Compare bids on the same scope.
The low number is not always the low bid. One bidder excluded hoisting, another missed an addendum. This spreadsheet lines up scope item by scope item, adds a plug for anything missing, and shows the leveled total, so you award on the same scope.
- Scope matrix
- Plugs for exclusions
- Leveled totals & rank
- Up to 3 bidders
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Example values are placeholders. Replace them with your own rates, units and company details.
| Bidder A | Bidder B | Bidder C | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base bid (example) | $412,000 | $398,500 | $405,750 |
| Plugs | $5,100 | $4,600 | $1,800 |
| Leveled total | $417,100 | $403,100 | $407,550 |
Files open in Excel, Google Sheets, Numbers, Word or Google Docs.
Level first, then compare.
Build the scope list
From the bid form and spec sections, before the bids arrive.
Mark each bidder
Included, Excluded or Unclear for every line.
Plug the gaps
Price what it would cost you to cover each exclusion.
Clarify and award
Call about Unclear lines, update, then compare leveled totals.
What to look for in a bid review.
- Missing addenda. A bid that does not acknowledge every addendum may not include the changes.
- Vague exclusions. "By others" with no owner named.
- Outlier low bid. A number well below the others usually means missed scope.
- Qualified schedule. Lead times or durations that do not fit your schedule.
- Unit prices that do not add up. Check unit prices against the base bid quantities.
Leveling by hand? See the bid leveling workflow.
RenderDraw's AI takeoff gives you a reviewed quantity baseline with source references, so scope gaps in sub bids are easier to spot before award. The leveling itself happens in a sheet like this one.
- Source on every row. Each proposed quantity keeps the sheet and location it came from.
- Estimator approval before pricing. Your estimator accepts, corrects or rejects proposals; nothing is priced until it is approved.
- Addenda through the same review. Changed sheets go back through takeoff and estimator review.
- Your assemblies, your rates. Approved rows hand off to your assemblies, labor units and pricing inputs.
Bid comparison spreadsheet, answered.
How do you compare contractor bids?
List every scope item, mark what each bidder included or excluded, add a plug value for each gap, and compare the leveled totals instead of the base numbers.
What is bid leveling?
Adjusting bids so they cover the same scope, by adding the cost of anything a bidder excluded or left unclear. It turns different offers into comparable numbers.
Should I always take the low bid?
Not before leveling. A low base bid with exclusions can end up higher than the next bidder once the gaps are covered.
How many bidders does the spreadsheet support?
Three side by side. Copy a bidder's columns to add more.
What is a plug number?
Your estimate of what an excluded or unclear item would cost to cover. Use your own estimate or another bidder's price for that item.
Send one plan set. Judge the result yourself.
A focused, no-obligation evaluation on your own drawings. Your sample files remain private while we assess the request.
- Upload one representative plan set (a legible PDF set is the most reliable starting point), plus an addendum if you have one.
- RenderDraw reviews the set and the scope you want tested.
- We follow up with what was extracted, what was flagged for review, and the most useful next step.