How to Create Landscaping RFPs for University Facility Management

If RFP, to you, stands for Really Frazzled Person, it might be time for you to ask for an extra hand with your university landscaping.

University facility management is stressful. Even if you have a hard-working facilities staff, there’s a lot of ground to cover on a sprawling college campus, especially if it’s wooded with lots of lawn, shrubs, and plants. 

What kind of help do you need? Lay it all out in a great Request for Proposal, and get some landscaping help to ease your stress.

Do it right, and potential commercial landscape maintenance companies will have everything they need to know about your university property and can give you a thorough, detailed proposal for your university facility management. 

Check out these tips to get started.

Tell Them About You

What matters to you? What are your expectations for your university facility management? 

What do you take pride in? What needs special attention? What are your property’s strengths and challenges? What are your landscaping pet peeves?

Here’s your chance to put your expectations on the table and invite bidders to show you why they’re the best fit — for you.

Be a Stickler for Details 

Be clear and detailed about what you want from the landscaping company. 

Will they be taking care of the entire campus, handling everything from mowing and weeding to tree care, irrigation, and snow removal? 

Or are you looking for help with just certain areas of university facility management to supplement your facilities staff work? If so, who will do what?

Will you need extra attention at certain times of year, like commencement or annual campus events? Spell that out.

Will the landscaping company crew remove litter? How deep will mulch be? How often do you want seasonal color rotations? Do you want approval of the flower varieties and colors? 

The more details you offer, the easier it will be to compare bids later.

What Are Your Problem Areas? 

What areas of your campus landscaping need extra help? Do old overgrown shrubs need replacing? Are areas of turf trampled by student foot traffic? Does your signage need bright flowers to attract attention and look picture-perfect for photos? Do you need more landscaped common areas where students can relax, study and meet up with friends? 

Make a list of your university facility management needs.

Be Choosy — Don’t Send an RFP to Everybody 

Do a bit of homework to figure out what landscaping companies in your area are qualified to care for your university campus. 

Who already has satisfied college clients? 

Do you really want to be flooded with dozens of RFPs to sort through?

You absolutely don’t. 

Submit them to a few select companies you already know specialize in university landscape maintenance. Three to five reputable companies is a good goal. 

Then, you’re ahead of the game because you already know they can do the job. Your RFP should give the companies the opportunity to offer details that set them apart from the competition. 

Give them a chance to sell themselves. You can use that information as you narrow in on your top choice to help with your university facility management. 

Definitely ask about insurance coverage, licensing, training and certification. What else matters to you? 

Is it important that your landscaping company care about being environmentally friendly? Ask for examples of how they do that. What safety practices do they follow? 

Remember, the more information they offer, the easier your ultimate choice will be.

Invite Them To Visit Campus 

Your bidders should want to walk the campus with you to get a good handle on your university facility management needs. 

This also gives them a chance to really survey your property and suggest services you may not realize you needed.

Need Help with University Facility Management? Trust Level Green

Level Green’s proactive approach means we’ve got your university’s landscaping under control — whether you need a full maintenance agreement or your university facility management staff needs a helping hand.

Want to find out more? Let’s meet. 

If you’re not already a Level Green Landscaping client, we’d love to add you to our growing list of happy customers.

Our focus is on commercial properties like offices, mixed-use sites, HOAs, municipalities and education institutions in Maryland, Washington DC and parts of Virginia.

Contact us at 202-544-0968. You can also request a free consultation online to meet with us one-on-one.

We’d love to hear from you.