Quebec Cleaning Tenders: How to Find and Win Them
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Janitorial and cleaning contracts for schools, CEGEPs, health facilities, government buildings and municipal buildings are often awarded through public tenders. They are recurring contracts, usually multi-year, that can stabilize a cleaning company's order book. This guide explains where they are published, which rules apply and how to prepare a strong bid.
Informational guide, not legal advice. Always check the tender documents and official sources.
1. Where cleaning tenders are published
In Québec, public tenders from public bodies and municipalities are published on SEAO (Système électronique d'appel d'offres). It is the main source to watch for janitorial, custodial, window-washing and floor-stripping contracts. See our SEAO guide.
Some Crown corporations also use their own platforms. Hydro-Québec, for example, publishes its calls on SAP Business Network and Ivalua (see our Hydro-Québec guide). For federal buildings, notices are on CanadaBuys.
Every week we gather the open notices in this sector (French page): cleaning tenders this week.
2. Thresholds to know (2026-2027)
The estimated contract value sets the procedure. From January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2027:
| Buyer | Services threshold | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Municipalities (public tender) | $139,000 | [M] |
| Departments and agencies (CFTA/QOTCA) | $139,000 | [T] |
| Education, health and social services (CFTA/QOTCA) | $139,000 | [T] |
| Departments, education, health, municipalities (CETA) | $368,000 | [T] |
Above CETA thresholds, European Union companies can also bid [M][T]. Because a three-to-five-year cleaning contract easily exceeds these amounts, many public-building cleaning contracts end up on SEAO. Full details: Quebec tender thresholds 2026-2027.
3. The public-building cleaning decree: the basis of your price
In several regions, public-building cleaning is governed by a collective agreement decree. In the Montréal region (and the municipalities listed in its schedule, in Mauricie, Estrie, Outaouais, Laval, Lanaudière, Laurentides, Montérégie and Centre-du-Québec), it is the Decree respecting building service employees in the Montréal region (D-2, r. 15) [D].
What the decree sets, among other things [D]:
- Scope: all cleaning work done for others in a "public building", a very broad notion (schools, CEGEPs, universities, health facilities, government buildings, offices, shopping centres, etc.).
- Normal work week: 40 hours; overtime paid at time and a half (+50%).
- Minimum hourly rates: since March 4, 2026, $23.25 (classes A and B) and $23.90 (class C, work at height); from November 1, 2026, $23.83 (A and B) and $24.49 (C); from November 1, 2027, $24.43 (A and B) and $25.10 (C).
- Night premium (most of the shift between midnight and 8 a.m.): $0.25/h since March 4, 2026, $0.50/h from November 1, 2026, $0.75/h from November 1, 2027.
- Group pension plan: employer contribution of $0.20 per paid hour for permanent employees.
- Term: the decree remains in force until November 1, 2030.
Why it matters: on a multi-year contract, your labour costs rise every November 1. A bid priced on today's rate can lose money in year two. Check whether the tender includes an indexation clause; if not, build the decree increases into your price.
Other regions have their own decree (for example the Québec City region): check the one that applies to the work location on Légis Québec.
4. Paperwork to prepare
Requirements vary by buyer, but these come up often. Example from Hydro-Québec's requirements [H]:
- Revenu Québec certificate: required by Hydro-Québec for contracts of $25,000 or more.
- Authorization to contract from the Autorité des marchés publics (AMP) for service contracts above the thresholds set by the Act respecting contracting by public bodies.
- RENA: your company and subcontractors must not be on the register of enterprises ineligible for public contracts.
- Charter of the French language (s. 152.1): not on the OQLF list of non-compliant businesses.
- Bonds and insurance when the tender requires them.
Hydro-Québec notes these certificates can take time to obtain [H]. Get them before targeting your first tender.
5. Building a winning bid
- Read the full specifications: areas, frequencies per room, schedules, required products, supervision requirements.
- Attend the site visit when offered: that is where you learn the real constraints (access, elevators, storage).
- Calculate your hours from the frequencies, then apply the decree rate for each contract year [D].
- Follow the format: price schedule, signed forms, bonds. A non-compliant bid is rejected, even if it is the lowest.
- Track addenda until closing.
- Analyze the results: bid-opening results and awarded contracts are published on SEAO. Compare your price with the winner's.
6. Never miss a tender
The free plan covers SEAO; paid plans start at $35/month (Solo), with a 14-day free trial, no card. See pricing.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I find cleaning tenders in Québec?
Mainly on SEAO, where public bodies and municipalities publish their public tenders. Veillea groups them every week.
From what amount must a municipality issue a public tender?
$139,000 from January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2027.
What is the minimum wage under the Montréal-region public-building cleaning decree?
$23.25/h (classes A and B) since March 4, 2026, then $23.83/h from November 1, 2026.
Do I need an AMP authorization for a cleaning contract?
For service contracts above the thresholds of the Act respecting contracting by public bodies, yes.
Can foreign companies bid?
Above CETA thresholds ($368,000 for services for most bodies), EU companies can bid.
Sources
- [D] Légis Québec, D-2, r. 15 — Décret sur le personnel d'entretien d'édifices publics de la région de Montréal (à jour au 1er juillet 2026) : https://www.legisquebec.gouv.qc.ca/fr/document/rc/D-2,%20r.%2015
- [M] MAMH, Muni-Express n° 25 (18 déc. 2025) : https://www.quebec.ca/gouvernement/ministeres-organismes/affaires-municipales/publications/bulletin-muni-express/2025/n-25-18-decembre-2025
- [T] SCT, Info-marchés publics vol. 28 n° 1 (janv. 2026) : https://cdn-contenu.quebec.ca/cdn-contenu/adm/org/sous-secretariat-marches-publics/bulletins-info-marches-publics/2026/volume28-numero1-janvier2026.pdf
- [H] Hydro-Québec, Nos exigences : https://www.hydroquebec.com/fournisseurs/soumissionner/conformite-exigences.html
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