Key takeaways
- Give every bidder the same site map and the same scope, or the bids will not be comparable.
- Set service levels by area: trigger, clear-by time and priority for lots, walks and entrances.
- Require timestamped service records and a certificate of insurance before award.
- Issue in late summer, walk the site in September, and award by October.
On this page
Why snow bids are hard to compare
One contractor prices per push, another per event, a third seasonal. One includes salt, another does not. One assumes a two-inch trigger, another one inch. None of them are wrong, and none of the numbers can be compared. An RFP solves that by defining the job before anyone prices it.
1. The property and the site map
Include the address, the total paved area, sidewalk footage and a site map marking:
- Lots, drive lanes and loading areas
- Walks, entrances, ramps and steps
- Accessible spaces, access aisles and curb ramps
- Fire lanes and hydrants
- Stacking zones and no-stack zones
- Drains, islands, curbs and fragile features
2. Service levels by area
| Area | Trigger | Clear-by time | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accessible spaces, aisles, ramps | 1 inch | Before opening | 1 |
| Entrances and main walks | 1 inch | Before opening | 2 |
| Fire lanes | 1 inch | Before opening | 3 |
| Parking lot and drive lanes | 1–2 inches | Before opening | 4 |
| Loading docks | By schedule | Before first delivery | 5 |
Adjust depths and times to your site; the point is that every bidder prices the same levels.
3. De-icing specification
State when de-icing is expected (for example, after every plowing and for icing events with no accumulation), which areas get it, whether pre-treatment is expected before forecast icing, and what happens in deep cold when rock salt stops working.
4. Stacking, relocation and hauling
Mark stacking zones on the map, and ask bidders to price relocation and hauling separately, usually hourly by equipment type, with a trigger for when it starts. See where to put snow in a parking lot.
5. Documentation
Require a timestamped record of every visit and every treatment, available on request, and ask how long records are kept. Michigan's general limit for injury claims is three years, so records should outlast the season. See snow logs.
6. Communication
Ask how the contractor notifies the property when service starts, how the manager reaches a person during a storm, and how skipped or incomplete areas are reported.
7. Insurance
Require a certificate of insurance before award, with minimum limits for general liability, auto and workers compensation, and any additional insured endorsement your owner or lender requires. See snow contractor insurance.
8. Pricing format
Give bidders a pricing sheet and require it be used as-is:
- Price per push, or per event, for the defined scope
- Price per de-icing application
- Seasonal price, as an option, with any event cap stated
- Hourly rates for relocation and hauling by equipment type
- Any surcharges, stated in writing or stated as none
9. Term and dates
State the service season, for example November 15 through April 15, and how storms outside those dates are handled.
10. How bids will be evaluated
Say what matters: price, response capacity, documentation, insurance and references. Telling bidders that records and communication count as much as price attracts the contractors who can deliver them.
A sample scope paragraph
Timeline
Issue the RFP in August, hold site walks in September, and award by October. After that, the contractors worth hiring have filled their routes. For the contract review itself, use our commercial contract checklist.
Written by the Macomb Lawn & Snow Solutions team in Macomb Township, Michigan. We plow and salt homes and businesses across all 26 Macomb County communities, November 15 to April 15. Published September 28, 2026. About us · How we research these guides · How our dispatch works