Define a package a bidder can price
State the trade boundaries, alternates, allowances, unit-price requests, schedule milestones, access limits, temporary work, testing, cleanup, and closeout duties. Cite the relevant drawings and specifications.
Call out interfaces that commonly fall between packages instead of relying on a general instruction to include all related work. Use the bid invitation review to confirm that recipients, due dates, submission instructions, and package identity match the current procurement plan.
Control the issued document set
Include a dated drawing and specification index, every applicable addendum, bid form, and response template. Remove superseded files from the issue folder. If a late revision must follow separately, state what changed and require bidders to acknowledge it.
AGC publishes resources on construction contracts, but the project team must apply the actual solicitation and contract documents. Route legal or commercial interpretation to an authorized reviewer.
| Gate | Evidence |
|---|---|
| Scope | Trade boundaries and interfaces |
| Documents | Current indexed issue set |
| Return | Comparable pricing format |
| Exceptions | Owner and approved treatment |
Design the return for comparison
Ask bidders to separate base scope, alternates, allowances, exclusions, lead times, proposed substitutions, and qualifications. Request the level of labor, material, equipment, and unit detail that the estimate team can realistically review. Avoid collecting detail that has no decision use.
Before release, compare the package against the subcontractor scope sheet. Record unresolved gaps, the temporary pricing treatment, and the person who approved issuing the package with that exception.
