How to Write a Security Guard Services RFP in Saudi Arabia

Issuing a Request for Proposal for security guard services sounds straightforward until you sit down to write it and realize how many operational details need to be captured accurately for providers to submit meaningful, comparable bids. An under-specified RFP produces proposals that cannot be compared on a like-for-like basis, creates misaligned expectations at contract award, and often results in disputes within the first six months of deployment. This guide covers every section your security services RFP should include, with notes on what each section needs to achieve.

Section 1: Company overview and project background

The first section of your RFP gives bidding security companies the context they need to understand your organization, your industry sector, and the nature of the security requirement. Include your organization's name, primary industry (construction, retail, healthcare, hospitality, etc.), the approximate size of your workforce, and any existing security arrangements (so providers understand whether they are setting up from scratch or taking over from a current provider).

If your facility or sector has specific regulatory requirements — HCIS compliance for industrial sites, CBAHI standards for healthcare, SAMA requirements for financial institutions — state them explicitly in this section. Providers who do not hold the relevant authorizations for your sector can self-select out, saving everyone's time.

Section 2: Scope of services required

This is the most operationally important section of the RFP. Be specific. Do not write 'security guards as required' — write the following:

• Number of guard posts and their locations within the facility
• Shift pattern for each post (8-hour, 12-hour, 24-hour coverage)
• Whether posts are static or include patrol responsibilities
• Specific requirements for any post (bilingual capability, gender requirement, specialist certification)
• Vehicle access control requirements
• CCTV monitoring responsibilities, if any
• Any event or surge coverage requirements
• Mobile patrol requirements (frequency, documentation expected)

Providers who receive an imprecise scope will either pad their pricing to cover unknowns or underprice and seek amendments after contract award. Either outcome is worse than taking the time to specify accurately upfront.

Section 3: Mandatory qualification requirements

State clearly that bids from providers who cannot meet the following requirements will be disqualified at the evaluation stage:

Including these as mandatory pre-qualifications rather than evaluation criteria means you do not have to compare a compliant provider against a non-compliant one and justify why the compliant one won. Non-compliance is an automatic disqualification, not a scoring deduction.

Section 4: Guard quality and training requirements

Specify your minimum acceptable guard quality standards so that providers understand what they are committing to deliver:

• All guards must hold individual MOI guard licenses
• Guards must complete site-specific orientation before first shift (specify minimum duration)
• Minimum English language proficiency required (specify level if applicable)
• Physical fitness standards expected (if relevant to your environment)
• Specific training certifications required (first aid, fire safety, etc.)
• Any sector-specific background check requirements

Section 5: Supervision and management requirements

This section defines the operational management standard you expect from the provider. Include:

• Minimum supervisory visit frequency (e.g., unannounced visits at least twice per week)
• Named account manager requirement with maximum response time for client communications
• Out-of-hours emergency contact availability
• Monthly performance review meeting requirement
• Escalation procedure for unresolved performance issues

Section 6: Documentation and reporting requirements

Specify what documentation you expect to receive and at what frequency. At minimum, consider requiring:

Section 7: Service level agreements and penalty structure

An RFP that does not specify SLAs invites proposals that do not commit to SLAs. Include specific measurable commitments and the consequences for missing them:

• Guard fill rate: minimum 98% of contracted shifts filled on time
• Absence replacement response: qualified replacement within 4 hours of reported absence
• Incident report delivery: within 2 hours of incident occurrence
• Account manager response: within 2 business hours for non-emergency queries
• Supervisory visit frequency: minimum twice weekly, unannounced

Define the penalty for each missed commitment. A common structure is a credit against the monthly invoice of a defined SAR amount per incident of SLA breach. Providers who are confident in their operational quality will accept reasonable SLA penalties. Those who refuse to commit to any penalties should be viewed with caution.

Section 8: Pricing format

Ask for pricing in a standardized format so that bids can be compared directly. Request: monthly rate per guard by shift pattern and type, any additional charges (Ramadan adjustments, public holiday premiums, annual leave relief, uniform replacement), proposed contract duration, and pricing for optional additional services such as mobile patrol or supervisory visits.

Do not accept lump-sum monthly quotes without the line-item breakdown. A total monthly number tells you nothing about what is driving the cost or what might change if your requirements shift during the contract term.

Section 9: Evaluation criteria

Be transparent about how you will score bids. A typical weighting for security services: