If you’re a construction professional looking to bid on more projects, you should weigh the pros and cons of various construction bidding websites. Bidding websites allow contractors and firms to search for construction jobs by date, project type, and location, among other filters, and find projects to bid on.
In this post, we provide a list of the best construction bidding websites out there, so you can find the right projects for your services.
- Bidnet
- Construction Bid Source
- BidClerk
- ConstructionWire™
- PlanHub
- Dodge Construction Network
- Constructconnect®
- Governmentbids
1. Bidnet
Bidnet is a site that connects professionals with construction contracts, mainly government contracts, procurement notices, and RFPs. The site aggregates job information from federal, state, and local governments and government agencies. Its large database is consistently updated, so you can easily place bids and get targeted bids for future projects.
There are four subscription tiers to choose from, ranging from free to $45/month. Tiers are divided by group agencies; state and local organizations; and federal, state, and local organizations.
Filters and Features
- Open solicitations are filtered by state, location, published date, closing date, category, and agency type.
- Bidders can add additional users.
Cost to Use
- Free: $0
- Member agencies bids
- Group Agencies: $9/per state per month billed annually
- Member agencies bids, real-time alerts on bids, advanced search options
- State & Local: $36/per state per month billed annually
- Member agencies bids, real-time alerts on bids, advanced search options, daily bid notifications, and state and local bids
- Federal, State, & Local: $45/per state per month billed annually
- Member agencies bids, real-time alerts on bids, advanced search options, daily bid notifications, state and local bids, and federal bids
2. Construction Bid Source
Construction Bid Source is one of the oldest construction bidding sites of the bunch. It has actual people working and finding high-quality bids for you so that you don’t have to. You can rest assured knowing that the quality and legitimacy of the bids on the site have been vetted by a real person who knows the construction industry.
There are three membership options: a free plan, a monthly subscription at $39.95/month, and a six-month plan that’s $216. There’s no region pricing or tier arrangement with Construction Bid Source and no hidden fees. They also have a Good Faith Effort Outreach program to give disadvantaged business enterprises new opportunities to be hired for projects.
Filters and Features
- Search the database with criteria like post date, bid date, and project ID/title.
- Search for projects by state, local, and federal bidding opportunities.
Cost to Use
- Free: $0
- Advanced search, trade advertising, outreach ads, and owner contact info
- Monthly: $39.95/month
- Advanced search, trade advertising, outreach ads, owner contact info, daily email notifications, and bid documents
- Six-month: $216 for 6 months
- Same features as the monthly plan, but 10% off of what you’d pay
3. BidClerk
Next on our list is BidClerk, a platform that focuses on commercial construction projects. BidClerk works to provide high-quality construction leads to its users as well as invaluable insight into prospective jobs via comprehensive project information.
Subscribers get complete visibility into specific projects at every stage. The platform also supports a LinkedIn integration with its large contact directory. This feature gives construction professionals access to as many contacts and potential projects as possible, helping you build business relationships.
This site puts a wide range of features at your fingertips, including pre-bid events, building use, construction type, project value, and more.
Filters and Features
- Search by keyword, project start date, bidding events, pre-bid events, status, sector, building use, construction type, last updated, project value, state and county, city, postal code, certifications, stories, floors below grade, and unit types.
- Search for companies and contracts within the industry.
- Leverage advanced search to find specific projects, documents with plans, specifications, and addendums for keywords.
- Save searches to repeat as needed.
Cost to Use
- You can find the cost for BidClerk on the website. The subscription cost may vary depending on your location and the type of plan options available to you.
4. ConstructionWire™
Since 2003, ConstructionWire™ has offered bidders access to a wide range of bidding opportunities. You can find commercial and private projects, from hotels to retail stores to family homes and more. It also features public sector projects and projects valuing over $500,000. Thousands of projects are added to the site and updated each month.
A 7-day free trial lets you try the service out before committing to it, so you can explore the various features and filters.
Filters and Features
- Search the database by sector, construction stage, projects, companies, people, state, bid date, available contacts, project type, value, and keyword.
- Access detailed project data: project report leads for new construction projects per stage, company reports with detailed profiles of the companies and construction project, and people reports for access to contact information, like names, titles, phone numbers, and email addresses.
Cost to Use
- After the 7-day free trial ends, you can choose a monthly plan based on your location and the type of access you want.
