Bid package: subcontractor
A subcontractor bid proposal the GC can compare
We turn your estimate into a clear proposal for the general contractor, showing your price and exactly what it covers.
Fixed price in 2 business hours. Pay only after you accept.
- Fixed quote within 2 business hours
- Plan review is free
- You pay only after you accept the price and delivery date
- No files needed to get a quote
- Your facts, your prices, your signature
Inclusions
- Metal stud framing and gypsum board per the partition schedule
- Level 4 finish at all painted gypsum walls
- Interior painting per the finish schedule
- Acoustical ceilings ACT-1 and ACT-2
Exclusions
- Firestopping at rated penetrations
- Repair of existing walls beyond the areas shown
- Performance and payment bonds
- After-hours or weekend work
Clarifications
- Based on plans and Addenda 1 and 2 as issued
- Proposal valid for 30 days
- Work sequenced to the general contractor schedule
Quick answer
Subcontractor bid proposal writing from Bidmere turns your estimate into a scope letter a general contractor can level. Trade subcontractors get a scope letter draft with inclusions, exclusions and qualifications, alternates and unit prices in the GC’s format, a document basis list and a scope sheet comparison. Work is quoted to scope, fixed price within 2 business hours.
What goes into a subcontractor bid proposal?
A clear proposal states your price and its boundaries, so the general contractor does not have to guess.
- Scope letter draft: price, inclusions, exclusions and qualifications, with document references
- Alternates and unit prices: each priced the way the GC’s form asks, using your numbers
- Document basis list: plan sheets, specification sections, revisions and addenda the proposal covers
- Scope sheet comparison: your letter checked against the GC’s scope sheet, with differences flagged
Why does the scope letter matter as much as the price?
Because general contractors level subcontractor proposals side by side. A low number with vague exclusions often gets adjusted upward, or set aside.
A clear list of inclusions, exclusions, alternates and unit prices shows exactly what your number covers. When the GC’s estimator can see it at a glance, your proposal is easier to carry.
What does a clear scope letter look like?
Fictional example: an invented Division 09 finishes proposal.
Inclusions: metal stud framing and gypsum board per the partition schedule; Level 4 finish at painted walls; interior painting per the finish schedule; acoustical ceilings ACT-1 and ACT-2.
Exclusions: firestopping at rated penetrations; repair of existing walls beyond areas shown; performance and payment bonds; after-hours work.
Clarifications: based on plans and Addenda 1 and 2; valid for 30 days; sequenced to the GC’s schedule.
Which scope gaps cost subcontractors jobs?
- The GC’s scope sheet assigns work your trade does not usually carry
- A specification section includes items outside your trade
- An addendum arrived after your estimate was priced
- Bond or insurance requirements in the invitation are not addressed
- Exclusions written so broadly the GC cannot level them
Not included: setting your price or terms, bonds and insurance certificates, sending the proposal, and legal review of subcontract terms.
Have the solicitation in hand? Send the RFP or bid documents. Fixed quote within 2 business hours. Plan review is free, and you pay only after you accept.
Get a fixed quoteWhat should a subcontractor proposal state?
Every proposal we prepare covers the same core items, checked against the GC’s form:
- Base price and the documents it covers
- Inclusions by specification section and scope item
- Exclusions and clarifications, written so they can be leveled
- Alternates, each as an add or deduct
- Unit prices the GC or bid form requests
- Addenda acknowledged by number and date
- Validity period and any schedule assumptions
If the GC sends its own bid form, that form comes first and the scope letter supports it.
How does it work?
- Send a short description and the bid date. We reply within 2 business hours with a fixed quote.
- After you accept, we read the documents and the GC’s scope sheet.
- We draft the scope letter from your estimate and standard terms.
- You review, set the final price and send it to each GC.
What should you send?
- Your estimate, or the takeoff and rates to price it
- The bid documents: plans, specification sections and addenda
- The GC’s bid invitation and any scope sheet or bid form
- Your standard terms, exclusions and qualifications
Before you send plans
Common questions about handing off the work
Will this change my number?
No. You set the price. We write the boundaries around it and flag anything the documents require that your estimate does not show.
Who sends the proposal?
You do. We prepare it for your review and signature.
What if our deadline is close?
Send the due date with your request. We confirm what can be delivered before you accept, or we tell you the scope needs to shrink.
What if the quote is more than we expected?
You see the fixed price before any work starts and pay nothing unless you accept it. You can also narrow the scope to selected sections.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How much does a subcontractor bid proposal cost?
It is quoted to the work involved, as a fixed price, after we read your documents. If we also prepare the estimate, the proposal is often included in that quote. Full bid and proposal packages are priced from $1,950 for comparison. The quote arrives within 2 business hours. Plan review is free, and you pay only after you accept the price and delivery date.
How fast can you turn it around?
We reply with a fixed quote or our questions within 2 business hours. A scope letter from a finished estimate is a short task. If we also prepare the estimate, single-trade estimates are ready in 48 hours from your accepted quote and complete documents.
Why does the scope letter matter as much as the price?
General contractors combine subcontractor proposals into their own bid and compare them side by side. A clear list of inclusions, exclusions, alternates and unit prices shows exactly what your number covers, so your proposal is easier to level and carry.
What do you need from me?
Your estimate or pricing inputs, the bid documents and addenda, the GC’s invitation or scope sheet, and your standard exclusions. You approve the final price and send the proposal. If you have a proposal format you like, send it and we follow it.
Can one proposal go to several general contractors?
Yes. The core letter stays the same, and differences in each GC’s scope sheet or bid form are noted so you can adjust before sending. Price and terms stay your decision for each GC, and you send each version yourself.
Can you prepare the estimate too?
Yes. Our trade estimating service measures your scope from the plans and prices it at your rates. Single-trade estimates are priced from $195 and are ready in 48 hours. The scope letter then follows directly from the estimate’s assumptions and exclusions.
How do you handle confidential documents?
Start with a short, non-confidential description in the quote form. The form takes text only, with no uploads and no payment. If the job needs your plans, financials or pricing, we arrange a secure document exchange after scope review. Leave private rates and personal data out of the first message.
Get a fixed quote
Share the project basics. You get a fixed price and delivery date within 2 business hours. Plan review is free, and you pay only after you accept.