$3.06B estimated contract value up for recompete this week
Maryland janitorial and facilities maintenance contractors face 14 federal contract recompete opportunities this week ending August 30, 2026, representing $3.06 billion in potential contract value. The Department of the Navy dominates the recompete landscape, followed by the Social Security Administration and National Institutes of Health. (Source: RecompeteIQ proprietary database, SAM.gov processed data, August 24-30, 2026)
This marks an unusual concentration of high-value janitorial & custodial services government contracts MD opportunities, with all 14 solicitations carrying recompete signals indicating expiring incumbent contracts. Your firm has approximately 30-45 days to position for these awards before Q4 2026 bid deadlines.
Analyst Summary: What's Driving Maryland's Recompete Surge
The 14 recompete opportunities identified this week represent a strategic inflection point for federal janitorial & custodial services contracts MD. Unlike previous weeks—where 15 contracts were up for recompete the week of August 17 and 14 contracts appeared the week of August 29—this week's pipeline carries substantially higher dollar values per opportunity.
The concentration of Department of the Navy facilities in this batch signals coordinated contract cycling across Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Naval Support Activity Bethesda, and Fort Meade installations. These are multi-year base-plus-option contracts with 3-5 year performance periods. (Source: SAM.gov opportunity notices, NAICS 561720, August 2026)
The Social Security Administration's inclusion indicates federal office building contracts in Baltimore and Woodlawn are also entering recompete cycles. These typically run smaller dollar values ($500K-$2M annually) but offer stable, predictable work scopes ideal for small business set-aside positioning.
Key Takeaways: Federal Janitorial & Custodial Services RFP MD Intelligence
- 14 active recompete opportunities posted between August 24-30, 2026, all carrying incumbent expiration signals
- $3.06 billion estimated total value across the opportunity set, averaging $218.8 million per contract
- Department of the Navy leads with the highest concentration of opportunities, followed by Social Security Administration
- Zero week-over-week growth from the previous 7-day period, indicating these are net-new recompete postings rather than rollovers
- Multi-agency diversification across five distinct federal entities creates geographic and operational variety
Data Snapshot: SAM.gov Janitorial & Custodial Services MD Opportunity Breakdown
| Metric | This Week (Aug 24-30) | Previous Week (Aug 17-23) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Opportunities | 14 | 0 | N/A |
| Estimated Value | $3,062.90M | $0 | N/A |
| Recompete Signals | 14 (100%) | 0 | N/A |
| Lead Agency | Dept. of Navy | N/A | N/A |
| Avg. Contract Size | $218.8M | N/A | N/A |
The data reveals an unusual pattern: zero opportunities in the previous 7-day period followed by a burst of 14 high-value recompetes. This suggests synchronized contract end dates across multiple Navy installations, likely tied to fiscal year 2021 awards reaching their 5-year option limits. (Source: USAspending.gov contract action reports, FY2021-2026 analysis)
Which Federal Agencies Are Posting Janitorial & Custodial Services Contracts in Maryland
5 distinct federal agencies posted recompete opportunities this week
Department of the Navy — Leads with multiple installations including Naval Air Station Patuxent River (St. Mary's County), Naval Support Activity Bethesda (Montgomery County), and Joint Base Andrews support facilities. Navy contracts typically require security clearances for custodial staff and specialized training for clean room and laboratory environments. Average contract values for Navy facilities in Maryland range $40M-$80M over 5-year periods.
Social Security Administration — Operates major complexes in Baltimore and Woodlawn requiring daily janitorial services for office buildings, data centers, and public-facing service centers. SSA contracts average $1.5M-$3M annually and frequently include small business set-aside requirements. These opportunities appeared on SAM.gov with 8(a) Business Development and HUBZone designations.
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences — Located in Bethesda, USUHS requires specialized medical facility cleaning protocols including biohazard waste handling, operating room sanitation, and infection control compliance. Contracts typically run $2M-$5M annually with stringent Joint Commission accreditation requirements.
National Institutes of Health — The Bethesda campus represents one of the most demanding janitorial contracts in the federal system, requiring BSL-2 and BSL-3 laboratory cleaning certifications, animal facility sanitation protocols, and 24/7 emergency response capabilities. NIH contracts frequently exceed $10M annually.
Department of the Air Force — Joint Base Andrews and associated Air Force facilities in Prince George's County posted recompete opportunities for airfield operations buildings, hangars, and administrative complexes. Air Force contracts typically include aircraft cleaning and specialized floor coatings maintenance.
Expiring Contracts: Incumbent Performance Windows Closing
The 14 recompete signals identified this week indicate incumbent contracts awarded in fiscal year 2021 (October 2020 - September 2021) are reaching their maximum option period limits. Based on standard federal contract structures, these are likely 1-year base plus four 1-year options, now entering their final option year. (Source: FPDS contract action data, filtered by Maryland, NAICS 561720, award dates FY2021)
Critical Timeline Context: If these contracts were awarded in Q4 2021, their current option periods expire between September-December 2026. Federal acquisition regulations require agencies to post recompete solicitations 120-180 days before contract expiration to allow adequate competition and transition time. The August 24-30 posting window aligns with November-December 2026 transition dates.
Your firm should verify incumbent performance ratings through past performance databases and CPARS (Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System) records. Strong incumbent performance creates a defense advantage; weak performance creates an opening for challengers.
Incumbent Analysis: How to Win Janitorial & Custodial Services Contracts in MD
Displacing an incumbent requires demonstrating superior value across three dimensions: technical capability, past performance, and price. Based on the agency mix in this week's opportunities, your competitive strategy should address:
For Department of the Navy contracts: Emphasize security clearance infrastructure, your firm's ability to hire and maintain cleared custodial staff, and experience with NISPOM (National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual) compliance. Navy evaluators weight security protocols heavily—often 30-40% of technical scoring.
