Security proposal template: what to put in a guard services bid

A security proposal template gives every bid the same strong structure: what the client needs, what you will do, who will do it, how you will prove it and what it costs. A good proposal reads like it was written for one site, because it was. Use the outline below as a starting point, then fill it with what you saw on the site visit.

Key points#

• Visit the site first, because a proposal built from a phone call is a guess.
• Open with the client's problem, not your company's history.
• State post hours, duties and assumptions in plain words, so the price makes sense.
• Show how the client will see the work, through reports and supervision.
• Have an attorney review your standard terms before they go to clients.

Before you write: the site visit#

The best proposals start with a walk through the site. Ask what prompted the request, what has gone wrong before, and what a good result looks like to the person who will sign. Note the entrances, the lighting, the busy hours and the areas people worry about.

Ask who else has a say. A property manager may care about tenant complaints, while an owner cares about cost and liability. Your proposal should answer both.

The security proposal template, section by section#

1. Cover page#

List the client's name, the site address, your company's name, a contact person and the date. Add how long the offer stays open, so an old price does not come back to you a year later.

2. Summary#

Write a short page for the person who will read nothing else. Say what you heard, what you recommend, and the coverage and price in one or two sentences each. Write this section last.

3. What we understood about the site#

Describe the site and its risks in your own words. Mention what you saw and what the client told you. This is the section that shows the proposal is not a copy of the last one.

4. Scope of services#

Be exact. A client should be able to read this section and picture the job:

• Posts, days and hours of coverage
• Armed or unarmed officers, and any license or skill the post requires
• Duties at each post, such as access control, patrols and report writing
• Vehicle or foot patrols, and how often
• What is not included

The list of exclusions prevents arguments later. If you do not list it, the client may assume it is included.

5. Officers and supervision#

Explain how you choose and train officers for this site, and who supervises them. Say who the client calls at night, and how quickly you will respond. Promise only what you can deliver on your worst week, not your best one.

6. How the client will see the work#

Clients buy peace of mind, so show them how they get it. Describe the post orders you will write with them, how officers report incidents, how patrols are recorded, and how often the client receives a report. Attach a sample report with the names removed if you can.

7. Getting started#

Lay out the steps from signature to first shift: site orders, officer selection, site training, uniforms and a start date. A clear start plan tells a client that a change of vendor will not be painful.

8. Pricing#

Show the rate, the hours and the total for a typical month or year. State what is billed extra, such as holidays, added coverage and short-notice requests. If your numbers need work, start with a bill rate built from your real costs.

List your assumptions next to the price: the hours, the number of posts, and any pay rate the client's site requires. If the assumptions change, so can the price.

9. Why us#

Keep this short and factual. Use your experience with similar sites, your licenses and insurance, and references who have agreed to take a call. Only claim what you can prove.

10. Terms and next steps#

Summarize the main terms: contract length, payment terms, renewal and how either side can end the agreement. Then say exactly what happens next and who to call. The full client contract comes after acceptance, and an attorney should review your standard wording.

Mistakes that lose the bid#

• Using another client's name. One leftover name tells the reader the whole document was copied. Search for old names before you send it.
• Leading with your company. The first pages should be about the client. Your history can wait for "Why us."
• Hiding the price. Busy buyers look for it first. Make it easy to find, with the assumptions beside it.
• Promising what you cannot staff. A proposal that overpromises can win the work and then lose the client.
• Answering a different question. If the client sent a request with its own format, follow that format exactly.

After you send it#

Offer to walk through the proposal in person. Ask when a decision is expected, and follow up on that date. If you lose, ask why, and keep the answer: a record of what won and lost will improve your next proposal more than any template.

If you win, turn the scope into post orders straight away, so that what you promised is what officers do. In Guardix, managers write post orders for each post site and see which officers have acknowledged them.

Frequently asked questions#

What should a security proposal include?#

A security proposal should include a summary, your understanding of the site, the scope of services, officers and supervision, reporting, a start plan, pricing with assumptions, your qualifications and the main terms. Together these sections tell the client what they get, from whom and at what cost.

How long should a security proposal be?#

Long enough to answer the client's questions and no longer. A single small site needs far less than a campus with many posts. A clear summary at the front lets busy readers stop early.

Should I include my price in the proposal?#

Yes, unless the client asks for it separately. Show the rate, the hours and the assumptions together, so the client can see what the price covers and compare it fairly.

Can I reuse the same proposal for every client?#

Reuse the structure, not the content. The scope, the site description and the risks should come from your visit to that site. Clients can tell when a proposal was written for someone else.