Skip to main content

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.
You see your project estimate, your bid package estimate, and each subcontractor’s submitted quote side-by-side while subcontractors only ever see their own quote and the bid package line items (never your internal numbers).

Prerequisites

  • You have an active bid package with at least one trade that has received subcontractor quotes.
  • Line items are recommended for detailed comparison (optional but highly valuable).

Steps

  1. Open Bid Levelling for a specific trade — From the project → Bidding → select your active bid package → click the desired trade (or open any subcontractor’s Bid Conversation and select the Bid Levelling tab).

  2. Review how line items are created and synced — When you built the bid package you added trades and line items in the Trades & Cost Breakdown step. Those line items automatically appear in your master project estimate (with $0 values by default or imported values if you chose to import). Subcontractors fill out the exact same line items, enabling true apples-to-apples comparison.

  3. Compare your estimate vs subcontractor quote(s) — The left side shows your internal numbers and total (synced from the project estimate if imported). The right side shows each subcontractor’s line-item pricing and total. Multiple subcontractors who bid on the same trade appear stacked for instant visual comparison.

  4. Evaluate differences and prepare to award — Scroll and compare line-by-line variances, totals, and any attached documents. Subcontractors can resubmit anytime by removing and resubmitting their quote. The view works identically on mobile (layout adjusts automatically).

Confirmation

You are now in the Bid Levelling view with your internal estimate on the left, subcontractor quote(s) on the right, and all line items and totals clearly displayed for comparison.

FAQ

Can subcontractors see my internal estimate values?
No. Subcontractors only see the bid package line items and their own submitted numbers.

What if I didn’t create line items in the bid package?
Subcontractors will only submit a lump-sum total and you will only be limited to total-price comparison.

Can a subcontractor update or revise their quote after submission?
Yes — they can select Remove Quote and resubmit a new one as many times as needed.

Do changes I make to my project estimate update in bid levelling?
Yes, if you imported the line items when creating the bid package, the values stay synced in both places.

How are multiple bids for the same trade displayed?
All bids appear stacked side-by-side in the same fixed layout so every quote is evaluated consistently.

Back to top