To evaluate security proposals, compare each provider against the same written requirements, staffing plan, qualifications, and total cost. A consistent scorecard makes gaps visible and helps you select a provider that can deliver the coverage your site needs. Start with the guide to hiring security guards.
How do you compare security proposals side by side to evaluate security proposals?
Compare security proposals side by side in a single scorecard built from your request for proposal and site requirements. Record each provider’s answer in the same category, and label missing details as unconfirmed rather than assuming the proposal includes them.
- List the required posts, hours, duties, and response expectations.
- Record proposed guard counts, shift coverage, supervision, and relief plans.
- Separate recurring charges, one-time charges, and optional services.
- Mark every exception, exclusion, and unanswered requirement.
Use a common scope before comparing price
A low total is not comparable when a proposal covers fewer hours or assigns different duties. Check whether providers priced the same service, such as unarmed security guards, armed security guards, or mobile patrol.
Which 6 criteria matter most when scoring?
Score six criteria: scope fit, staffing, licensing, supervision, pricing transparency, and contract terms. Apply the same rating scale to every proposal and support each score with a specific page, commitment, or missing detail.
- Scope fit: Confirm posts, patrol routes, duties, service hours, and reporting requirements.
- Staffing: Check guard counts, shift schedules, relief coverage, and stated qualifications.
- Licensing: Verify the provider’s California BSIS Private Patrol Operator license and confirm how assigned guards meet applicable registration requirements.
- Supervision: Identify the account manager, field supervisor, escalation process, and report review process.
- Pricing transparency: Require a clear breakdown of labor, supervision, equipment, and additional charges.
- Contract terms: Review start dates, cancellation, renewal, insurance documentation, and service-change procedures.
Tie each score to evidence
Award strong scores for specific, verifiable commitments, not polished promises. Use the questions to ask a security company to clarify unclear responsibilities and confirm who owns each operational task.
Review licensing separately from service quality
A valid license confirms a licensing requirement, not that a provider’s plan fits your site. Verify the company through California BSIS and evaluate its staffing and supervision on their own merits.
How do you spot an underpriced proposal?
Spot an underpriced proposal by looking for a price that does not account for the stated coverage, duties, and management obligations. Ask the provider to explain the assumptions behind its price before treating the bid as a comparable offer.
- Compare priced hours with every requested post and shift.
- Check whether relief, absences, and schedule changes are addressed.
- Identify excluded training, equipment, reporting, and supervision.
- Request written clarification for vague allowances or add-on charges.
Test the staffing math
Match proposed billable hours to the coverage schedule and ask who fills each shift. A proposal that promises continuous coverage without explaining relief staffing leaves an operational gap, even when the total price looks attractive.
Request a revised, itemized quote
Ask the bidder to price the complete scope and list each exclusion in writing. Keep the original and revised versions so your selection record shows what changed and why.
How do you confirm staffing claims?
Confirm staffing claims by requiring a post schedule, supervisor assignments, qualification standards, and a documented coverage process. Check that the provider can explain how it recruits, assigns, and replaces guards for your specific account.
- Request a sample schedule showing posts, shifts, and supervisor coverage.
- Confirm how guards meet applicable California BSIS registration requirements.
- Ask how the provider documents attendance, incidents, and shift handoffs.
- Verify who handles callouts, performance concerns, and emergency escalation.
Interview the account manager
Ask the proposed account manager to walk through a sample incident, a missed shift, and a service change. Compare the answers with the written proposal, and confirm the person will remain accountable after launch.
Compare providers and request quotes
Use your completed scorecard to compare qualified providers and request security quotes for the same written scope.