# Award Bids & Manage Subcontractors

# Create a Subcontractor

## Summary

In BuilderPal, a Subcontractor represents a dedicated workspace for a specific trade or scope of work — for example, Plumbing, Electrical, or Concrete.

You can create a subcontractor before you’ve hired anyone, allowing you to:

• Plan their scope  
• Assign actions  
• Upload and organize documents  
• Build and send bid packages  
• Map out their responsibilities  

Think of it as setting up their entire work area ahead of time, so when you award or hire someone, everything is already structured and ready.

Each subcontractor workspace integrates directly with bid requests, bid packages, bid leveling, cost line items, and the overall project cost breakdown.



## Prerequisites

- You must be in an active project
- Your role must be Admin, Team Business Manager, or Team Project Manager

## Steps

1. **Open Subcontractors** — From your project sidebar, click **Subcontractors**.

2. **Click “+ New”** — In the top right corner, click **+ New**, then choose **Add New Subcontractor**.

3. **Select or Create a Trade** — You’ll see a list of common trades like Plumber, Electrician, Drywall Installer, Concrete Contractor. Use the search bar to quickly find one, or select the closest match for your scope.

4. **Configure Your Subcontractor** —  
   Enter the **Trade Name** (this is the label for this workspace).  
   Toggle **Access & Permissions** to decide if this subcontractor will have access to shared project documents once they’re hired or assigned.  
   Add **Internal Notes** for your team (e.g., past experience notes, screening comments, reminders for bidding — these are never visible to the subcontractor).

5. **Click Create Subcontractor** — This saves the subcontractor and adds them to your project.

![](https://colony-recorder.s3.amazonaws.com/files/2025-11-21/296945c2-681c-4495-b893-ed0729e3c455/stack_animation.webp)
## Confirmation

Once created, each subcontractor gets their own dedicated workspace inside your project with three core tabs:

1. **Details** — Contains trade name, permissions, internal notes, and settings.  
2. **Actions** — You can assign tasks and responsibilities before anyone is hired (these actions can later transfer directly to whoever you award).  
3. **Documents** — Each subcontractor gets their own document storage area — used for drawings, specifications, uploaded bids, trade-specific files.

The new subcontractor will appear in your Subcontractors list with its trade name and status clearly shown.

## FAQ

**Can I create a subcontractor before I’ve hired anyone?**  
Yes — this is the recommended way. You can fully build out scope, actions, documents, and bid packages long before awarding the work.

**What are Internal Notes used for?**  
Anything your team needs to remember: past experience with contractors, screening comments, bidding reminders, insurance notes, etc. The subcontractor never sees these notes.

**Will the subcontractor automatically get access to the main project documents folder?**  
No. Access to shared project documents is controlled by the toggle you set during creation (or later in the Details tab). By default, they only see their own subcontractor workspace.

**Do actions, documents, and bid packages I add now carry over when I award the contract?**  
Yes — everything you build in the workspace automatically becomes available to the awarded contact with no extra work.

**Can I have multiple subcontractors for the same trade (e.g., multiple plumbers or multiple concrete contractors)?**  
Yes. Each workspace is independent, so you can have “Plumbing – Rough-In”, “Plumbing – Finish”, or separate workspaces for different bidders.

**Can I change the trade name or permissions later?**  
Yes — open the subcontractor’s **Details** tab and edit the Trade Name or toggle permissions anytime.

## Related Articles

- [Trades & Cost Breakdown](https://docs.builderpal.com/books/hire-trades-manage-bids/page/trades-cost-breakdown)
- [Direct Award Contact](https://docs.builderpal.com/books/hire-trades-manage-bids/page/direct-award-contact)
- [Manage Subcontractors](https://docs.builderpal.com/books/hire-trades-manage-bids/chapter/award-bids-manage-subcontractors)
- [Create and Send Bid Packages](https://docs.builderpal.com/books/hire-trades-manage-bids/page/create-a-bid-package-basics)
- [How Projects Relate to Subcontractors](https://docs.builderpal.com/books/project-setup-basics/page/how-projects-relate-to-subcontractors)

# Direct Award Contact

## Summary
Award Contact lets you skip the full bidding process and immediately assign a subcontractor to a contact you already know and trust.  

