How a Large GC Simplified a Complex Bidding Issue Using New Bid Phases Feature

How a Large GC Simplified a Complex Bidding Issue Using Bid Phases Feature

Michael Kuhlmann from Amico, a large general contractor in Ontario, Canada, heard about PipelineSuite’s new Bid Packages and Bid Phases features and was hoping they might help simplify his complex bidding issue.

The project required a two-step process. First everyone was required to sign an NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) before accessing a first set of bid documents. Second, only the NDA-approved that also said “Yes” to bidding should receive the Bid Invitation, giving them access to the rest of the plans and bidding documents. After chatting with PipelineSuite support, he found it was not only doable, but simple!

Here’s how he did it...

1. He created the project, uploaded the first set of project documents, selected bidders, activated the NDA feature, and sent out the bid invite for this first Bid Phase he called “Expression of Interest”.

• Subcontractors that digitally signed the NDA were given instant access to a first set of documents and clicked “Yes” if they were interested.

2. He then added a second Bid Phase called “Project Quantities for Pricing – Confidential”.

• Project files were copied over with one click, and then the remainder of the confidential files were uploaded into their plan room.
• Using the “Copy Bid List” feature, he copied only the “Yes” bidders from Phase 1, and sent out the bid invites.

Both Bid Phases were listed within the same project view for easy access. This was especially handy since he was working with some subs that were still approving the NDA, while other subs had already said Yes and were working on the second Bid Phase. Without the Bid Phases feature, he would have had to create two separate projects. Going back and forth between those projects would have been messy, confusing, and time consuming. Michael said, “The Bid Phases feature removed the confusion about who was approved to view the confidential documents, saved hours of labor trying to keep track of two different sets of documents and streamlined the process. Most importantly it prevented us from disclosing proprietary information to companies that had not agreed to the project confidentiality conditions!”

Amico is a large general contractor in Ontario, Canada that has been using PipelineSuite® since 2013. PipelineSuite® has been offering one of the most robust Bid Management Software solutions in the world, since 2002.

For more information about PipelineSuite® and its innovative Bid Packages and Bid Phases features, contact [email protected] or call 866-482-7638 (toll free number).