Statement of work (SOW) template
A ready-to-adapt statement of work template for Canadian government contracts. It contains every section a public-sector buyer expects, with short guidance on what belongs in each. Copy it, fill it in, and tailor it to your requirement. No signup required.
A statement of work is the part of a contract or solicitation that defines exactly what will be done. A clear SOW prevents scope disputes, makes proposals comparable, and gives both sides a shared standard for acceptance and payment. The twelve sections below cover a complete services SOW; not every contract needs all of them, but a buyer reading your response will look for each.
State why the work is needed and the outcome the buyer wants. One or two sentences of context, then a clear objective statement. Keep it factual: the SOW describes the work, not a sales pitch.
Define exactly what is included and, just as important, what is excluded. List the sites, systems, or service areas covered. For a cleaning contract, name the buildings, the cleanable areas, and any spaces explicitly out of scope (mechanical rooms, tenant-fit areas).
Break the work into specific tasks. For each, state the activity, the method or standard, and the frequency (daily, weekly, periodic). This is the heart of the SOW and the section bids are priced against.
List every tangible output and its due date or trigger. Reports, logs, inspection records, certificates, and any physical deliverables. Tie each deliverable to a task so nothing is orphaned.
Define measurable standards: response times, quality thresholds, inspection scores, and uptime or coverage requirements. State how performance is measured and the consequence of missing a standard.
Give the contract term, start date, hours of work or shift windows, and any milestones. For recurring services, define the service calendar and any blackout or peak periods.
State the roles required, minimum qualifications, training, and any security clearance the work demands. For occupied federal sites, reference the Security Requirements Check List (SRCL) and required screening levels.
List anything the buyer provides: site access, keys or fobs, storage, utilities, equipment, or information. Define access hours and any escort or check-in procedures.
Reference the applicable rules: WHMIS, provincial occupational health and safety, insurance and WSIB clearance, environmental and green-cleaning requirements, and any code or standard the work must meet.
Define meeting cadence, the contractor's point of contact, escalation paths, and the reporting format. State how issues are raised and resolved during the contract.
Define how the buyer confirms work is complete and acceptable: inspection, sign-off, or measured results. Clear acceptance criteria prevent payment disputes later.
State the pricing structure (fixed monthly, per square foot, per task, or time-and-materials), the invoicing cycle, and what each invoice must reference. Keep this consistent with how the RFP asks vendors to quote.
Frequently asked questions
A statement of work is the section of a contract or solicitation that defines exactly what work will be performed: the scope, tasks, deliverables, standards, schedule, and acceptance criteria. It is the document both parties measure performance against.
Scope of work is one section inside a statement of work. The scope defines what is included and excluded; the full SOW also covers tasks, deliverables, service levels, schedule, personnel, and acceptance.
In most government procurements the buyer writes the SOW and includes it in the RFP, and vendors propose how they will deliver against it. Vendors write their own SOW mainly when responding to a requirement that asks them to propose the work, or as a subcontract to a prime.
Yes. The template structure on this page is free to copy and adapt with no signup. It is a starting framework; always tailor it to the specific requirement and the rules of the buyer you are working with.