What to Put in a Snow Removal RFP So the Bids Can Be Compared
November 7, 2026 · JRW Services LLC
A snow RFP gets comparable bids only when every contractor prices the same trigger depth, clear-by time, walkway scope, pile locations and salting terms. Here is what to include.
A snow removal RFP gets comparable bids only when every contractor is pricing the same things: the trigger depth, the clear-by time, the exact areas in scope, where the snow goes, what salting includes, and the price structure you want back. Leave any of those out and each bidder prices a different job, so the lowest number tells you very little. Each section below is a line a bid either answers or leaves blank.
Start with a site map drawn to scope
Attach a site map with the work marked on it: plow areas, walkways, entrances, loading docks, and any spots that belong to someone else. Square footage alone does not price a lot. Islands, tight lanes and the room to pile snow decide how long a visit takes, and a map shows all three at once.
Set the trigger depth and clear-by time
Name the trigger depth, one inch or two, and say whether it applies to the whole site or to each zone. Then name the clear-by time, such as 6 a.m. or before opening. These two lines move the price more than anything else in the document. If the walkways should clear at one inch and the lot at two, say so, rather than leaving bidders to guess which one you meant. Say how snowfall will be measured too, because how snowfall is measured and billed decides what a trigger means on the invoice.
Separate the walkways from the lot
Entrances, stairs and accessible routes usually take hand crews rather than trucks, so price them on their own line. A scope that says "the lot" and means "the lot plus every sidewalk" gets bid two different ways by two honest contractors. If the public sidewalk is your responsibility, write that in as well. Our walkway clearing service covers this work.
Say where the snow goes
Ask each bidder to confirm pile locations, and how they will handle snow from the drive apron and the sidewalk along the road. A plan that pushes snow into the street can break town rules, and a bid that leaves out hauling will look cheaper for the wrong reason. If the site has no room to pile, say so in the RFP, so snow hauling and relocation can be priced from the start.
Ask for the price in a structure you can compare
Request the seasonal price and the per-event or per-push price side by side, with the cap and the trigger written for each. A seasonal number puts the weather risk on the contractor. A per-event number puts it on you. Comparing totals without that difference is how a property ends up with two bids that cannot be ranked. Ask for the reporting too: what record the contractor will give after every visit. A bid that does not mention it has not priced it.
Once the contract is signed, the winter readiness page covers what to have ready before the first storm, and the storm response page explains how we handle a dispatch when a storm lands early. Our snow removal RFP page has the spec checklist we work from if you want to send us your bid request.
Common questions
Should I put my budget in the RFP? Usually not. Ask for the scope and the structure, and let the bids show the range. A stated budget tends to pull every bid toward the same number, which hides the real differences between contractors.
Can I send one RFP to several contractors? Yes, and you should, as long as each one gets the same site map, trigger depth, clear-by time and deadline. Otherwise you are comparing different jobs.
What if a bidder asks to change the spec? Answer in writing and send the answer to every bidder. A change made for one bidder alone breaks the comparison.
Looking for a contractor that is prepared for the worst?
That is the whole way we run. Fill out the form or call (973) 459-0074, and we will walk your property and build the plan before the first storm.