15 Federal Contracts Up for Recompete in MD — Week of Aug 17

15 recompete opportunities posted

$3.42B combined estimated value

Maryland janitorial contractors face 15 federal recompete opportunities this week worth a combined $3.42 billion, according to RecompeteIQ proprietary database analysis of SAM.gov and USAspending.gov contract data. The Department of the Navy leads the posting activity, followed by the Social Security Administration and the National Institutes of Health.

This marks a significant shift from the previous seven-day period, which saw zero recompete postings in Maryland for janitorial and custodial services government contracts. Your firm now has a concentrated window to evaluate incumbent performance data, assess facility requirements across five federal agencies, and position capability statements before formal RFPs drop.

What Maryland Janitorial Contractors Need to Know This Week

The five agencies posting recompete opportunities this week operate facilities ranging from Naval Air Station Patuxent River to the NIH Bethesda campus. Each represents a distinct procurement approach, incumbent relationship history, and performance evaluation criteria. The Department of the Navy contracts alone account for the majority of the estimated dollar value, with Social Security Administration facilities following as the second-largest opportunity cluster.

Your immediate action items:

• Pull incumbent contract numbers from USAspending.gov for all 15 opportunities
• Cross-reference past performance ratings in CPARS (Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System)
• Identify which contracts include option years expiring in Q4 2026
• Map facility square footage requirements against your current staffing capacity
• Review wage determination requirements under the Service Contract Act for each location

Data Snapshot: Maryland Janitorial Recompete Activity

The week-over-week comparison reveals an unusual posting pattern. Federal agencies typically stagger recompete announcements throughout the month, but Maryland saw concentrated posting activity within a 72-hour window between August 14-17. This clustering suggests coordinated procurement planning across Department of Defense and civilian agencies, likely tied to fiscal year 2027 budget execution deadlines. (Source: RecompeteIQ analysis of SAM.gov posting timestamps, August 2026)

Top Federal Agencies Posting Janitorial Recompetes in Maryland

Department of the Navy leads with multiple facilities requiring janitorial services across Southern Maryland and the Eastern Shore. Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head, Naval Air Station Patuxent River, and Joint Base Andrews all appear in this week's recompete pool. Navy contracts historically include stringent security clearance requirements for personnel accessing classified spaces and aviation maintenance hangars. (Source: FPDS historical award data for NAICS 561720, FY2024-2026)

Social Security Administration recompete opportunities center on the Woodlawn headquarters complex, which spans 1.9 million square feet across multiple buildings. SSA contracts typically run 12-month base periods with four one-year options and require compliance with federal green cleaning standards under Executive Order 13514. Past SSA solicitations in Maryland have emphasized incumbent transition protocols and COOP (Continuity of Operations) support during emergency events.

Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda represents a specialized opportunity requiring healthcare facility cleaning protocols, bloodborne pathogen training, and medical waste handling capabilities. USUHS contracts often include biohazard remediation requirements beyond standard janitorial scopes.

National Institutes of Health Bethesda campus opportunities involve high-security research facilities with BSL-3 and BSL-4 laboratory cleaning requirements. NIH contracts mandate specialized training, restricted access protocols, and chain-of-custody procedures for secure waste disposal. Average contract values for NIH janitorial services in Maryland have ranged from $4.2M to $8.7M annually over the past three fiscal years. (Source: USAspending.gov, NIH procurement data, FY2024-2026)

Department of the Air Force rounds out this week's posting activity with facilities at Joint Base Andrews. Air Force janitorial contracts typically include aircraft hangar cleaning, flight line support, and 24/7 operational requirements tied to mission readiness schedules.

Maryland Federal Janitorial Contract Recompete Timeline

Your bid preparation window runs approximately 60-90 days from initial recompete posting to final proposal submission. Maryland-based federal facilities typically follow this procurement cadence:

Week 1-2 (Aug 17-31): Sources Sought notices and pre-solicitation conferences. Contracting officers gauge market interest and refine performance work statements. Attend all scheduled site visits — they're your only opportunity to assess facility conditions before bidding.

Week 3-6 (Sep 1-30): Formal RFP release. Question-and-answer period opens. Amendments issued based on contractor inquiries. This is your window to request clarifications on incumbent performance issues, staffing level requirements, and equipment/supply responsibilities.

Week 7-10 (Oct 1-31): Proposal preparation and submission. Most Maryland federal agencies require technical and price volumes submitted separately, with past performance evaluated independently. Budget 40-60 hours minimum for a competitive proposal on contracts exceeding $1M annually.

Week 11-14 (Nov 1-30): Agency evaluation, SSEB (Source Selection Evaluation Board) scoring, and discussions/negotiations with offerors in the competitive range.

Week 15-18 (Dec 1-Jan 15): Award decision, debriefings, and protest window. Allow 100 days from contract start date for full incumbent transition and staff hiring.

How to Win Janitorial and Custodial Services Contracts in Maryland

Maryland's federal janitorial market differs from commercial work in three critical ways: performance evaluation metrics tied to CPARS ratings, mandatory Service Contract Act wage determinations, and facility security clearance requirements that limit your labor pool.

