A security proposal can look convincing on paper. The harder question is whether the team will understand your building, keep the agreed posts covered and give you useful information when something needs attention. Choosing the best security company in Dubai for your premises starts with those practical details.
This checklist is for facilities managers, business owners and property teams comparing providers. Use it to ask the same questions of each company, then judge the answers against your site rather than the length of a brochure.
Define the job before comparing prices
Write a short brief covering the address, operating hours, entrances, visitor and contractor traffic, and duties you expect. Include current frustrations: perhaps deliveries interrupt reception, evening handovers are unclear or incident reports arrive without enough detail.
Separate essential duties from optional additions. Otherwise, two quotations may appear comparable even though one includes patrols, relief cover and supervision while the other covers only the named posts. Our security site survey checklist can help you prepare that brief.
Make licensing your first screening check
Ask for the provider’s legal company name, current trade licence and relevant SIRA security licence. Check that the proposed activity matches the documents, rather than relying on a logo or a general statement of approval.
SIRA lists different licensed security activities, including guarding and event security, on its security-licence service page. The detail matters. A credential should relate to the company and work you are actually buying. Read our guide to checking a SIRA licence for the document questions to ask.
Ask the provider to explain a normal working day
A useful proposal describes how the assignment will run. Who authorises a visitor? What happens when a contractor arrives outside the agreed hours? Who receives the handover at the end of a shift?
Ask to see the proposed assignment instructions, or an anonymised example of their format. They should make duties, boundaries and escalation contacts clear. Do not request another client’s confidential procedures.
For a hypothetical office building, a suitable discussion might cover morning arrivals, delivery access and evening patrols. A warehouse could require a different conversation about vehicles and perimeter checks. The provider should explain the differences.
Look beyond the first day
Find out how officers and relief personnel learn the site before taking responsibility. Ask who checks their understanding and how revised instructions reach every shift. Our article on officer preparation and supervision explains these stages in more detail.
Next, discuss service continuity. What is the process for an unexpected absence? Who contacts you, and how is a replacement briefed? Record the agreed arrangement in the service documents rather than assuming that “cover included” answers every question.
Supervision also needs a clear purpose. Ask what supervisors review, how concerns are recorded and who is responsible for closing an action. A visit is most useful when it leads to a documented check or a resolved issue.
Use a simple comparison sheet
Copy these headings into your tender notes. For each provider, mark the answer as confirmed, clarification needed or missing. Keep the supporting document or meeting note alongside it.
| Area | Evidence to request | Question to resolve |
|---|---|---|
| Licensing | Current company and activity documents | Do they cover this assignment? |
| Site plan | Proposed duties and assignment instructions | Who owns each task? |
| Continuity | Relief and handover arrangements | What happens if staffing changes? |
| Management | Supervision and escalation process | Who follows up an unresolved concern? |
| Reporting | An anonymised report example | Will it help us act on issues? |
| Price | Itemised scope and exclusions | Are the quotations like-for-like? |
What to discuss with Guardforce
Our approach includes site-specific instructions, officer familiarisation, supervisory visits, relief planning and a 24/7 manned control room. You can review our method of operation and ask how these arrangements would apply to your premises.
Guardforce provides security services in Dubai. Lifeguard services are separate and may be discussed for sites across the UAE, subject to applicable requirements. Your proposal should clearly identify the service, location and agreed responsibilities.
Frequently asked questions
Should I choose the lowest quotation?
Compare the included duties and management arrangements first. A lower price is only meaningful when hours, posts, relief, supervision and exclusions are comparable. Ask for unclear items to be confirmed in writing.
What should I ask for before the service starts?
Confirm the agreed duties, deployment and familiarisation plan, reporting format, escalation contacts and review date. Make sure your own team knows who can change an instruction or authorise access.
Discuss your site
Send us your Dubai location, operating hours and main concerns. Contact Guardforce to discuss a security arrangement you can assess against this checklist.
Editorially reviewed: 7 September 2026.
