Writing a steel bid scope letter
The scope letter is what the GC levels on bid day and what you'll be held to for the next year. A clear one wins work and protects margin; a pasted one invites back-charges. Here's what to put in it, and where the AISC Code of Standard Practice already backs you up.
- Basis of bid
- Inclusions by item
- Exclusions backed by AISC 303
- Qualifications and unit prices
Five parts, in this order
- Basis of bid. Drawing list with sheet numbers and dates, spec sections, addenda by number and date, and the edition of the AISC Code of Standard Practice you're relying on (currently ANSI/AISC 303-22).
- Inclusions. By item, with key quantities where they help leveling (tons of structural, number of stairs, LF of rail).
- Exclusions. Specific to this project.
- Qualifications. The assumptions you priced: connection design option, schedule, shop drawing review time, escalation, payment terms.
- Price. Base bid, alternates, unit prices, bid validity period.
GCs level bids in a spreadsheet, column by column. If your letter lines up with how they'll level (structural, joists, deck, misc. metals, stairs and rails, erection, engineering), your number is easier to compare and harder to "misread."
Be specific
- Structural steel per S-drawings: columns, beams, bracing, connections, base plates, anchor rods (furnish only).
- Steel joists and joist girders, bridging, and steel deck if included, with deck type and gauge.
- Misc. metals by item: lintels (loose or attached), embeds (furnish only), bollards, ladders, roof hatches' frames, elevator pit ladders, sill angles, relieving angles.
- Stairs and rails, with finish (primed, galvanized, painted) and whether stair pans are filled by others.
- Shop drawings and erection drawings; connection design if delegated, with the AISC 303 §3.2.3 option.
- Finish by item: shop primer (and which primer), galvanizing, or none.
- Erection with equipment, or furnish-only with delivery terms (FOB jobsite, unloading by others).
Where AISC 303-22 already agrees with you
Many of the most common steel exclusions are already defaults in the Code of Standard Practice. Citing the section makes the exclusion stronger, as long as the contract adopts the Code and doesn't modify it.
| Exclusion | AISC 303-22 basis |
|---|---|
| Setting anchor rods, embeds and leveling plates | §7.5.1 and §7.6.1: set by the owner's designated rep for construction (ODRC) |
| As-built anchor rod survey | §7.5.4: by the ODRC |
| Grout under base plates | §7.7: ODRC responsibility |
| Field touch-up and field painting, including bolt heads and field welds | §7.17 and §6.4.3 |
| Cutting or drilling for other trades unless specified | §7.15 |
| Member reinforcement at connections not shown (delegated design) | §3.2.4 |
| Items in §2.2 (stairs, rails, deck, joists, misc. metals) unless specifically listed | §2.2: not "structural steel" |
| Non-steel parts of the lateral system and their schedule | §7.10.1–7.10.2: identified by ODRD/ODRC |
Other common, project-specific exclusions: fireproofing and intumescent coatings; testing and special inspection; bonds unless stated; permits; layout and survey; MEP supports not shown on structural drawings; deck openings and reinforcing not shown; temporary bracing beyond the erector's own needs (note that §7.10.3 makes temporary supports for the steel frame the erector's responsibility, so don't exclude that if you're erecting).
The assumptions you priced
- Connection design per AISC 303-22 §3.2.3 Option [1/2/3] for [types], using reactions shown.
- Shop drawing approval within 14 calendar days per submittal (§4.4), plus [x] days for connection calculations.
- Schedule: shop drawings start [x] days after award and receipt of approved anchor rod layout; erection in [n] mobilizations.
- Mill material priced as of [date]; escalation beyond [x]% to be adjusted. Price valid [30/60] days.
- Erection assumes firm, level crane access and laydown within [x] ft of the building.
- Galvanized items: AESS not included unless noted; galvanizing appearance per ASTM A123 (no cosmetic finish).
- Payment: [terms]; retainage [x]%.
