How do I track Bidding emails and quotes from the various Vendors or Subcontractors?

How to Track Bidding Emails and Quotes from Vendors or Subcontractors

Overview

In Contractor Foreman, the Bidding feature allows you to manage and track all bid invitations, responses, and quotes from your Vendors or Subcontractors in one centralized location. Using the Bidding tab within an Estimate, you can send bid invitations, monitor activity, and record or compare submitted pricing.

Important:
Contractor Foreman allows you to send and track bid-related emails but does not receive or store incoming emails. Vendors or Subcontractors must reply to your invitations directly via their own email, and you can manually record or upload their quotes in the Bidding tab.

This system streamlines bid management, provides visibility into who has received or opened your invitations, and helps you make informed decisions when selecting Vendors or Subcontractors.

Step-by-Step: Tracking Bidding Emails and Quotes

1. Open the Estimates Module

• From the main Menu, navigate to Estimates under the Financial section.

• Locate the Estimate you are managing bids for and click to open it.

3. Send Bid Invitations

• Within the Bidding tab, click Send Bid Invitation (or a similar button).

• Select Vendors or Subcontractors from your Directory, or manually enter new contact details.

• Add any relevant attachments such as project drawings or specifications, and customize your message.

• Click Send to issue the bid invitation.

Note: Emails are sent directly from Contractor Foreman, but replies are received through your external email inbox — they are not stored within Contractor Foreman.

4. Track Bidding Email Activity

Once invitations have been sent, you can track activity directly within the Bidding tab.

You will be able to see details such as:

• Date Sent

• Recipient Name and Company

• Status: Sent, Opened, or Replied (tracked based on link activity)

• Response Notes or Attachments (if added manually)

This tracking provides clear visibility into which Vendors have received and viewed your invitations.

6. Attach Files and Notes

For each bid entry, you can upload relevant documents, images, or notes for reference.
This is useful for tracking clarifications, alternate pricing options, or correspondence summaries related to each Vendor.

7. Select the Winning Bid (Optional)

• After reviewing all quotes, you can mark the chosen Vendor or Subcontractor as the Approved Bid.
  This selection is stored under the Estimate for reporting and future reference.

Benefits of Using the Bidding Tab

• Centralized Tracking: All Vendor communication and quotes are linked directly to the Estimate.

• Improved Accuracy: Reduces the risk of lost emails or missing documentation.

• Faster Evaluation: Quickly compare pricing and qualifications across multiple bids.

• Accountability: Maintains a clear audit trail of all bid invitations, responses, and changes.

• Better Collaboration: Allows multiple team members to view and manage bid progress in real time.

Best Practices

• Keep your Vendor and Subcontractor Directory updated for faster bid invitations.

• Use consistent naming for bids and trades to simplify comparison.

• Review and confirm all attachments before sending invitations to ensure accurate scopes.

• Regularly check the Bidding tab for status updates to avoid missing key responses.

• After awarding a bid, update your Estimate accordingly to reflect final costs.