Use this when you have a preferred contact, don’t need competing quotes, and want them on the job right away. The subcontractor still receives a formal award notification and must accept before they are officially added to the project and assignments become active.

This is the fastest way to bring a known trade partner onto your project while keeping everything tracked inside BuilderPal.


## Prerequisites
- You are an Admin, Team Business Manager, or Team Project Manager on the project.  
- The person you want to assign is already saved in your **Contacts**.  
- You are working inside an active project.

## Steps

1. **Open the Subcontractors section** — In your project, click **Subcontractors** in the left sidebar.

2. **Choose the Subcontractor** — Click the subcontractor you want to assign (e.g., Electrician, Plumbing, Debris Hauler, etc.).

3. **Start the direct award** — In the subcontractor panel that opens, click the **Award Contact** button (usually at the top next to “Create Bid Package”).

4. **Select your contact** — Your Contacts list will appear. Find and select the company or person you want to award. They must be a connceted contact.

5. **Confirm the award** — Click **Award Contact** in the modal. The award is sent instantly.

![](https://colony-recorder.s3.amazonaws.com/files/2025-11-21/e993c28c-c482-4ced-acde-0b4e32de3fee/stack_animation.webp)

## Confirmation
After awarding:
- The subcontractor now shows the contact’s company name with an “Awaiting acceptance” tag.  
- You will see an **Unaward Job** button in case you need to reverse it.  
- Any Actions, work items, or responsibilities you already assigned to that subcontractor automatically carry over and will become visible to the contact once they accept.

The contact receives a notification in their Inbox and accepts via the Bid Conversation panel (not from their own Subcontractors page).

## FAQ

**Q: What’s the difference between Award Contact and inviting bidders?**  
A: Award Contact skips bidding entirely and goes straight to award. Inviting bidders or posting a bid package is for collecting multiple quotes and comparing pricing.

**Q: Do previously assigned Actions carry over?**  
A: Yes — everything you already assigned to that subcontractor (Actions, files, schedule items, etc.) instantly becomes visible to the contact after they accept.

**Q: Can I undo the award?**  
A: Yes. Before they accept, click **Unaward Job**. After acceptance, remove them via normal participant/subcontractor management.

**Q: What if my contact isn’t in my Contacts list yet?**  
A: You must first add them as a contact (or invite them). Award Contact only works with existing contacts.

**Q: Will the subcontractor see the award right away?**  
A: Yes — they get an Inbox notification immediately and can accept from the Bid Conversation panel in their account.

## Related Articles
- [Create a Bid Package Basics](https://docs.builderpal.com/books/hire-trades-manage-bids/page/create-a-bid-package-basics)
- [Bid Conversations](https://docs.builderpal.com/books/hire-trades-manage-bids/page/bid-conversations)
- [Message in Job Chat](https://docs.builderpal.com/books/communication/page/message-in-job-chat)
- [Communication with Actions](https://docs.builderpal.com/books/actions/page/communication-with-actions)
- [Communication in Bids (Subcontractor View)](https://docs.builderpal.com/books/bidding-as-a-subcontractor/page/communication-in-bids)

# Award or Decline Bids

## Summary

In BuilderPal, awarding a bid officially assigns one or more trades to a subcontractor and moves the project forward. There is **no formal “Decline” button** — this is intentional. Bids are declined implicitly by awarding a bidder or by letting un-awarded bids expire naturally. This mirrors real-world construction bidding practices, reduces unnecessary negative notifications to subcontractors, and keeps communication professional and focused on positive outcomes.

