How Bid Requests Work in Billdr PRO
A bid request is when a General Contractor (GC) needs to collect pricing from subcontractors (sub-trades) or suppliers before finalizing their own estimate to send to their client.
Written By Francois Jullien
Last updated 29 days ago
The Billdr PRO Solution: Automated & Streamlined
Step 1: Create the Bid Request
Select the division (e.g., electrical, plumbing) or even the entire scope of work
Enter the bid due date
Set automatic reminder (48 hours before due date)
Enter expected work start date (for sub-trade availability)
Add subcontractors with a few clicks (search by trade type)
Attach documents via drag-and-drop OR share a link from Files & Folders
Hit "Send"
Step 2: Automatic Tracking
All bid requests are automatically tracked in one place
View by estimate (each estimate can have multiple bid requests)
See at a glance:
Division
Number of bid requests sent
Due dates and start dates
Status in real-time (pending, submitted, declined)
Step 3: Subcontractor Experience (Their Perspective)
Receives email with "View Bid Details" button
No account required - direct access via link
Clean, simple interface showing:
Scope of work
Due date and start date
Space to upload their bid
Space to add notes
Can submit bid or decline if unavailable
Major advantage for subs: They don't need to create their own estimate - just fill in the price in a clean, professional template
Step 4: Automatic Updates
When a sub submits or declines, the GC's dashboard updates automatically
No need to check emails or update Excel
Step 5: One-Click Purchase Order Creation
Once you choose a subcontractor, click "Create PO"
PO is automatically generated with:
All bid information
Attached documents
Contract amount
Then itβs an easy tracking for: Total contract, amount billed, amount paid, balance, amount owed once vendor bills are uploaded to the platform.