timing, when early starts, short visits and weekend work affect cost
- Treating the contract as a transfer of safety duties
- No outcome standards, inspections or KPIs to measure quality
- No price-review mechanism for wage and CPI changes
Frequently asked questions
How often should school toilets be cleaned?
There isn't one rule for every school. The Department's school council cleaning checklist template lists daily cleaning tasks for toilets, and high-use blocks may need an additional middle-of-day service. Set the frequency by use and student numbers, and include an outcome standard so the result can be checked.
What is periodical cleaning?
Periodical cleaning is deeper work done less often than routine cleaning, such as carpet hot-water extraction, hard-floor scrubbing or resealing, and glass cleaning. In schools it is usually scheduled into term breaks.
Does every school cleaner need a Working with Children Check?
The Worker Screening Act 2020 requires a check for child-related work, which depends on the nature of a person's contact with children. For government schools, the Department requires principals to validate the checks of provider employees who may work on site, and schools can require contracted cleaners to hold a current Employee check through local policy. State your requirement clearly in the scope.
Can we use the Department's cleaning templates?
Regional government schools must follow the Department's quote or tender templates and procurement process. Catholic and independent schools may find the published templates a useful reference, but should adapt them to their own governance and legal advice.
How Brightest Property Services can help
Brightest Property Services is ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 certified. Personnel assigned to Victorian school sites hold current Employee Working with Children Checks. BPS maintains WWCC details for assigned personnel and can provide relevant check information to schools where required. BPS holds Victorian Labour Hire Licence VICLHL03732. Where services fall within Victoria's labour hire licensing framework, this gives clients confidence that workers are being supplied through a licensed provider.
Brightest Property Services delivers periodical cleaning such as carpet steam cleaning, hard-floor machine scrubbing and cleaning of accessible internal and external glass, with project and periodical work documented in photo completion reports.
Depending on the site and service required, Brightest Property Services may prepare a quotation following a site visit or from sufficiently detailed information such as floor plans, photos, cleaning requirements and the required service frequency. The quotation should clearly identify the agreed cleaning scope and any relevant inclusions or exclusions.
Discuss your school's cleaning requirements or contact us.
Sources
Legal, procurement and Department information in this guide was reviewed on the release date. This guide is general information, not legal advice. Check the current version of each source before relying on it.
- Department of Education — Cleaning: Policy
- Department of Education — Cleaning: Guidance for regional schools
- Department of Education — Cleaning: Managing the agreement (regional schools)
- Department of Education — Cleaning: Guidance for metropolitan Melbourne schools
- Department of Education — Cleaning: Resources (templates and Cleaning Standards and Frequency Guide)
- Victorian School Building Authority — Changes to school cleaning
- Department of Education — Contractor OHS Management: Policy
- Department of Education — Chemical Management: Policy
- Department of Education — Asbestos Management: Policy
- Department of Education — Suitability checks for school volunteers and visitors: Guidance
- Victorian Government — Working with Children Check legislation
- Victorian Government — Do I need a Working with Children Check?
- WorkSafe Victoria — General duties relating to health and safety
- WorkSafe Victoria — Cleaning
- WorkSafe Victoria — Compliance code: Hazardous substances
- WorkSafe Victoria — Compliance code: Hazardous manual handling
- Fair Work Ombudsman — Cleaning Services Award 2020 (MA000022) summary
- Fair Work Commission — Cleaning Services Award 2020, full award text