Security Guard RFP Template

The problem with most security tenders is that they specify an input — "provide four guards" — and then compare prices. Every bidder quotes the same four guards, the cheapest wins, and the client has selected for whoever is cutting the most corners.

A good RFP specifies the outcome and the evidence, and lets providers tell you what it takes. This template does that. It is free; use it against us as well as anyone else.

Section 1 — Your site and your requirement

Give bidders enough to quote honestly. Vagueness here guarantees you receive four incomparable proposals.

• Site type, location, size, and a plan if possible.
• Operating hours, and peak periods — the times when incidents actually concentrate.
• What you are protecting, and what has gone wrong before. Include past incidents. Bidders who know the real problem quote for the real problem.
• Your current arrangement and why you are re-tendering.
• Any regulatory context — HCIS, healthcare accreditation, financial audit requirements.
• State the outcome, not just the headcount. "No unauthorised access to the plant floor; all outbound material logged" is a specification. "Four guards" is a purchase order.

Section 2 — Compliance evidence (demand documents, not claims)

Every bidder will say they are licensed. Require them to prove it, and score it.

• Valid MOI licence — copy, with expiry date. Check the date, not just the existence of the document.
• Entity name on the licence must match the entity signing the contract. A surprisingly common gap.
• GOSI registration evidence for guards. The single most revealing document — a provider who does not register guards is cheaper, and is transferring liability to you.
• Saudization / Nitaqat status. A provider facing enforcement action is a provider whose service to you may stop.
• HCIS certification if your site requires it — documentary proof, and evidence from comparable sites.
• Liability insurance — policy, coverage limits, and who bears what in an incident.

Section 3 — The questions that actually differentiate

These are the ones providers dislike. That is why they belong in the RFP.

• "What is your guard turnover rate?" High turnover means your site will never have a guard who knows it. The invoice looks identical either way.
• "Will guards be dedicated to this site by name?" Or filled from whoever is available that week?
• "How often does a supervisor physically visit, unannounced — and may we see the visit log?"
• "What is your absence cover guarantee, in hours?" Require a number. "As soon as possible" is an apology drafted in advance.
• "Will you provide written post orders, and may we see a sample?" → post orders template.
• "If our staff instruct your guard to detain a suspected thief, what will he do?" The correct answer is that he will decline and you will be backed in that. A provider who says their guards will "handle it" is selling you a liability.
• "Can we see a sample incident report and patrol log?" Check whether patrol times cluster suspiciously to the hour.
• "Do you have female officers available, and how many — actually, not in principle?" If your site screens women, this is a hard requirement, not a nice-to-have.

Section 4 — Pricing, structured so it is comparable

Require the same breakdown from everyone, or you cannot compare anything:

• Rate per guard, per shift pattern (8-hour vs 12-hour).
• Total for the specified coverage — with the guard count shown. This exposes anyone quoting 24-hour cover on fewer than three guards per post.
• Supervision: included or extra?
• Cost of surge or seasonal uplift.
• What is excluded. This is where the surprises live.
• For remote sites: who pays for guard accommodation and transport? Get it in writing, or it returns as a variation once you depend on them.

Section 5 — Contract terms to specify upfront

Put these in the RFP, not the negotiation:

• Absence cover, with a stated maximum response time.
• Performance standards and what happens when they are missed.
• Reporting frequency and format.
• Guard replacement rights — can you require a specific guard be replaced?
• Termination and transition, including handover of logs and records.

Detail on drafting: how to write a security guard contract.

Section 6 — How to score it

Do not score on price alone. In this market the cheapest bid is almost never efficiency — it is a corner cut somewhere you cannot see, usually the guard's registration or wage, and the risk lands on you.

Weight compliance evidence and the Section 3 answers heavily. A provider who scores well there and is 15% more expensive is, in almost every case, the cheaper option over the contract's life.

Use this against us too

We publish this because the questions in Section 3 are ones we are comfortable answering, and because a client who buys on evidence rather than price stays for years. Send us your RFP — and send it to three other providers as well.

Related: how to evaluate a security company · how many guards do you need