Top Construction Bidding Websites for General Contractors and Subcontractors

Consistently participating in bids and submitting competitive proposals are crucial to a firm's long-term profitability and potential to win more construction projects. The process keeps the pipelines busy and ensures that there's enough cash to fund operations and pay the team for the whole year. 

Unfortunately, statistics show that general contractors only have an average of 6:1 bid-hit ratio, with some having as low as 35:1, making it difficult to grow a stable construction business. 

There are two solutions: 

• Find the best bidding site to connect with the “right projects.” 
• Complete accurate and competitive proposals in less time.

In this article, we’ll help you connect with the “right projects” by providing you with a selection of bid websites that are relevant for both government and private projects. If you’re looking for free bidding sites, some of the websites that I’ll mention below have a free basic subscription but can also be upgraded to paid subscriptions. 

By the end of this blog, we’ll also equip you with an AI estimating software that will streamline the bidding process by helping you complete takeoffs in seconds with 99% accuracy.

Disclaimer: The pricing stated here is based on average data from third-party research as of this writing. Prices may still vary.

Government Projects vs. Private Projects: The Pros and Cons

There are two types of construction projects you can bid on: government projects and private projects. Each type offers advantages and disadvantages that you need to assess before investing time and effort in preparing your proposals. 

Government Construction Projects

These are construction projects under a formal contract with any government authority, such as the state. Government projects are required by the law to have open and competitive bids to avoid misuse of public funds and corruption.

Source: Togal.AI

Private  Construction Projects

Source: Togal.AI

Government Bidding Websites

To participate in government projects, construction firms can visit websites that list local, municipal, and state construction opportunities.

Here are the best bid sites for government construction projects:

General Services Administration (GSA) 

The General Services Administration (GSA) oversees federal properties and administers contracting options for government agencies. Over 130 federal governments are listed on the Federal Business Opportunities website. 

But to participate in all their design and construction contracting opportunities, first, you must register on SAM.gov for access to the drawings and specifications of the projects. 

System for Award Management or SAM

This site is intended for anyone interested in doing business with the government. They can use SAM to search for opportunities through:

• Pre-solicitation Notices
• Solicitation Notices
• Award Notices
• Sole Source Notices

While it may take weeks to gather the necessary information or documents needed to activate the SAM registration, getting registered will allow you to actively follow public construction opportunities. 

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America’s Business Network

On this bidding site, you can find bids, tenders, RFQs, RFPs, and other procurement solicitations from private organizations and government agencies. This portal for business opportunities is administered by the North America Procurement Council, Inc. PBC (NAPC), a public benefit corporation

The public benefit corporation, North America Procurement Council, Inc. PBC (NAPC), administers this portal for business opportunities. To access opportunity reports, simply become a member at $21.95 per month. 

BidNet

With BidNet, get access to federal, state, and local government RFPs from across the United States. You can also view market research on closed and awarded solicitations, enabling you to create better proposals and potentially win more bids.

BidNet offers free access to bid information. It is also possible to purchase a paid subscription for $9-$45 per month, which is billed annually. Depending on your subscription, you can get access to: 

• Member Agencies Bids
• Real-time Bid Alerts
• Advanced Search
• Daily Bid Notifications
• State & Local Bids
• Federal Bids

Find RFP

With Find RFP, access a centralized database of procurement information and government bidding that are published by the Canada and United States governments. Simply enter relevant keywords on the site’s search bar and identify your target location. Once you’re done, you'll find thousands of active and targeted US and Canada government RFPs, bids, and contracts.

This bidding site offers a free trial for their services, and their subscription options range from $19.95 - $29.95. They also offer installation-based solutions for large companies. 

‍Government Contracts and Bids

With GovCB.com, get direct access to thousands of active cities, schools, airports, hospitals, and state bid listings that are relevant to your business. All you need to do is enter your target keyword, input your target state, and enter your NAICS and FSC Categories in the search box. 

They also let you do an advanced search for a more targeted result of bid opportunities where you can filter per business type, solicitation or award number, posted date, bid due date, and more. 

Bidding Websites for Both Private and Government Construction Projects

Construction bidding sites are one of the most effective locations for finding and bidding on construction jobs. Simply create a free or paid account, and you’ll be able to access both private and public construction projects. 

Some of the best bidding sites you can leverage are the following: 

Planhub

With Planhub, subcontractors can find projects per location, project type, construction type, and more. Once they’ve submitted bids to multiple general contractors on a single project, they can access all project info in one view. They can also view or download project blueprints and documents through the site’s cloud-based documentation. 

Planhub offers a free trial, but the total pricing for subcontractors can range from $1,199 - $2,899 per year.

MERX 

Canada's leading electronic tendering service, MERX, provides contract opportunities from both the public and private sectors. With MERX, businesses of all sizes can get access to billions of dollars in contracting opportunities in the private sector, the Government of Canada, participating provincial and municipal governments, and the U.S. Government.

To subscribe to MERX, the fee is between $60 - $160 per month, but you can also pay annually and save 50%. They also have a basic plan where you have on-demand access to opportunities and eBid submissions, and you pay as you go. The fee is $70 per solicitation.

iSqFt

With iSqFt, general contractors can connect with subcontractors, and send RFPs or invitations for bids. The site has over 1,500 general contractors, giving subcontractors more exposure and project opportunities. The platform cost $49 per month for general contractors, but the cost for subcontractors isn’t available on their website.

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BidClerk

BidClerk is considered one of the largest construction bidding websites with over 400,000 projects being submitted each year. It also has features, such as the search function, metrics, criteria, and mobile function that are considered more advanced than other bidding sites.

With BidClerk, you can get access to a wide range of projects, including commercial, industrial, educational, private, and more, with values that could reach multi-millions. To access the site’s perks, the annual membership is around $500, with monthly memberships costing around $50 per month.

Construction Bid Source

With a free basic membership on Construction Bid Source, general contractors can search for projects, advertise their firms and receive email notifications on their bids. But if you want better access to bid documents and contact info, their standard plan which costs $39.95 per month might be more suitable for you.

Streamline the Bidding Process with Togal.AI

Sending competitive proposals to multiple bids is vital to get awarded more construction projects. Without it, there won’t be enough jobs to keep the pipelines busy and there won’t be enough cash to fund daily operations. 

To prevent this from happening, it’s important to find the right platform to connect with the “right prospects.” This process might require a couple of trial and error and in-depth research to see which site provides the most targeted and relevant bidding opportunities. Thus, enabling you to match the long-term vision you have for your company. 

Another way to ensure the long-term profitability of your firm is to look at your bidding process. If you’re experiencing slow, inaccurate, and costly takeoffs and cost estimation, then your firm is suffering from an inefficient bidding process. 

For a more streamlined workflow, leverage our AI estimating software, Togal.AI. With Togal.AI, general contractors can achieve the following:

• 80% Faster Takeoff - Complete weeks’ worth of takeoff in just 3 - 10 seconds. Save 90 minutes of your estimators’ time per drawing. 

• 98% Accuracy -  Eliminate manual and error-prone calculations by interpreting plans with 98% accuracy.

• Deep-Learning Technology - Automate the process of detecting, labeling, and measuring project spaces and objects. Togal.AI learns from previous drawing analysis and gets smarter the more you use it. 

Experience how Togal.AI can streamline your bidding process and help you get awarded more construction projects by booking a free demo.