The bidding process in construction is a complex one and is rarely easy. Even thorough research about upcoming bids will not help. You might not get that bid that is fit for your company.
Fortunately, the industry has gone through plenty of technological advancements. These innovations pave the way for better construction projects, from something as complex as robotics to something as simple as construction scheduling software.
There are even excellent construction bidding websites that help contractors find new projects that are befitting to their area of expertise. Instead of spending hours on end looking for jobs on every other source, take advantage of bidding sites where you can directly submit your bids.
While there are countless construction bidding platforms up and running, you have to be careful in choosing. That’s because not all of them are effective and should not even be trusted. Using an unreliable site or software can cost you more than a subscription.
To make sure you get the most bang out of your buck and help in scheduling in construction, here is a list of the best construction bidding platforms. These are proven to aid contractors and subcontractors in connecting with private and public sector construction projects.
Why use a construction bidding site?
Essentially, construction bidding sites give a list of construction projects in need of contractors and subcontractors for the pre-construction and construction stages. But why use a site or software if you can scour the Internet yourself?
Efficiency. Preparing a bid can be very time-consuming, but these platforms readily provide a detailed list of potential projects so you can decide on which ones are worth going after and are fit for your business.
Plus, project management for construction will go much smoother when you’re working on a job perfectly aligned to your company and its abilities. You can trust your team to do the best they can with their skills and knowledge.
How do construction bidding sites work?
Aside from giving lists of construction projects in the area and that fit a contractor’s or subcontractor’s field of expertise, construction bidding sites have contact tools that connect bidders to the right decision-makers for a project. These will help both parties establish a good and strong relationship. Subsequently, the right contact can skyrocket the bidder to the top of the list, helping them win the job.
More than that, subcontractors and contractors can find jobs easier and faster with regular alerts and notifications from these platforms. They can know about new and ongoing projects and updates based on the baseline of a project. With tags and filters, searches will target jobs they want to bid on.
Top Best Construction Bidding Platforms
1. BidClerk
BidClerk is arguably the best commercial construction bidding or contractor bid platform. Targeting commercial construction firms, this platform allows you access to commercial bids from the US and Canada.
Ease of searching
The BidClerk site is free (for the most part) and relatively easy to navigate. From the drop-down menu, select a state or province and you’ll be directed to a detailed dashboard. On it will be a list of all current construction projects in the selected area.
The search options let users filter, tag, and sort the results by specific metrics and criteria. They even send you alerts on new projects right to your inbox. If you aren’t to subscribe to them, you’re only allowed a limited number of filters you can use in your search.
Mobile-friendly
BidClerk’s mobile-friendly interface makes it easy for people to use the platform on the go. Users can share projects and sync upcoming project events to their calendars. More than that, the built-in analytics tools help users discover opportunities in their market and niche.
Subscription Prices
Although there are no prices listed on the site, members subscribed to BidClerk have full advantage to its features. They have unlimited access to project information, such as bidding details, documents, photographs, and maps.
2. iSqFt
iSqFt provides frequently updated lists of ongoing commercial projects, as well as access to the network of general contractors. The Balance Small Business says that iSqFt is the best site for small jobs because it connects subcontractors to general contractors. The latter can directly send bid invites to the latter, aiding each party in creating close work relationships.
Updated Search Results
The site’s Internet Plan Room® lets you search both public and private commercial construction projects in every phrase between planning and bidding. Its database of construction leads has every type of work for private and public projects, from retail centers to highways. Workers from every trade can benefit from this platform.
The site is also equipped with auto and advanced search options and estimating and takeoff tools. You can also search by keywords in project drawings. And like BidClerk, you can get alerts about updates and invites to bid with general contractors.
Links To Network
Among the many great features this site has is its ability to promote and connect subcontractors to over 1,500 general contractors. This helps subcontractors build direct relationships with general contractors, giving them plenty of opportunities to connect and work.
Subscription Prices
There are no prices posted on their site.
3. Construction Bid Source
Initially, Construction Bid Source was created for contractors and suppliers to bid on construction projects in California and other western states. Today, while it does not list projects in all the states, it offers both paid and free memberships.
Specific Searches
Although not every state is listed on the site, you can quickly narrow down the results. When you click on a state, it will bring you to a page of counties, towns, and cities. Beside each item is a number that indicates how many projects are open in that area. And each project shows the official bid date, pre-bid date, and sometimes an estimate.
Free Basic Membership
With this subscription, users can search and view projects out for bidding. You can also make a list of your favorite projects and advertise your company on projects. Subcontractors can look at bid dates for any project in the selected location.
Paid Standard Membership
On top of the features of the free membership, paying subscribers will receive daily emails about bids. Also, they’ll be able to view owner contract information and download bid documents.
This subscription costs $39.50 a month. You can also choose between a 6-month or one-year sign-up.
DBE Advertising Membership
The company helps contractors post Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) solicitations. Aside from solicitations, this assists them with research and GFE (Good Faith Effort) forms.
For the free and standard membership, DBE ads cost $35 per ad. On the other hand, members subscribed to the DBE Advertising membership get all basic features plus unlimited DBE ads. So, if you post more than 10 DBE ads a year, you may want to consider this option.
This subscription costs $349 a year.
4. ConstructionWire
ConstructionWire is a bidding site under BuildCentral, a database developer that caters to suppliers and vendors.
Easy-To-Use Searching Interface
With over 420,000 mostly private commercial projects to search from, you’ll have plenty of bidding opportunities. But you can refine your search by searching by project, company, or person.
If you choose by Project Report, you can further narrow the results by putting:
- a city, county, or state
- what stage the project is in
- the type of project(e.g., non-profit, grocery, medical, casinos)
- range of value
- Additional keywords.
Searching by company and people are similar. Like searching by project, you can input a location and type of project. However, there are other filters you can use.
- Company name or contact person, respectively
- type of company or person
Basically, Project Reports give leads on private and commercial projects in different stages. On the other hand, Company Reports provide detailed profiles of companies with new and ongoing projects. And People Reports offer information on key decision-makers, such as name, title, and contact details.
Security and Accessibility
ConstructionWire makes sure that the projects listed are valid and accurate by verifying them by phone. They also claim to obtain data on private projects, which are often overlooked by other platforms.
Updates and Notifications
ConstructionWire users will receive newsletters via email about projects. You can also organize and group projects in folders and create and track tasks on projects with notes.
Subscriptions
The platform offers three subscription plans with a free seven-day trial.
Regional Portal
This membership allows up to three users. They can search by project, company, and people in three states. It also offers 500 downloads a month. The Regional Portal costs $250 per month.
National Portal
This membership allows more than five users and they can access information in all 50 states. On top of the same 500 monthly downloads, users have five Project Q&As a month. There is no definite price on this subscription as the cost will depend on the number of users and company size.
Data Services
Features of Data Services include:
- Salesforce Integration
- Match and append
- Custom downloads
- Access to Portal
Like the National Portal, there is no set price for Data Services. You can contact Sales for custom pricing.
If you are a contractor looking for effective subcontractor scheduling software, use Pro Crew Schedule. Sign up today and get a free 30-day trial with all its features and no strings attached. Request a demo here.
