help finding all contractors bidding a job?

[mta145]

been doin this awhile and am a member of bidclerk and the local builders exchange. I have found that the list of planholders for there projects are often incomplete? I have seen other GC getting projects that i didnt even submit a quote to as a sub for the electrical. anyone have any ideas on how to make sure my sub bid gets to all the GC that are bidding projects??

Mike

 

[ksmith846]

It has been my experience that you do not want to bid all of the GC's for a project, especially if you are going in with a low number.

Let's say you bid all of them with a really good number and you have only ever worked for one of them in the past. They all use your quote and one of the other GC's is awarded the project. He has never used you before and his favored EC is in the ball park of your number. Most times he will shop your number to his other EC to see if he can buy him out for less than your number or at least match it.

I prefer to establish a line of communication and a relationship with a GC before I give him any numbers.

Read this article for a more fluid explanation on this subject.

http://www.ecmag.com/?articleID=10235&fa=article

 

[Gac66610]

What is the "local builder exchange"?
Sounds to me as if any EC can give a bid to any/all GC's?

 

[kwired]

It has been my experience that you do not want to bid all of the GC's for a project, especially if you are going in with a low number.

Let's say you bid all of them with a really good number and you have only ever worked for one of them in the past. They all use your quote and one of the other GC's is awarded the project. He has never used you before and his favored EC is in the ball park of your number. Most times he will shop your number to his other EC to see if he can buy him out for less than your number or at least match it.

I prefer to establish a line of communication and a relationship with a GC before I give him any numbers.

Read this article for a more fluid explanation on this subject.

http://www.ecmag.com/?articleID=10235&fa=article

I would be more concerned about getting in with a deadbeat GC that won't pay you or cause lots of problems somehow than to worry about if he will give your number to his buddy EC. You have to sell your company not just a price. I wouldn't want to have a GC talk me into someone elses price either. If it is close I may look into things but if it is not close I probably do not want the job - let someone else learn the hard way.

 

[mta145]

The local builders exchange holds plans and documents for members and provides lists of all GC's that are plan holders for a project.
Havent had much problem with dead beat GC's. When one contacts me telling me they are using my numbers for there bid and if i havent worked for them before i usually ask for references from other subs that have worked with them. As far as bid shopping it is highly unethical and not to mention illegal so if they are going that route they are probably doing me a favor.

 

[kwired]

The local builders exchange holds plans and documents for members and provides lists of all GC's that are plan holders for a project.
Havent had much problem with dead beat GC's. When one contacts me telling me they are using my numbers for there bid and if i havent worked for them before i usually ask for references from other subs that have worked with them. As far as bid shopping it is highly unethical and not to mention illegal so if they are going that route they are probably doing me a favor.

I'm not an attorney but why is bid shopping illegal? Doesn't the owner do that with the GC's sometimes? I can understand public entities maybe having some rules like that when it comes to accepting bids, anyone else is just as able to accept or reject any bid for whatever reason they want just like homeowner Joe can ask how much to fix something and if he doesn't like the price he can try to negotiate a different price or just decline having you do the work.

In an auction we kind of do the same thing but are generally looking for a high bid instead of a low bid. Are auctions illegal?

 

[mta145]

im not a attorney either but i do have one and it seems that somewhere in the AIA general conditions there is a article that addresses this because he told me he had filed a suit against a GC for another sub for doing that on a public works job a hospital i think. So you are probably right about private work???

Thanks

 

[kwired]

im not a attorney either but i do have one and it seems that somewhere in the AIA general conditions there is a article that addresses this because he told me he had filed a suit against a GC for another sub for doing that on a public works job a hospital i think. So you are probably right about private work???

Thanks

You can go into any retail store and pay the suggested price or try to negotiate a price for an item. They do not have to accept any offer from you if they don't want to but it is not illegal to try. Kind of a similarity here. That said they can also have a mistake on a suggested price and tell you "we made a mistake and really want this price" Nothing illegal there either. They may still negotiate a price with you or you are free to decline purchase if you want.

 

[Gac66610]

been doin this awhile and am a member of bidclerk and the local builders exchange. I have found that the list of planholders for there projects are often incomplete? I have seen other GC getting projects that i didnt even submit a quote to as a sub for the electrical. anyone have any ideas on how to make sure my sub bid gets to all the GC that are bidding projects??

Mike

Sorry, didnt mean to get a legal debate going, was not sure how the local builders exchange worked,

to answer your question .... i dont know, but thanks for the info

 

[ksmith846]

You can go into any retail store and pay the suggested price or try to negotiate a price for an item. They do not have to accept any offer from you if they don't want to but it is not illegal to try. Kind of a similarity here. That said they can also have a mistake on a suggested price and tell you "we made a mistake and really want this price" Nothing illegal there either. They may still negotiate a price with you or you are free to decline purchase if you want.

This is all part of the entire process anyhow. The Owner buys out the GC for points, the GC buys out the subs to meet their margins and we, in turn, beat up our suppliers for points off the gear and fixture packages provided for bid date pricing. Just to pay some bills and then prepare to nickle and dime every change order to the hilt to turn a few points of profit.

That's what makes some stronger during these leaner times I guess. If it is illegal then we could weed out 80% of the GC's around here.