Why Online Bidding Platforms Improve the Efficiency of Bidding Your Projects

The pandemic and resulting circumstances have forced companies and agencies in all industries to examine the way they operate, consider change management and rethink best practices.

That includes the bid solicitation process.

Online civil construction bidding platforms that engage contractors digitally in all steps of the bidding process can provide significant efficiencies over the traditional process. As we have adapted to an environment that requires limited touch points and in-person contact, online bid management eliminates the need for driving to a designated location to pick up construction plans and then submit hardcopy bids. It can help eliminate in-person bid opening meetings that may require contractors, engineers and agency representatives to be in the same room.

In addition to addressing the health and safety concerns of the time, these bid management platforms enable municipalities and other agencies to streamline the process and produce better and more comprehensive results quickly.

Here are some examples:

• Contractors are already checking these websites daily to see what bids are coming open from consultants, municipalities and other platform publishers. It’s an easier way for contractors to find projects, meaning your project is being advertised to a greater audience.

• When more firms are interested in submitting bids, the byproduct is more contractors bidding on your project, resulting in competitive pricing. That provides additional value for your municipality or agency.

• These platforms serve as an all-encompassing data base for all bids, provide instant tabulations (which are otherwise done by hand), sort bids from low to high and provide necessary backup documentation.

• There is full transparency. It’s not uncommon for contractor emails to be spread among a municipality, a consultant and the client during a more traditional process. Bid management systems allow questions to be directed to one location and answered there. Therefore, those questions are addressed only one time, and everyone who has signed up for the bid knows the response.

• Clearly communicated bid information and Q&A in one location may also make some addendums unnecessary. However, if one needs to be developed, an addendum alert can be sent automatically to all bidders.

• Clients can view what contractors have opened documents for review to get an early assessment on the potential bidders for the project.

• Post-processing bid information is received immediately at the bid date and time. Bids can be read immediately with an accurate summary.

Civil construction bid management software facilitates additional visibility for your project, access to more contractors, quick communication and real-time tabulations and bid results. It equips your organization with a more efficient process across the board.

Halff has successfully performed a full digital bidding process for the Trinity River Authority of Texas, generating an increased number of bid proposals, no errors in bid submissions and cost savings versus the anticipated bid price. We can do the same for your projects.

Write to Info-PublicWorks@Halff.com to learn how Halff can assist you with the bid solicitation process.