Bid Levelling & Communication
Bid Conversations
Summary
Bid conversations are the dedicated message threads between you (GC) and each subcontractor during the bidding phase. They keep all bid-related communication tied to the specific bid package and trade(s) — preventing scattered emails, texts, or external tools — and provide a complete, auditable history directly inside BuilderPal.
This article covers the General Contractor perspective. Subcontractors see the same thread but with their own view — see Communication in Bids (Subcontractor).
How It Helps
- All scope questions, clarifications, exclusions, scheduling notes, and file exchanges stay attached to the bid package forever
- No more “Did you see my email?” or lost attachments
- Full transparency and audit trail when comparing bids or defending change orders later
- Faster, cleaner decisions because everything is in one place
How It Works
When a Conversation Opens
A bid conversation becomes available **only after the subcontractor is approved to bid on your package.
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Invited subcontractors
When you send an invite via Invite Bidders and they accept → conversation opens immediately.
Either party can send the first message. -
Subcontractors who request via Job Connector
Their request appears in your Bid Requests tab → you approve or decline → conversation opens only after you approve.
Where to Find Bid Conversations (GC view)
- Inbox – new messages, invite acceptances, and quote submissions create notifications
- Bid Leveling screen → subcontractor card → Bid Conversation button
- Subcontractors tab → select subcontractor → Bid Package section → message area
Multiple Trades in One Package
If your bid package contains several trades (e.g., Electrical + Low Voltage + Fire Alarm), the subcontractor uses the same single conversation for all of them. They can ask questions or submit bids for any or all trades inside that one thread.
What You Can Do Inside the Conversation
- Send/receive messages in real time
- Attach project documents, upload new files, or link Google Drive/Dropbox, or paste external URLs
- Clarify scope, specifications, scheduling, sequencing, exclusions, alternates, etc.
- Receive quote submissions and revisions directly in the thread
After You Award a Trade
The bid conversation stays open for reference, but day-to-day communication automatically shifts to the new Project Job Chat (or Action Chats) for the awarded trade(s). Each awarded trade becomes its own project on the subcontractor’s side while remaining organized under your main project on your side.
Stopping Messages
There is currently no “close” or “mute” button. The conversation remains open as long as the subcontractor is connected to the project. To stop messages entirely, remove or disconnect the subcontractor from the project.
When to Use
Use bid conversations any time you need to discuss scope, pricing, scheduling, or documents with a bidder — basically every interaction from invite acceptance until award/decline.
Next Steps
- Invite or approve bidders → Invite Bidders
- Compare quotes → Bid Levelling & Comparing Estimates
- Award the trade → Award or Decline Bids
FAQ
Q: When exactly does the conversation become available?
A: Immediately after the subcontractor is approved (invite accepted or manual approval of a Job Connector request).
Q: Do I get a separate thread for each trade in a multi-trade package?
A: No — one conversation per bid package, even if the package contains multiple trades.
Q: Can I message a subcontractor before they are approved?
A: No. The conversation only unlocks after approval.
Q: What if I award some trades but decline others to the same sub?
A: The single bid conversation remains the history for all trades. Awarded trades then get their own ongoing Job Chat; declined trades stay in the bid conversation only.
Q: Can I prevent a subcontractor from continuing to message after I’ve declined or awarded elsewhere?
A: Currently you must remove/disconnect them from the project to fully stop messages.
Related Articles
- Invite Bidders
- Bid Levelling & Comparing Estimates
- Award or Decline Bids
- Communication in Bids (Subcontractor)
- Bid on a Job
- Invite-Only Jobs vs Public Jobs
Bid Levelling and Comparing Estimates
Summary
Bid levelling lets you compare subcontractor quotes against your own internal numbers — line item by line item — so you can evaluate pricing before awarding.
This is the single place where you see your project estimate, your bid package estimate, and every subcontractor quote side-by-side.
Subcontractors only ever see their own quote and the bid package line items. They never see your internal estimated values.
When you create a bid package, the line items you add in the Trades & Cost Breakdown step automatically flow into your master project estimate (as $0 values by default, or with your existing estimate values if you import them). Subcontractors then price those exact same line items.
In bid levelling you are compared:
- Your internal project estimate (or manually entered values)
- The bid package estimate (synced copy of your line items)
- Each subcontractor’s submitted quote (totals + line items + attachments)
The left column always shows your numbers. The right side stacks every subcontractor who bid on that trade.
Prerequisites
- An active bid package that has received at least one subcontractor quote
- (Recommended) Line items created in the bid package for detailed apples-to-apples comparison
Steps
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Access Bid Levelling — From your project → click Bidding in the left menu → select the active bid package → click any trade with quotes, OR open a subcontractor’s Bid Conversation and select the Bid Levelling tab.
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Understand how line items sync between estimate and bid levelling — Line items created in the bid package automatically appear in your project estimate. If you imported values from your estimate when creating the package, those numbers stay perfectly synced — update in one place and they update in both.
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Compare your estimate against subcontractor quote(s) — The left side is locked to your internal numbers and total. The right side shows every subcontractor who submitted for that trade, stacked vertically with their line-item pricing, totals, and any attached files.
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Evaluate variances, allow revisions, and compare multiple bidders — Scroll line-by-line to spot differences. Subcontractors can resubmit anytime using Remove Quote → new submission. All bidders on the same trade appear together in the fixed layout (no filters needed). The view works identically on mobile with responsive adjustments.
Confirmation
You are in the Bid Levelling view: your internal estimate on the left, subcontractor quote(s) stacked on the right, line items and totals clearly visible for direct comparison.
FAQ
Can subcontractors see my internal estimate values?
No — they only see the bid package line items and their own submitted pricing.
What if I didn’t add line items to the bid package?
Subcontractors can only submit a lump-sum total; you lose line-item visibility and comparison.
Can a subcontractor revise their quote after submission?
Yes — they click Remove Quote in their bid conversation and submit a new one as many times as needed.
Do updates to my project estimate automatically update in bid levelling?
Yes, if you imported the line items when creating the bid package; the values remain synced in both places.
How are multiple subcontractors displayed for the same trade?
All quotes appear stacked vertically in the same fixed layout for consistent side-by-side comparison.
What happens to the bid conversation after I award the bid?
The conversation stays open. Communication simply moves to Project Job Chat or Action chats.
Does bid levelling work on mobile?
Yes — the layout adjusts for smaller screens but all functionality is identical.