👉 Learn more about How to Create and Send a Bid Request/ Request for Quote in Buildern
How Sub/Vendors Receive a Bid Request
Once you create and send a bid request, each selected subcontractor/vendor receives a separate email notification (recipients are not visible to each other).
Scrolling down you can see View the bid request button
Clicking on it you can open the bid request in your browser.
How Sub/Vendors Interact with the Bid Request
Once a subcontractor or vendor opens the bid request from their email, they are taken to a web-based view where they can review the request and submit their response.
1. Review Bid Request Details
After opening the request, vendors can clearly see all the information you’ve provided.
They can review:
Scope of work – Overall description of what is being requested
Line items – Each requested item included in the bid
Quantities and units – Predefined values that cannot be modified
Additional requirements or notes – Any instructions added to the request
2. Enter Pricing Information
For each requested item, vendors can provide their pricing directly within the bid interface.
You can:
Enter Unit Price for each line item
See the total amount calculated automatically based on quantity
Select applicable tax settings (if enabled)
3. Upload Attachments
Vendors can attach supporting documents to their bid, such as:
Quotes
Specifications
Supporting files
This helps provide additional context or justification for their pricing.
4. Communicate via Comments
If vendors need clarification or want to include notes, they can use the comments section.
They can:
Ask questions about the scope
Provide additional explanations
Communicate directly within the bid request
5. Review Terms and Conditions (If Included)
If you’ve added Terms and Conditions to the bid request, vendors will be able to:
View the document directly
Download it for review
They can review this information before submitting their response.
6. Submit or Reject the Bid Request
After reviewing all details, vendors can choose how to proceed:
Submit Bid – Complete and send their pricing
Reject – Decline the request if they are not interested or unable to proceed
7. Add Electronic Signature
When submitting a bid, vendors may be required to provide an electronic signature.
This step:
Confirms the validity of the submission
Makes the response more formal and binding
8. Final Submission
Once submitted, the bid is sent directly to your Buildern account, including all pricing, attachments, and comments.
Tracking Vendor Activity
Once the bid request is sent, you can monitor engagement directly in Buildern:
Seen column – Shows whether the vendor has viewed the request
View Offers – Displays all submitted responses
This gives you full visibility into vendor activity and responsiveness.
Managing and Comparing Offers
If multiple vendors submit bids, you can:
View each offer individually
Compare offers side by side
Evaluate pricing, scope, and details more efficiently
This helps you quickly identify the most suitable option.
That's it! You can now confidently manage this process in Buildern.
Happy building!