5. PlanHub
PlanHub is a platform that was started by a construction professional, for construction professionals. Its founder has two decades in the construction industry under his belt, and created the site to help simplify the construction bidding process for others in the industry.
Planhub partners with other cloud-computing and pre-construction software companies to support users through all stages of finding contract opportunities, from the initial search to bid submissions to winning bids. Subscription plans are priced by general contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, and takeoff core.
Filters and Features
- Solicitations can be searched by state or trade. Filters include project type, description of project, location, zip code, and bid due date.
- General contractors can post projects for free.
- Subcontractors can submit multiple bids simultaneously, which helps support healthy competition and fair market value.
Cost to Use
- General contractors
- The Essentials plan is free.
- Quotes for the two premier plan options are available upon request if you schedule a call to evaluate.
- Subcontractors
- 25-mile radius: $999/per year
- 50-mile radius: $1,599/per year
- 100-mile radius: $1,899/per year
- 200-mile radius: $2,999/per year
- There’s also an Enterprise plan that requires you to contact the sales team for a quote.
- Suppliers
- Free trial
- Pro and Nationwide options require you to call for quotes.
- Takeoff Core
- Takeoff Core with Premier (Premier plans are sold separately) is $58/per month or paid annually.
- Takeoff Core Only is $91/per month or paid annually.
6. Dodge Construction Network
Dodge Construction Network is a platform that combines human and technological elements to provide the most valuable construction market data it can to professionals in commercial construction. It also offers numerous resources to its users, including its Blue Book network, Dodge Data & Analytics, Integrated Marketing Systems, Sweets product database, and Principia Consulting.
Contractors have direct access to advanced directories for construction projects, which makes it easier to form industry relationships and grow your business.
Filters and Features
- Search using filters like projects posted in the last 90 days, bidding the next 7 days, bidding the next 15 days, and bidding next month. Other search filters include project type, state, city, bid date, and action stage.
- Provides various data visualization options like graphs or maps.
Cost to Use
- Quotes are available upon request. You can look at the interface for free but can’t get projects without a paid membership.
7. Constructconnect®
One of North America’s leading construction project management platforms, Constructconnect® (formerly iSqFt®) connects professionals with high-quality leads from commercial construction companies. The platform utilizes three takeoff software solutions alongside other bid and project management tools to make bidding and retaining leads simple.
Filters and Features
- Search projects by trade, location, building use, bidding status, keywords, and more.
- Access a robust database generated using the data collected and analyzed by several takeoff, estimating, and project management tools.
- Automatically calculate costs for labor hours.
Cost to Use
- Starter: $99/month
- One license and one market, key contacts on all bid projects, digital bid board, auto match opportunities to your profile, and email alerts/notifications for saved searches and leads delivered to your inbox
- Professional: Starting at $250/month
- Complete bidding documents, planholder information, one license and one market with option to add, full access to bidding and planning projects, and comprehensive plan holders’ list coverage on projects
- Pro + Takeoff: Contact Constructconnect for a price quote.
- All project intelligence functionality, fast takeoff software with win rates, customizable takeoff for your specific trade(s), and more
8. Governmentbids
As its name suggests, Governmentbids is a site with a specific focus on government projects. You can find government bids based on various industries and categories, or search by region. The site offers services in government RFPs and government procurement systems.
The cost to use the site ranges based on your plan type: free, group agencies at $9/month; state and local at $36/month; or federal, state, and local at $45/month.
Filters and Features
- Search contract opportunities by keyword, region, state/local categories, federal categories, and publication date. You can also browse bids by keyword searches, products/services, region, category, and active bids.
- Access bidding advice, case studies, white papers, and newsletters.
Cost to Use
- Free: $0
- Member agencies bids
- Group Agencies: $9/per month or per state
- Member agencies bids, real-time bid alerts, and advanced search
- State & Local: $36/per month or per state
- Member agencies bids, real-time bid alerts, advanced search, daily bid notifications, and state and local bids
- Federal, State & Local: $45/per month or per state
- Member agencies bids, real-time bid alerts, advanced search, daily bid notifications, state and local bids, and federal bids
How to Choose the Best Construction Website
Now that you have a sense of some of the best bidding platforms out there, how do you choose the right one for your needs? Here are some key considerations to keep in mind:
- Budget for a bidding site: If you’re on a tight budget, you may want to consider a free site or one that’s on the cheaper side before you go for a premium subscription. You don’t want the cost of finding projects to outweigh what you stand to make.