Make them usable
Alternates should be priced exactly as the bid form asks: add or deduct, with the same basis. Unit prices are useful where quantities are uncertain:
| Unit price | Basis |
|---|---|
| Additional structural steel | $/lb fabricated, primed, erected; includes connections |
| Additional misc. metals | $/lb or per piece by type |
| Lintels | $/each by size range |
| Deck reinforcement at openings | $/each by size range |
| Additional mobilization | $/each |
A short letter, in plain language
05 31 00, 05 50 00; Addenda 1–2. AISC 303-22 applies.
INCLUDES: Structural steel per S-drawings (approx. 186 tons), anchor rods
(furnish only), joists and deck per S-201/S-202, misc. metals per list
below, 2 egress stairs with galvanized rails, shop drawings, delegated
shear connection design (Option 3), erection with crane.
EXCLUDES: Setting anchor rods/embeds, rod survey, grout (AISC 303 §7.5–7.7);
field painting and touch-up (§7.17); fireproofing; testing/inspection;
bond; MEP supports not shown on S-drawings; deck openings not shown.
QUALIFICATIONS: 14-day submittal review + 10 days for calcs; two
mobilizations; mill price valid 30 days.
Illustrative. Replace with your actual items and quantities.
Before it goes out
- Every drawing and addendum in the basis exists and matches the latest dates.
- Every spec section in Division 05 is either included or explicitly excluded.
- Exclusions are specific to this project and don't contradict a spec requirement without a qualification.
- Quantities stated match the takeoff.
- Alternates and unit prices match the bid form.
- Someone other than the estimator reads it once.
Member counts off the drawings, with the sheet attached.
RenderDraw's AI takeoff proposes steel member counts and lengths from plans, framing plans and schedules, links every row to its source, and sends low-confidence items to your estimator before the handoff to pricing.
- Counts and lengths by member. Proposed from the drawings and kept tied to the framing plan or schedule they came from.
- Uncertain items flagged. Items the AI can't confirm go to review instead of being guessed.
- Addenda through the same review. Send the changed sheets through takeoff and review, then reprice the members that changed.
- Your estimator decides. Connections, erection, coatings, risk and margin stay your call.
Test it on a real steel package
Send one structural set, ideally with an addendum. Sample files stay private while RenderDraw assesses the request. No obligation.
RenderDraw does not publish accuracy percentages or time-saved claims. Test it on your own plan set.
Questions estimators ask.
What should a steel bid scope letter include?
The basis of bid (drawings, specs, addenda, AISC Code edition), inclusions by item, project-specific exclusions, qualifications such as connection design option and schedule assumptions, and the price with alternates and unit prices.
What are standard steel exclusions?
Setting anchor rods and embeds, rod survey, grout, field painting and touch-up, fireproofing, testing and inspection, bonds, permits, MEP supports and deck openings not shown. Several are already defaults in AISC 303-22 Sections 7.5 to 7.17.
Does AISC 303 apply to my subcontract?
Only if the contract adopts it. Many specs reference it; some subcontracts modify or delete it. Check the contract and spec, and state in your proposal that AISC 303-22 applies.
Can an exclusion override the spec?
Not always. Many subcontracts make the spec govern over the proposal. If the spec assigns work to you, use an RFI or a priced qualification rather than relying on an exclusion.
Should I include tonnage in a steel proposal?
An approximate tonnage helps the GC level bids and shows your scope. Make clear it's for reference and that your price is lump sum unless the contract is unit-priced.
Can RenderDraw help write scope letters?
RenderDraw's AI takeoff proposes quantities by item with the source sheet attached, which makes it easier to list inclusions and quantities accurately. The letter itself stays with your estimator. Get a free sample takeoff.
Scope letters built from the takeoff.
Book a demo to see how reviewed quantities hand off to pricing and visual CPQ.
- Upload the plans, specs and schedules, plus an addendum if you have one.
- RenderDraw reviews the set and the scope you want tested.
- We follow up with extracted quantities, flagged items and next steps.
Where these numbers come from
We checked this guide against the standards, manufacturer documents and industry references below (last reviewed November 2026). Figures marked as rules of thumb are typical ranges, not requirements; your project documents, local code and your own cost history govern.