How to Run an Elevator Maintenance RFP That Actually Lowers Your Costs

An elevator maintenance RFP lowers costs when it does three things: it gives every bidder identical scope and pricing forms, it includes your incumbent contractor as one bidder among several rather than a formality, and it runs on a timeline long enough, 90 to 120 days, for companies to price the job accurately instead of padding it out of uncertainty. Skip any of those three and you'll get bids that look competitive on paper but can't actually be compared line by line, which means the lowest number wins by default, whether or not it's the best value.

Why Most Elevator RFPs Fail to Lower Costs

We review a lot of RFP results that produced almost no savings, and the pattern is usually the same. The building sends its current contract to two or three companies and asks them to "match or beat" it. There's no standardized spec sheet, so each bidder interprets scope differently. There's no pricing form, so one proposal bundles callback response time into the base rate while another charges it separately. And the whole process happens in three weeks, which is barely enough time for a company to walk the building, let alone build an accurate price.

The result is a stack of proposals that aren't actually comparable, and a property manager or board that ends up picking based on gut feel or brand recognition rather than real numbers. That's not competitive bidding, it's the appearance of competitive bidding.

Timeline: How Long a Proper RFP Takes

Start the process 4 to 6 months before your current contract renews or expires. A realistic breakdown looks like this:

• Weeks 1-2: Gather equipment inventory, callback history, current contract terms, and any modernization plans.
• Weeks 3-4: Build the spec sheet and pricing form (more on both below).
• Weeks 5-6: Distribute the RFP and schedule mandatory site walkthroughs for all bidders.
• Weeks 7-11: Bid submission window, typically 30 to 45 days.
• Weeks 12-14: Review, clarify questions, and normalize bids for comparison.
• Weeks 15-17: Negotiate with the top 2 finalists.
• Weeks 18+: Contract execution and transition planning, which itself takes 30 to 60 days if you're switching contractors.

Rushing this timeline is the single most common reason RFPs underperform. Companies that feel rushed either decline to bid or submit a padded number to protect themselves.

What Belongs in the Spec Sheet

Every bidder needs to price the exact same job. That means your spec sheet should include:

• Full equipment inventory: manufacturer, model, controller type, install/modernization year, unit count
• Current callback frequency and downtime history for the past 12 to 24 months
• Scope definition: full maintenance vs. oil-and-grease (a stripped-down plan that excludes most parts and labor)
• Required examination and testing schedule (state-mandated tests, category testing intervals)
• Response time requirements for callbacks and entrapments
• Parts inclusion and exclusion list
• Any planned modernization work in the next 3 to 5 years, since that changes how a contractor prices ongoing maintenance

If you're not sure what should be in a standard maintenance scope versus what's often quietly excluded, our guide on what's actually included in an elevator maintenance contract walks through the common gaps.

Which Companies to Invite

Invite 4 to 5 companies total, including your incumbent. A good mix usually includes:

• Your current contractor
• One or two national companies (Otis, KONE, TKE, Schindler, Mitsubishi Electric, or Fujitec, depending on your equipment brand and region)
• One or two independent or regional maintenance companies

Independents can't always match a national brand's parts network for proprietary equipment, but on labor rates and service responsiveness, they're frequently very competitive, and in our experience they tend to bid more aggressively because they need the volume. Don't invite more than 5 or 6; it slows the process without adding useful data, and most buildings only seriously consider the top 2 or 3 anyway. For more on which companies make sense to include, see our guide on how to get competitive elevator bids.

Structuring Pricing Forms So Bids Are Comparable

This is the piece most RFPs skip, and it's the reason bids end up impossible to compare. Require every bidder to fill out the same pricing form with these line items broken out separately:

• Base monthly maintenance rate, per unit
• Cost for state-mandated examinations and category tests
• Overtime and after-hours callback rate
• Parts markup percentage (if parts aren't fully included)
• Annual escalation clause (percentage cap, tied to CPI or fixed)
• Contract term length and cancellation terms
• Explicit list of exclusions (cab refurbishment, expediting fees, hydraulic fluid disposal, etc.)

When every bidder fills in the same boxes, you can build a simple side-by-side spreadsheet and see real differences instead of comparing five differently formatted proposals. Our elevator pricing benchmarks guide gives typical per-unit ranges you can use to sanity-check whether a bid is unusually high or suspiciously low.

How Incumbents Respond When They See Real Competition

I've seen incumbents who've held a building's contract for 10 or more years suddenly rediscover flexibility once they realize an RFP has real bidders attached to it. It's common for the renewal price they first proposed to drop 15% to 30% once they know they're not just renewing automatically. That's not a coincidence; it's a sign the original number had room built into it because there was no pressure to price it tightly.

Some incumbents respond well and become genuinely competitive again. Others try to use long contract terms, early termination penalties, or vague "loyalty pricing" language to discourage switching. If your current contract has terms like that, it's worth reading through our piece on elevator maintenance contract red flags before you finalize the RFP, since some of those terms can limit how much leverage you actually have.

If you've received bids back and you're not sure whether the numbers, scope, and terms actually add up, that's exactly the gap our $499 flat-rate independent review is built to close. We'll go through the proposals line by line and tell you plainly whether they're fair, comparable, and worth signing. You can request one at /elevator-consultation-request.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many companies should I invite to an elevator maintenance RFP?

Four to five is typical, including your incumbent. Fewer than three doesn't create real competitive pressure, and more than six slows the process without adding much useful comparison data.

Should bidders know who else is bidding?

You don't need to name competitors, but letting bidders know the RFP is competitive (multiple companies invited, formal evaluation process) is enough to encourage sharper pricing. Full anonymity isn't necessary and can sometimes create confusion during site walkthroughs.

Will switching maintenance contractors increase breakdowns during the transition?

It depends on your equipment age and how well the transition is planned, but a properly staged 30 to 60 day transition with an overlap period for records and parts inventory review generally avoids a service dip. Rushed transitions with no overlap are where problems tend to show up.

How much can we realistically expect to save?

Most buildings that run a proper RFP process see 10% to 25% savings off their prior contract rate, though it varies with building age, equipment type, and how competitive the local market is. Savings tend to be smaller for buildings with modern, low-maintenance equipment and larger for older buildings that haven't rebid in a decade or more.

Do we need a consultant to run an elevator RFP?

Not necessarily, many property managers run the process themselves using a solid spec sheet and pricing form. Where outside help pays off is in reviewing the bids that come back, since spotting exclusions, escalation traps, or underpriced line items takes experience most buildings don't have in-house.

This article is general information, not legal advice; have an attorney review contract language before signing.

Elevator Insight provides professional opinion based on the information provided. We are not an inspector, contractor, or installer.