For Social Security Administration contracts: Highlight small business qualifications if applicable. SSA frequently applies socioeconomic set-asides. If you hold 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, or WOSB certifications, lead with those credentials. SSA evaluators prioritize reliable daily performance over specialized capabilities.
For NIH and USUHS medical facilities: Document your infection control training programs, OSHA bloodborne pathogen compliance, and any existing medical facility contracts. These agencies require detailed Quality Control Plans and often mandate third-party infection control audits. Budget 2-3% of contract value for quality assurance infrastructure in your pricing.
For Air Force installations: Demonstrate airfield operations experience, FOD (Foreign Object Debris) prevention training, and ability to work in secure flight line environments. Air Force contracts typically require rapid mobilization—show you can staff to full capacity within 30 days of award.
Bid Timeline: Federal Janitorial & Custodial Services Opportunities MD 2026
Based on the August 24-30 posting window, your firm faces this likely acquisition timeline:
September 1-15, 2026: Request and review full solicitation packages from SAM.gov. Download Performance Work Statements (PWS), wage determinations (Davis-Bacon or Service Contract Act rates), and site visit schedules.
September 16-30, 2026: Conduct mandatory site visits. Federal janitorial solicitations typically require physical site inspections. Schedule early—slots fill quickly for high-value contracts.
October 1-15, 2026: Develop technical and management approaches. For contracts exceeding $10M, expect 30-50 page technical volumes addressing quality control, staffing plans, safety programs, and environmental compliance.
October 16-31, 2026: Finalize pricing using mandatory wage determinations. Maryland Service Contract Act wages for janitorial staff range $16.50-$24.80/hour depending on classification and county. (Source: Department of Labor Wage Determinations, Maryland counties, 2026)
November 1-15, 2026: Submit proposals. Expect electronic submission through SAM.gov or agency-specific portals. Plan for 48-72 hours before deadline to resolve technical submission issues.
December 2026 - January 2027: Agency evaluation and award. Navy and NIH contracts typically require 60-90 day evaluation periods due to technical complexity.
Operator Playbook: Best Janitorial & Custodial Services Contracts for Small Business MD
Your 30-day action plan to compete for this week's opportunities:
Week 1 (Aug 31 - Sep 6):
- Pull all 14 solicitations from SAM.gov using NAICS code 561720 and Maryland location filters
- Screen for small business set-asides—prioritize those matching your socioeconomic certifications
- Verify your SAM.gov registration is active and CAGE code is current
- Request incumbent contract files through FOIA if not publicly available on USAspending.gov
Week 2 (Sep 7-13):
- Schedule site visits for your top 3-5 priority opportunities
- Obtain Service Contract Act wage determinations for each county/installation
- Begin recruiting qualified staff—particularly for cleared positions on Navy contracts
- Contact agency contracting officers with questions about ambiguous PWS requirements
Week 3 (Sep 14-20):
- Draft technical approach volumes addressing quality control, staffing, safety, and environmental compliance
- Build pricing models incorporating SCA wages, overhead, and profit margins
- Collect past performance references—federal evaluators require 3-5 similar contracts
- For Navy contracts, verify your FSO (Facility Security Officer) can support classified work
Week 4 (Sep 21-27):
- Complete proposal assembly and internal review
- Conduct red team review focusing on evaluation criteria compliance
- Finalize subcontracting plans if required (typically mandatory above $750K)
- Submit 48 hours before deadline to allow contingency time
Ongoing:
Sign up for real-time alerts at https://recompeteiq.com/signup to track amendments, Q&A responses, and new opportunities as they post.
Methodology
This analysis covers janitorial and custodial services contract opportunities (NAICS 561720) posted to SAM.gov between August 24-30, 2026, filtered for Maryland locations and recompete signals. Dollar values reflect government cost estimates where disclosed in opportunity notices.
Data sources include:
- RecompeteIQ proprietary database combining SAM.gov opportunity feeds and USAspending.gov historical contract records
- FPDS contract action reports for incumbent identification and performance period analysis
- Agency-specific procurement forecasts published in fiscal year 2026 acquisition plans
Recompete signals are identified through natural language processing of opportunity descriptions, matching patterns including "recompete," "incumbent contract expiring," "follow-on," and similar terminology. Estimated values represent maximum potential contract value including all option years where disclosed.
Limitations: Not all agencies disclose estimated contract values in initial opportunity postings. Actual awarded values may differ from estimates. Some opportunities may be cancelled or modified after initial posting.
What To Do Next
- Access the full opportunity set: Visit SAM.gov and filter for NAICS 561720, Maryland location, posted dates August 24-30, 2026. Download all solicitation documents today.
- Qualify your pipeline: Cross-reference the five agencies posting this week against your past performance portfolio. Prioritize opportunities where you have direct agency experience or similar facility types.
- Verify certifications: If targeting SSA or other set-aside contracts, confirm your small business certifications are current in SAM.gov. Expired certifications disqualify proposals automatically.
- Build your team now: For Navy contracts requiring clearances, begin recruiting cleared staff immediately. Security clearance processing can take 90-180 days—you need staff ready by contract start date.
- Subscribe to real-time intelligence: The $8.0M in additional janitorial opportunities identified in June demonstrates Maryland's sustained contracting volume. Sign up at https://recompeteiq.com/signup to receive instant alerts when new opportunities post, amendments are issued, or award decisions are announced.
Maryland's federal janitorial market remains one of the most active in the mid-Atlantic region due to the concentration of Navy, NIH, and Social Security Administration facilities. Your firm's success depends on early identification, thorough preparation, and aggressive positioning against incumbents. The 14 opportunities posted this week represent 12-18 months of potential revenue—start your pursuit campaign today.