- If you need one or multiple sites for your project needs: Some sites may overlap or offer a wide range of project types, but some are very specific (like government-only sites). Depending on what you’re looking for, you might prefer a platform specific to your niche or one that aggregates a variety of jobs.
- Types of projects you want: Again, some sites cater to specific needs or project types, while others offer a wider range. If, for example, you’re only working on government projects, opt for a government bidding site.
- Access to new business contacts: If the ability to build and nurture business relationships is a priority for you, choose a site that offers a contact directory and other relationship-building tools.
- Ability to organize your bids: If you struggle with keeping your projects and bids organized, you might want to choose a site with built-in bid management tools and a user-friendly interface. This lowers the risk of overbooking yourself or letting important details fall through the cracks.
- Receiving email alerts on bids: If getting email or other notifications is helpful, look for a site that offers this feature.
How a Construction Bidding Website Helps Your Business
Construction bidding sites are designed to give construction professionals a competitive advantage in what can be otherwise a very difficult industry. Here’s how working with the right bidding site can help you get ahead:
- You get access. A construction bidding website can help your construction business get leads, contacts, and projects you might not have gotten without it. High-quality data aggregation lets you find and bid on projects in less time than you’d spend manually searching.
- You can start for free. Many sites offer a free plan or trial, so you can check out how it works and see if any of the features you’re using, or could use in an upgraded plan, might benefit your business.
- You stay organized. Most of the construction bidding websites we mentioned help you stay organized with bid management tools to prevent double booking. Some also allow you to keep records of your past projects and contacts, making it easier to maintain a company database.
Alternative Methods to Get Construction Bids
If you aren’t ready to subscribe to a bidding site, you can start slow with alternatives that may be less expensive. Subscribing to a bidding website doesn’t mean you have to stop using these either — you can reap the benefits of every method.
Some of the most common alternative ways to find construction bids or leads are: trade associations, networking, Google Maps Business, and subcontracting. The next sections go over each in detail.
Trade Associations
Similar to word-of-mouth, joining a trade association, like Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), gets you involved in your local community, allowing you to share knowledge with and learn from other contractors. You might be able to get bids just by meeting new people in the industry.
In addition to helping you find jobs, joining your local chapter might help you find supplies/services you may need for your business, including access to discounted materials. You’ll also have opportunities to learn from leading contractors.
While this isn’t a bid replacer, it’s an option to help you jumpstart your construction career and network with like-minded professionals.
Networking
Similar to participating in trade associations, networking can set you up for success in the industry by getting you involved in the construction community. You might meet new people who know of jobs you weren’t aware of, in addition to making valuable business relationships and learning trade secrets.
You can network by:
- Checking out places that are currently under construction and offering your services now or in the future
- Cold calling construction businesses
- Going to city planning meetings
Google Maps Business
For residential or smaller projects, or if you’re a small construction business owner, you may consider creating a Google Maps Business account to make it easier for prospective clients to find you. Having an online presence lets you advertise your services and potentially reach new clientele, especially for smaller-scale work where you wouldn’t have to bid.
You can create a Google Maps Business in Google. It allows you to upload key information about your business, such as operating hours, website link, and services offered. People can also leave reviews, which can boost business if people review your service favorably.
Subcontracting
As a subcontractor, you’d be working under a general contractor or a company that hires you to do subcontractor work. This may make getting bids easier, at least when you’re starting out, because you can establish good working relationships with general contractors who then want to give you work.
If you have a specific skill set or specialty that other subcontractors might not have, that could set you apart. But having experience with similar projects or a good relationship with the contractor, might help the most. You might even be able to count on the general contractor to rehire you if they’ve seen you do consistently good work.
Rent Equipment for Your Next Project
Finding new contracts and opportunities isn’t always a cakewalk, but connecting with the right bidding website can help simplify the process. Any of the sites we mentioned can help construction professionals and businesses find high-quality leads — just make sure the platform suits your unique requirements.
Also, go into each bid you make prepared with the right information. You need to know the prices of key aspects of the job, like equipment and materials, so you don’t undercut yourself and bid too low.
Renting construction equipment can be a cheaper alternative to owning your own, taking costs like maintenance, storage, and updates out of the equation. With our comprehensive equipment directory, BigRentz has what you need for projects large and small. For any job you’re working on, you can save big on money, time, and hassle with BigRentz.
