Freeze one assignment brief
Send every bidder the same addresses, site map, posts, days, hours, armed or unarmed decision, patrol route, duties, reports and desired start. Mark unknown items instead of letting each company make a different assumption.
Los Angeles properties can differ sharply across Downtown, industrial and harbor settings. The comparison only works when the brief uses the actual entrances, vehicle routes, public edges and operating hours.
Match the bidder to the official record
Write the proposal’s legal entity and PPO number. Check both in the California DCA search. Ask who signs the agreement and invoices the service. Request a current insurance certificate for the same entity and review whether its dates and limits meet the contract.
A brand name, website name and legal PPO can differ. Resolve that identity before comparing softer sales claims.
Compare the proposed staffing system
Ask who recruits, schedules and supervises the guards; how registrations are checked; how absences and substitutions are handled; and how the provider prepares personnel for the site. Request the supervisor contact and field-check plan.
California’s training floor includes initial and continuing requirements. Compare the provider’s documented site-specific preparation separately from that minimum.
Compare service controls and records
Review a sample post order, daily activity report and incident report. Ask how visits or rounds are verified, how an exception is escalated and how the buyer sees an unresolved pattern. Confirm the report delivery time, format, access and retention.
Technology names matter less than the output. Score whether the buyer can tell who attended, what occurred, what action was taken and what remains open.
Normalize every price field
Use one table for officer rates, supervisor rates, minimum shifts, relief, overtime, holidays, vehicles, equipment, setup and requested changes. Keep one-time and recurring charges separate. The cost guide explains the dated Los Angeles City and County examples.
Do not award from the lowest hourly line until the same service hours and inclusions are underneath it.
Read the operating and exit terms
Compare start conditions, term, renewal, price change, cancellation, termination, cure, notice and invoice dispute. Ask whether the buyer can reduce or move posts and what notice is required. Record which document controls if the proposal and master terms conflict. Confirm who can approve an added shift and how that approval appears on the invoice.
This is a commercial review checklist, not legal advice. Use appropriate procurement or legal review for the final agreement.
Use a scored worksheet without hiding judgment
Mark each line verified, included, excluded, unclear or not applicable. Add a short evidence note instead of turning the decision into one unexplained score.
| Decision area | What to record |
|---|---|
| Assignment | Posts, hours, duties, site map |
| Credentials | Entity, PPO, insurance, guard checks |
| Operations | Supervisor, relief, orientation, escalation |
| Evidence | Reports, patrol proof, issue follow-up |
| Commercial | All rates, minimums, changes, termination |
When the comparison brief is complete, Get a Quote.
Frequently asked questions
Should I compare several security companies?
Competitive proposals can be useful, but the essential step is giving each bidder the same complete assignment. This site does not promise any fixed number of quotes.
What should be verified first?
Match the legal entity and PPO in the California DCA record, then review the current insurance certificate for that same entity.
Is the lowest hourly rate usually the lowest total?
Not necessarily. Hours, minimum shifts, relief, supervision, overtime, holidays, vehicles, equipment and contract terms can change the invoice.