Request For Proposal Software For General Contractors: Why Downtobid Is The Best

Artificial Intelligence is shaking things up in construction, and while it's still finding its footing, it’s already delivering massive benefits for general contractors. Sure, it might not be designing your blueprints (at least, not yet), but it's revolutionizing how projects get off the ground.

In construction bid invites, for instance, proposal management software automates the grunt work, freeing you up to focus on the big picture - strategy, decision-making, and value engineering.

That said, while many AI companies have entered the construction market, none match Downtobid. Built with input from GCs and estimators, the platform streamlines every the inital steps in the Request For Proposal or RFP process—from analyzing project plans to finding subcontractors and sending invitations.

Read on to discover why more and more savvy contractors are making Downtobid their go-to AI Invitation To Bid and RFP software.

Note: Our AI-driven platform automatically identifies scopes of work, connects you with qualified local subcontractors, and sends out personalized bid invites -- all with just a few clicks. It streamlines the entire construction bidding process, making it faster and more accurate, so you can focus on what you do best. Try out a free demo today and experience the difference for yourself.

AI Copilot

During the preconstruction process, you’ll often receive project plans that stretch anywhere from 50 to 400 pages. Flipping through all those pages, and manually reviewing each one to figure out scope, cost, and which subcontractors you’ll need, can be time-consuming.

Rush it, and you might miss key details that lead to change orders or cost overruns. Take too long, and your subcontractors may feel pressured, either inflating their bids as a buffer or skipping the bid altogether.

Typically, scoping a project could take you anywhere from 4 to 8 hours, and during that time, you’re relying on your own sharp eye to catch every little thing. Unfortunately, even the best estimators miss things occasionally — that’s just part of being human.

But what if you didn’t have to rely on manual review? Downtobid can help you accomplish this.

Downtobid Detects Scopes Within Construction Plans

Our AI can scan through a set of construction project plans, automatically detecting the scopes of work and creating a detailed scope summary in minutes. Instead of spending hours combing through every page, you can get the job done in just 20 minutes, giving you a clearer picture of the project and leaving subcontractors with plenty of time to put together accurate bids and create proposals faster.

We developed this AI tool collaboratively, incorporating feedback from general contractors, estimators, and construction companies. A common concern raised was the potential for AI errors or oversight. "What if the AI misses something?" and "How can I trust it?"

Our system addresses these concerns directly:

• Sheet number reference: The AI specifies the exact page (e.g., S3.0) where each scope is detected.
• Detailed explanations: For each identified scope, the AI provides reasoning, citing specific sections, materials, or structural elements it recognized.
• Visual highlights: Relevant parts of each page, such as schedule entries or keynotes, are marked to show where scopes were identified.

Scope Example

Take the Catch restaurant project as an example.

In the plans, the AI flagged details on page A7.0 related to concrete slabs in the wall type.

When you click on that entry, the AI takes you right to that page, highlights the relevant areas, and explains why it marked them as part of the scope.

Another example could be thermal insulation. Click on that scope, and the AI will show you every page where it appears — whether it’s wall details on A7.0 or building sections on A4.0.

It even understands the difference between various blueprint elements — a schedule, keynote, detail, legend, or specification. This kind of contextual understanding is critical. For instance, “install wood doors” might mean different things depending on whether it shows up in a schedule or a keynote. Downtobid’s AI makes those distinctions, ensuring you get a precise and relevant scope summary every time.

In the case of thermal insulation, the AI wouldn’t just say, “insulation.” It specifically highlights that the wall type details on A7.0 include insulation scope, giving you all the context you need.

Getting Adequate Bid Coverage

Bidding can be a challenge for most GCs. Often, GCs resort to a "spray and pray" approach, bombarding subcontractors with ITBs but receiving few responses in return. While it's easy to chalk this up to the simple explanation that "subs are just busy," this perspective oversimplifies a much more complex issue.

Our research, based on population metrics, market spend, and over 60,000 historical bids in the construction industry, reveals key factors that influence subcontractors' decisions to engage with GCs:

• GC brand recognition, particularly previous work history with the sub
• Proximity to the job site, ideally within 55 miles and not exceeding 150 miles
• Alignment of the job with the subcontractor's preferred scope

At first glance, some of this seems like it’s out of your hands. You can't suddenly become a household name if you’re not already one, right? But what you can control is how you communicate through the ITB. It’s not about how many invites you send but how you send them.

Sending Optimized Invitations

In fact, we ran an experiment comparing traditional templated ITBs (like those from BuildingConnected, PlanHub, and iSqft) with optimized ITBs that highlight brand and job proximity. The results? Optimized ITBs blew templated ones out of the water. Subs responded more, submitted more bids, and paid more attention when the ITB spoke their language.

Subcontractors prioritize clear information about project size, scope, and requirements. Providing this upfront boosts your chances of receiving a response. However, manually crafting such detailed ITBs and RFPs would consume too much time.

And this is where Downtobid can make a difference.

