Bid Estimating Services for Competitive Construction Bidding and Proposal Preparation

We prepare competitive bids by performing a complete quantity takeoff from your drawings and specifications, applying current unit prices from RSMeans and regional supplier data, analyzing labor productivity rates for each scope of work, incorporating subcontractor quotes for specialty trades, performing bid leveling to ensure all scopes are covered, and assembling a professional proposal package that clearly presents your pricing and scope inclusions.

Bid leveling is the process of comparing subcontractor and supplier quotes on an equal basis by adjusting for scope inclusions, exclusions, and qualifications. We review each quote against the project specifications, identify gaps or overlaps in coverage, and present a leveled comparison that allows you to select the most competitive responsive bid for each trade.

We manage the full subcontractor quote process including soliciting quotes from your approved subcontractor list, reviewing each quote against the bid documents for completeness, leveling quotes to ensure scope consistency, and incorporating the best responsive pricing into your bid. We track quote deadlines and follow up with subcontractors to ensure you have all quotes before bid time.

A winning bid combines accurate quantities, competitive pricing, complete scope coverage, and professional presentation. We ensure your bid is competitive by using current material and labor pricing, applying appropriate overhead and profit margins, verifying that every specification requirement is included, and presenting the final bid in a clear, organized format that general contractors and owners can evaluate quickly.

We prepare most bid estimates within 24 to 48 hours of receiving your drawings and specifications. For projects with urgent bid deadlines, we offer expedited service and can deliver complete bid packages within 24 hours for most project sizes. Complex projects with multiple bid alternates or extensive subcontractor quote requirements may need additional time scoped during the quote.

We need the complete bid documents including architectural drawings, structural drawings, MEP drawings, specifications, addenda, bid form, and any supplementary conditions. For subcontractor bids we need the relevant trade drawings and specifications. All documents can be emailed to info@thevirtualestimation.com. We accept PDF, DWG, and Revit file formats.

Yes. Our estimators conduct a thorough bid document review before beginning the takeoff. We review the drawings for completeness, identify missing information or conflicts, note all addenda and bulletins, verify the scope of work against the specifications, and flag any clarifications needed before pricing. We document all assumptions and exclusions in the bid summary.

Yes. We prepare bid estimates for public works projects including federal, state, county, and municipal contracts. Our estimates comply with public bidding requirements including prevailing wage rates, certified payroll reporting, MBE/WBE subcontractor documentation, bid bond coordination, and sealed bid formatting. We understand the specific requirements of public bid openings.

Scope review is the systematic process of reading through the entire project specifications and cross-referencing them with the drawings to identify every item and work activity required for the project. We document all inclusions, exclusions, assumptions, and clarifications in a scope review matrix that accompanies every bid estimate. This ensures nothing is missed and reduces change order risk.

We ensure accuracy through a multi-step quality control process. Each estimate undergoes an initial quantity takeoff by a senior estimator, a second-level review of quantities and pricing, a scope verification against specifications, and a final bid check before delivery. We use digital takeoff software for precise measurements, maintain current pricing databases for all trades, and apply historical productivity data for labor calculations.