Bid management Builder and up
Invite subs, level the bids, award the scope. Without the spreadsheet.
Build bid packages by trade, invite subs from your own directory, answer questions once for every bidder, and compare bids side by side with a scope checklist. The winning bid becomes a commitment in job costing.
05 Structural steel package
- 14 Invited
- 11 Viewed
- 6 Will bid
- 4 Submitted
| Scope | Ridgeline Steel | Northfork Fab. | Keel Structural | Ashby Iron |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base bid | $389,400 | $402,000 | $371,900 | $415,500 |
| Shop drawings | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| Embeds and anchor bolts | Included | Included | Excl. +$12,400 | Included |
| Metal deck | Included | Included | Excl. +$11,600 | Excl. +$11,600 |
| Erection and cranes | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| Leveled total | $389,400 Lowest leveled | $402,000 | $395,900 | $427,100 |
Fictional bidders. Exclusions get a plug price so every column covers the same scope.
Sample job, built in HTML for this page.
Who does what
Useful on the deck and at the desk.
In the field
- Superintendents can review scope gaps before the award
- Awarded scope and exclusions travel with the commitment to the field
- Bidder questions and answers stay attached to the package
In the office
- Bid packages by trade with drawings, specs and a due date
- Track invited, viewed, intends to bid and submitted, per sub
- Level bids side by side and award into a commitment in one step
What it does
Bid management, in detail.
- 01Your directory, your subs
- Invite from the companies you already work with, tagged by trade and region. Purlin keeps their contacts current from past jobs.
- 02Know who is really bidding
- See who opened the invite, who said they will bid, and who went quiet, while there is still time to call someone else.
- 03Q&A answered once
- A question from one bidder gets one answer, sent to every bidder on the package. Addenda go out the same way.
- 04Level, then award
- Compare base bids, alternates and exclusions against one scope checklist. The award becomes a subcontract in job costing.
How it works
Four steps, start to finish.
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STEP 1
Build the package
Pick the trade, attach the sheets and spec sections, set the due date.
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STEP 2
Invite
Choose subs from your directory. They respond from an email link, no account needed.
-
STEP 3
Answer and track
Post answers to every bidder. Watch who is in and who is not.
-
STEP 4
Level and award
Compare against the scope checklist. Award, and the commitment is created.
Limits
What it does not do.
- Purlin does not find new subs or run a public bid board. You invite companies in your own directory.
- Takeoff and estimating stay in your estimating tool. Import the estimate as a spreadsheet to build the budget.
- Bid packages on projects you have not won yet do not count as active projects on your bill.
Questions
Do subs need a Purlin account to bid?
No. They view the package and submit from an email link. If they bid with you often, a free login keeps all their invitations in one list.
Does a project in bidding count toward our price?
No. A project only counts as active once you win it and start logging work. Preconstruction bidding is free on Builder and Company plans.
Linked modules
Bring one real job to the demo.
Thirty minutes with a former PM or superintendent. We load one of your RFIs and one of your drawings, and show you what your field crew would see tomorrow morning.
- Plans from $199 / month
- Users Unlimited, every plan
- Trial 14 days, no card
- Leaving Export everything, any time