Personalized Bid Invites And Request For Proposals in Minutes

Our platform helps streamline the invitation to bid and request for proposal processes by:

• Simplifying Bid Management: We allow users to create, send, and track bids and proposals easily
• Tracking Bids: Our software can help manage and track responses from subcontractors and suppliers, ensuring you stay organized throughout the bidding process.
• Standardizing Processes: Users can create standardized templates for RFPs and ITBs, which saves time and maintains consistency in how bids are presented and evaluated.
• Collaboration Features: It often includes collaborative tools that facilitate communication between stakeholders, helping clarify project requirements and expectations.
• Automated Follow-ups: The system automatically schedules follow-ups, adjusting timing and frequency based on the approaching proposal deadline

By automating and optimizing these key steps, Downtobid helps you kickstart the RFP process more efficiently than ever before.

Upon logging into Downtobid, you'll see a complete list of AI-generated bid packages. For each package, the system provides:

• A concise overview of the bid package
• Specific instances of scope identified in the plans
• A curated list of local, qualified subcontractors to invite
• Our request for proposal automation software allows you to invite subs with just a click.

As a general contractor, you have the flexibility to invite your own subcontractors or use Downtobid's extensive subcontractor network.

The AI generates an optimized bidding schedule for sending out Invitations to Bid (ITBs). These ITBs feature:

• Personalized details
• A high-level scope summary

This allows subcontractors to quickly assess project suitability without diving into detailed plans. The system automatically schedules follow-ups, adjusting timing and frequency based on the approaching proposal deadline.

The platform takes the hassle out of request for proposals and ITB communication by making sure:

• Each email concisely outlines essential details: work scope summaries, project requirements, timeline, location, size, and, most importantly, why that specific sub is a great fit.
• Emails are personalized -- each sub gets addressed by name to make the message feel friendly, not spammy.

• Our system creates attention-grabbing email subject lines that boost open rates and lead to increased efficiency
• Subs can respond directly to the email, cutting out endless back-and-forth.

The effectiveness of this approach is clear in the results. Downtobid users typically experience a 30% increase in subcontractor responses, with some achieving a 60% response rate and over 80 bids on a single project.

Extensive Subcontractor Network

The traditional, usual bidding platforms and mobile apps (like Bluebook, Procore, BuildingConnected, Planhub, or even Google Maps) often have the same problems:

• Incorrect CSI labeling of subcontractors
• Lack of direct contact information for construction estimating teams
• Difficulty in creating curated sublists for specific niches like luxury retail
• Limited usefulness in finding vetted subcontractors

Downtobid offers a solution to these issues with our extensive, pre-vetted subcontractor database. An enhanced version of Bluebook, it features improved data quality, more thoroughly vetted profiles, and clear information on subcontractors' bidding scopes.

Our Verification Process

Unqualified subs can derail your project, ruin your reputation, and leave you picking up the pieces. That’s why every sub in our database goes through a thorough verification process, so you know they can deliver on what they promise. We also:

• Thoroughly check each subcontractor's track record to confirm their capabilities and reliability.
• Require subcontractors to maintain current contact details and websites, facilitating better communication throughout construction projects.
• Use an AI-powered, self-cleaning database that keeps everything fresh by automatically removing inactive users or subs with outdated info.

Beyond verification, we also use our advanced AI for targeted subcontractor matching. For each detected scope, the AI copilot recommends a list of qualified subcontractors based on two crucial factors:

• Experience: The AI checks each sub’s performance on similar projects to see if they’ve handled the kind of work you’re looking for. You’ll get a list of subs who have proven they can do the job well.
• Location: The AI also makes sure the subs are local, or close enough to the project to keep costs down and communication easy.

Here’s how easy it is to get started:

How to Use the Downtobid Network

We’ve made the process simple. In just a few steps, you’ll have a curated list of subs who fit your project.

• Start by heading over to the Downtobid contractor search.
• Locate the 'Trade' and 'Location' fields. Enter your specific requirements, such as "HVAC" and "Apex, NC" Hit the search button, and in seconds, our system will pull up a list of subs matching your criteria.

• If you want to narrow it down further, use the filters to target subs by project type (luxury retail, warehouses, or distribution centers), by union or non-union, or by specific certifications like BEPD or BCORP.
• Review the summarized subcontractor profiles, which include: work experience, specialized trades, location, average project size, past projects, and MWBE status.
• Click on a subcontractor's name or the 'Details' button for a comprehensive profile.

• Once you’ve narrowed down your list, you can easily invite your top-choice subs to bid on your project using our bid board.

Downtobid Pricing

Trying out new construction software can feel like a leap of faith. That’s why we offer a free demo for anyone curious about our AI estimating software or for those working on smaller projects. The demo gives you full access to manage one project, so you can experience firsthand how our AI-driven tool can streamline your bidding process.

When you're ready to take things up a notch, check out our two paid plans:

Starter Plan - $150/month

• Dedicated Bid Coordinator: Get personalized assistance to help manage and streamline your bidding process.
• Up to 3 Users: Perfect for small teams and multiple team members.
• Unlimited Active Projects: Juggle as many projects as you want without any extra fees.

Pro Plan - $500/month

Everything in the Starter Plan: You still get all the essential features from the Starter Plan.

• Access to DTB Sub-Network: Expand your reach with access to our extensive sub-network, connecting you with a curated list of subcontractors and resources for gaining a competitive edge.
• Up to 10 Users: Scale your team and keep everyone in the loop.
• Sublist cleanup and migration: Keep your subcontractor lists organized and up to date with ease.

Whether you’re dipping your toes in the water or diving into full-scale projects, we have just the right plan for you. Try out the free demo today.