Bid Leveling
Every sub bid on one sheet, compared item by item, so you're choosing between the same scope and not just the lowest number.
Bid leveling is adjusting subcontractor bids so they all cover the same scope, then comparing them. It's how you find the real low bid instead of the lowest number on the page.
Line items, inclusions and exclusions are pulled from each PDF for you.
The lowest number isn't always the cheapest sub.
Three drywall subs send you three prices. Sub B is lowest by $9,150. But Sub B left out the elevator shaftwall, excluded firestopping, and never mentioned millwork blocking.
Somebody has to pay for that scope. If you carry Sub B's number, it shows up later as a change order or comes out of your fee.
Leveling adds a plug number for each missing item so every bid covers the same work. Once that's done, Sub B is $6,050 higher than Sub C, and Sub C is the real low bid.
| Item | Sub A | Sub B | Sub C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base bid | $184,200 | $162,750 | $171,900 |
| Shaftwall at elevator | Incl. | +$11,800 | Incl. |
| Firestopping | Incl. | +$6,200 | +$6,200 |
| Millwork blocking | Incl. | +$3,400 | Incl. |
| Leveled total | $184,200 | $184,150 | $178,100 |
From a stack of PDFs to a leveled sheet.
Upload the bids
Drop in sub proposals as PDFs, the way you already get them. No reformatting, and no asking subs to use your template.
Line items pulled out
Base bid, inclusions, exclusions and notes are read from each proposal and put into rows.
Lined up side by side
Every bid on one sheet. Anything one sub included that another didn't is flagged in blue.
Level and export
Add plug numbers for the gaps, see the leveled totals, and export to Excel or PDF for your bid file.
Same job, without the afternoon in Excel.
Leveling by hand
- Retype every proposal into a spreadsheet
- Hunt for exclusions buried on page two
- A new template for every job and trade
- Easy to miss an item when you're tired on bid day
With ArcSpecs
- Upload the PDFs and the sheet builds itself
- Exclusions and missing items are flagged automatically
- The same clean format on every package
- Leveled totals update as you set plug numbers
Ready for your bid file.
Side-by-side leveling sheet
Every sub, every scope item, one view. Gaps flagged, totals leveled.
Exclusions in plain sight
Each sub's exclusions and qualifications are listed in one place instead of buried across proposals.
Excel and PDF
Hand it to your PM, attach it to the bid, or keep working in Excel if that's your system.
About bid leveling.
Do my subs need to use a special form?
No. Subs send proposals the way they always do. You upload the PDFs and ArcSpecs does the sorting.
Who sets the plug numbers?
You do. ArcSpecs shows where a plug is needed and keeps the totals in sync. The number comes from your judgment or another sub's price.
How many bids can I level at once?
As many as you received for the trade. The sheet adds a column for each sub.
Which plan includes it?
Bid Leveling is in every plan: Starter, Pro and Per project.
Try it on your next bid package.
We're taking a few commercial GCs in Dallas–Fort Worth into the founder program, with early access and a locked-in rate.
Join the founder program