Solicitation spotlight: Unarmed Security Guards (Harford County DSS, 3 locations)

Executive takeaway

Maryland Department of Human Services is procuring unarmed guard services for three Harford County Department of Social Services locations under a three-month contract. The posting references an Attachment A bid form and multiple exhibits—so the fastest path to a compliant bid is to pull the attachments, confirm the required staffing pattern/pricing structure, and submit exactly in the format the solicitation model requires.

What the buyer is trying to do

The buyer wants on-site, unarmed security coverage supporting safety for staff and clients at Harford County DSS facilities. The opportunity is framed as a small procurement for guard services, covering:

• 2 S. Main Street (Mary Risteau Building), Bel Air, MD 21014
• 101 S. Main Street, Suite 200, Bel Air, MD 21014
• Family Investment Office, 2029 Pulaski Highway, Havre de Grace, MD 21008

The notice indicates a short performance window (3 months), which typically favors firms that can mobilize quickly and already have guards in the area.

What work is implied

• Provide unarmed guard services at three locations in Harford County, Maryland.
• Meet whatever staffing hours/coverage schedules are defined in the exhibits (verify in attachments).
• Provide required supervision, reporting, and site procedures if specified (verify in attachments).
• Complete and submit the required bid form (Attachment A) and comply with the DHS Small Procurement Solicitation model instructions.

Who should bid / who should pass

• Bid if:
  • You can staff unarmed posts quickly across Bel Air and Havre de Grace.
  • You have experience supporting public-facing human services offices (client-heavy facilities) and can follow site-specific procedures (verify in attachments).
  • You are comfortable pricing from a structured Attachment A bid form.
• Pass if:
  • You cannot mobilize within a short, fixed term (3 months) without significant recruiting.
  • You require armed work to make the program viable (this is expressly unarmed).
  • You are not prepared to follow a small procurement format where compliance is mostly driven by the attachments.

Response package checklist

• Attachment A – Bid Form (listed in the notice; verify required line items in attachments).
• DHS Small Procurement Solicitation model (follow instructions; verify in attachments).
• Exhibit 1, Exhibit 2, Exhibit 3 (review for scope, staffing, location rules, and submission requirements; verify in attachments).
• Submission deadline compliance: proposal due date/time and delivery method (verify in attachments and notice).
• Any required forms, certifications, or acknowledgements referenced by the solicitation model (verify in attachments).

Pricing & strategy notes

The notice points to an Excel bid form, which usually means the State wants pricing expressed in a specific structure (e.g., by post, hour, shift, or location). To build a defensible price without guessing:

• Start with Attachment A and price exactly as requested (do not reformat).
• Use the exhibits to confirm how many posts, coverage hours, and location-specific requirements drive labor (verify in attachments).
• Benchmark against similar DHS unarmed guard solicitations to understand typical compliance artifacts and how pricing is presented (see related opportunities below).
• Given the 3-month term, consider whether your pricing should account for ramp-up and scheduling stability across three sites—while staying aligned to the bid form structure (verify in attachments).

Subcontracting / teaming ideas

• Partner with a local guard firm that can cover one of the geographies (Bel Air vs. Havre de Grace) if your footprint is uneven.
• Use a subcontractor for overflow staffing to ensure coverage continuity during the short contract period.
• If the exhibits require specific reporting or administrative deliverables, consider teaming with a firm that already supports public-sector facility security in Maryland (verify in attachments).

Risks & watch-outs

• Attachment-driven compliance: missed forms or incorrect bid form completion can be fatal—confirm every required submission element in the solicitation model (verify in attachments).
• Short turnaround: the window between issue date and due date is tight; plan for rapid internal approvals and guard availability.
• Multi-site logistics: three locations may mean staggered schedules and supervision expectations (verify in exhibits).
• Contract term risk: a three-month engagement can create staffing churn if not managed; confirm whether there are any extension options (verify in attachments).

Related opportunities

• Unarmed Guard Services for Allegany County DSS
• Somerset County DSS – Unarmed Security Guards (small procurement example)
• This opportunity on BidPulsar: Unarmed Security Guards (Harford County DSS)

How to act on this

1. Open the BidPulsar notice and download all attachments (Attachment A + exhibits + DHS solicitation model).
2. Confirm staffing coverage, any site rules, and the required pricing format (verify in attachments).
3. Build a staffing plan across the three Harford County locations and complete the bid form exactly as requested.
4. Submit by the stated deadline and method (verify in attachments).

If you want a second set of eyes on compliance (bid form accuracy, required exhibits/forms, and risk flags), consider routing your response plan through Federal Bid Partners LLC before you hit submit.