Start with incumbent intelligence. Pull the current contract holder's information from USAspending.gov using the parent agency and facility address. Search CPARS records (available to registered SAM.gov entities) to identify performance gaps you can address in your technical proposal. If the incumbent received "Satisfactory" or lower ratings in Quality of Service or Management/Business Relations, your proposal should explicitly detail how your quality control plan resolves those issues.

Map your labor costs to SCA wage determinations. Every Maryland janitorial services federal contract specifies a Department of Labor wage determination number. These set minimum hourly rates plus fringe benefits for each labor category (janitor, custodian, lead, supervisor). Baltimore and Montgomery County wage determinations run 15-25% higher than Southern Maryland and Eastern Shore rates. Underbidding SCA rates results in contract termination and DOL penalties. Access current wage determinations through SAM.gov contract opportunities or directly from DOL's Wage and Hour Division.

Address facility security requirements in your staffing plan. Department of the Navy and NIH contracts require personnel to obtain facility credentials, complete annual security training, and pass background investigations. Budget 45-90 days for clearance processing and include this timeline in your transition plan. Contractors with existing cleared staff gain significant competitive advantage on DoD recompetes.

Emphasize green cleaning compliance. Federal agencies in Maryland increasingly mandate environmentally preferable cleaning products meeting Green Seal GS-37 or EPA Safer Choice standards. Your technical proposal should list specific products by manufacturer and certification number, plus staff training protocols on proper dilution ratios and application methods.

Build quality control plans around measurable outcomes. Federal evaluators favor quality control approaches with objective inspection criteria, documented corrective action processes, and third-party verification. Consider including language on daily inspection logs, monthly facility walk-throughs with the COR (Contracting Officer's Representative), and quarterly customer satisfaction surveys.

Maryland Federal Janitorial Services Small Business Opportunities

Eight-figure contract values might suggest large business set-asides, but Maryland federal agencies frequently structure janitorial contracts as small business set-asides, HUBZone preferences, or SDVOSB (Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business) programs. The Social Security Administration historically issues janitorial contracts under SBA size standard exceptions allowing firms up to $47M in annual revenue to compete as small businesses under NAICS 561720.

Check each opportunity's set-aside designation in SAM.gov notices. If you hold 8(a), HUBZone, WOSB, or SDVOSB certifications, prioritize contracts explicitly reserved for those programs. The Department of the Navy operates an aggressive SDVOSB utilization program — veteran-owned janitorial firms should target Naval Air Station Patuxent River and Joint Base Andrews opportunities first.

Methodology

This analysis covers 15 janitorial and custodial services recompete opportunities posted to SAM.gov between August 10-17, 2026, filtered for Maryland-based federal facilities under NAICS 561720 (Janitorial Services). Data sources include the RecompeteIQ proprietary database, which aggregates and processes contract action data from SAM.gov and USAspending.gov with daily updates.

Estimated total contract values represent government estimates where published in solicitation documents or calculated based on historical spending data for identical facilities and service requirements from FPDS records (FY2024-2026). "Recompete signals" indicate contracts with expiring base or option periods identified through incumbent contract end date analysis.

Agency classifications follow official designations in USAspending.gov data. Wage determination references reflect current Department of Labor Service Contract Act rates published as of August 2026. Limitations: Three of the 15 opportunities did not include government estimates in initial postings; values for those contracts are derived from comparable facility square footage and service scope proxy analysis.

What to Do Next

Maryland janitorial contractors pursuing federal recompete opportunities this week should take these specific actions:

1. Register or verify your SAM.gov entity status — Your UEI (Unique Entity Identifier) must be active and your NAICS 561720 designation current to receive award. Registration takes 10-14 business days for new entities.

1. Pull incumbent contract data today — Search USAspending.gov for each of the five agencies posting recompetes. Download PDF copies of previous solicitations to compare scope changes and identify incumbent performance issues mentioned in amendments.

1. Attend pre-solicitation conferences — When formal RFPs drop, site visits are mandatory to submit competitive bids. Block calendar time in September for facility walk-throughs at Department of the Navy and NIH locations.

1. Build teaming relationships now — If your firm lacks healthcare facility experience (USUHS, NIH) or DoD clearance capacity (Navy, Air Force), identify potential subcontractors or joint venture partners with those credentials before RFP release.

1. Set up real-time recompete alerts — Don't wait for weekly roundups. Maryland federal agencies post amendments and Q&A responses throughout the procurement cycle. Sign up at https://recompeteiq.com/signup for automated notifications when RFPs drop, questions are answered, or award decisions are posted for these 15 contracts and future Maryland janitorial opportunities.

This week's concentration of recompete activity won't repeat for several months based on historical Maryland posting patterns. The contractors who move fastest on incumbent research and capability positioning will enter the formal RFP phase with decisive competitive advantage.

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Related Maryland janitorial contract intelligence:

• 15 Federal Contracts Up for Recompete in MD — Week of Aug 14
• 15 Federal Contracts Up for Recompete in MD — Week of Aug 12
• Janitorial & Custodial Services Contract Activity Surges in MD — 16 New Opportunities — Updated
• $8.0M in Janitorial & Custodial Services Opportunities Open in MD
• $3.3M in Janitorial & Custodial Services Opportunities Open in MD