You can award from either the **Bid Conversation** or the **Bid Leveling** tab — both trigger the exact same award flow. Partial awards are fully supported (you can split scopes across multiple subcontractors), and you can un-award at any time without penalty if plans change.

Once awarded, the subcontractor receives a notification and must formally **Accept the Award** from their side before the assignment is locked in.


## Prerequisites

- You are an Admin (GC), Team Business Manager, or Team Project Manager on the project
- A bid package has been sent out
- At least one subcontractor has submitted a bid

## Steps

1. **Go to the Bidding section of your project** — Open the project and select the **Bidding** tab.

    ![](https://scribehow.com/shared/Award_Bid_Package__f8HfsGzURl2IiGSRVa4gnA?redirect=false&step=1)

2. **Select the trade you want to award** — Click the trade (e.g., Electrical, Plumbing, Framing, etc.) to open its bid overview.

    ![](https://scribehow.com/shared/Award_Bid_Package__f8HfsGzURl2IiGSRVa4gnA?redirect=false&step=2)

3. **Open the bidder’s Bid Conversation** — Click the subcontractor’s name or bid card to open the conversation panel.

    ![](https://scribehow.com/shared/Award_Bid_Package__f8HfsGzURl2IiGSRVa4gnA?redirect=false&step=3)

4. **Start the award process** — At the top of the Bid Conversation, click **Award Bid**.

    ![](https://scribehow.com/shared/Award_Bid_Package__f8HfsGzURl2IiGSRVa4gnA?redirect=false&step=4)

5. **Choose which trades to award** — In the Award Bid modal, toggle the specific trades or select all. You may award the entire package or split scopes across multiple subcontractors.

    ![](https://scribehow.com/shared/Award_Bid_Package__f8HfsGzURl2IiGSRVa4gnA?redirect=false&step=5)

6. **Assign the subcontractor to your directory** — For each awarded trade, either select an existing contact or create a new subcontractor record.

    ![](https://scribehow.com/shared/Award_Bid_Package__f8HfsGzURl2IiGSRVa4gnA?redirect=false&step=6)

7. **Finalize and send the award** — Review the summary, then click **AWARD BID**.

![](https://colony-recorder.s3.amazonaws.com/files/2025-11-21/5a7cc992-84e2-427a-b3b6-26d034ff8cec/stack_animation.webp)
 
## Confirmation

The Bid Conversation now shows the **AWARDED** badge and the button changes to **Unaward Job**. The subcontractor receives an Inbox notification and can accept the award from their side. In Bid Leveling, the awarded bidder is highlighted with an **AWARDED** label.



## FAQ

**Can I award only some trades to a subcontractor and the rest to another?**  
Yes. Use the toggles in the Award Bid modal to split scopes however you need.

**What happens to the other bidders when I award one?**  
They remain in “Submitted” status. You can let their bids expire naturally or manually un-award if you change your mind — no explicit decline notification is sent.

**Do I have to wait for the subcontractor to accept before proceeding?**  
No. You can continue assigning tasks, actions, schedule items, etc. immediately. Their acceptance simply confirms their commitment and locks the assignment.



**Is the award process the same on mobile?**  
Yes — the entire flow (review → award → assign → confirm) is fully available in the BuilderPal mobile app.

  

## Related Articles

- [Bid Conversations](https://docs.builderpal.com/books/hire-trades-manage-bids/page/bid-conversations)
- [Bid Leveling and Comparing Estimates](https://docs.builderpal.com/books/hire-trades-manage-bids/page/bid-levelling-and-comparing-estimates)
- [Communication with Actions](https://docs.builderpal.com/books/actions/page/communication-with-actions)
- [Send a Bid Package](https://docs.builderpal.com/books/hire-trades-manage-bids/page/send-a-bid-package)
- [Subcontractor View – Accepting an Award](https://docs.builderpal.com/books/bidding-as-a-subcontractor/page/bid-on-a-job)

# Subcontractor Project Permissions & Visibility