To respond to a county construction solicitation, register with the county, read the full bid package including every addendum, attend the pre-bid meeting, price the work to the bid form, include the required security and forms, and submit before the deadline. Counties award on the rules written in the solicitation, so following those rules exactly matters as much as the price.
County work is attractive because projects such as roads, drainage, jails, libraries, clinics, fire stations and courthouse renovations are procured openly and repeat every year. It is also unforgiving: a bid that is late by a minute or missing a signed form is rejected without anyone reading the price. This guide gives a repeatable method you can run on every county solicitation.
Where do counties post construction solicitations?
Counties publish notices in several places at once, so no single source is enough. Check these every week during bid season:
- The county purchasing or procurement web page. Most counties list open bids with a solicitation number, due date and document download.
- State procurement portals. Some states run a statewide portal that counties and school districts post to. In Texas, for example, the state operates the Electronic State Business Daily for state agencies, and many local governments post separately.
- Legal-notice newspapers. Many states require publication of notices for projects above a statutory amount.
- Vendor registration and bid-notification systems. Register your company and your CSI division codes so notices are emailed to you.
- Federal opportunities on SAM.gov when a county project uses federal funds or you also bid federal work.
What is the difference between an IFB, an RFQ and an RFP?
An Invitation for Bid (IFB, sometimes ITB) is a sealed, price-based competition usually awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder. A Request for Qualifications (RFQ) shortlists firms on experience. A Request for Proposal (RFP) scores qualifications, approach, schedule and price against stated criteria. Counties may also use construction-manager or design-build procurement for larger projects. The solicitation names the method; read how the award is decided before you decide to bid. See the glossary for each term.
How do I read a county bid package?
Read the documents in this order and mark every deadline, form and requirement:
- Notice and instructions to bidders: due date and time, delivery method (sealed, electronic or both), pre-bid meeting, question deadline, bid security, license and insurance requirements.
- Bid form: base bid, alternates, unit prices, allowances and the addenda acknowledgement.
- General and special conditions: liquidated damages, retainage, payment terms, contract time, wage requirements and any local-hire or small-business goals.
- Specifications (CSI divisions 01–33): Division 01 carries project-wide requirements such as submittals, schedule, testing and closeout; trade sections define products and workmanship.
- Drawings: civil, architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection sheets; compare them to the specifications for conflicts.
What should I do at the pre-bid conference and site visit?
Arrive early, sign in (attendance is often recorded and may be mandatory), and take notes on access, staging, working hours, utilities and owner priorities. Photograph existing conditions that affect cost, such as demolition scope, tie-ins, overhead lines or limited laydown space. Write down every question and submit it before the question deadline in the manner the solicitation requires; answers are issued as addenda, and only the written addendum is binding.
How do I price a county project accurately?
Start with a complete quantity takeoff from the latest drawings, then price labor, material, equipment and subcontract scopes line by line. Apply the labor rates the solicitation requires. For many public projects that means a prevailing-wage determination with fringe benefits and certified payroll reporting; see our guide to prevailing wage for estimators and the U.S. Department of Labor's Davis-Bacon page for federally funded work. Then add general conditions, bonds, insurance, taxes, overhead, profit and contingency. Price every alternate and unit price separately, and carry allowances exactly as written.
Use subcontractor and supplier quotes only after leveling them to a common scope. Ask for quotes in writing, confirm that they acknowledge the same addenda, and keep a record of who quoted what at bid close.
How do addenda affect my county bid?
Addenda change the bid documents: revised sheets, new specification sections, extra alternates or a new due date. Counties usually require you to acknowledge each addendum on the bid form, and failing to do so can make the bid non-responsive. Check the portal the morning of bid day, the afternoon before and one hour before the deadline. When a late addendum changes scope, update the estimate rather than guessing.
What goes into the submission package?
- Completed, signed bid form with every line priced and every addendum acknowledged.
- Bid security (a bid bond or certified check) in the amount and form stated; many solicitations set it as a percentage of the bid, commonly around five percent, but follow your document.
- Contractor license numbers, insurance certificates and any registration or prequalification letters.
- Required affidavits and certifications, such as non-collusion, drug-free workplace, debarment and E-Verify statements where applicable.
- Subcontractor and supplier lists, small or local business participation forms, and references if requested.
Submit with time to spare. For electronic bids upload early and confirm the receipt; for sealed bids deliver to the exact room and floor named, and obtain a time-stamped receipt.
What happens after bid opening?
Most counties open bids publicly and publish a tabulation. The county reviews responsiveness and responsibility, may request clarifications, and presents the recommended award to the commissioners or the governing board. After a notice of award you execute the contract, post required performance and payment bonds and insurance, and receive a notice to proceed. Our post-bid guide explains buyout and award in detail.
How can I get better at winning county work?
Track every county you bid, the winning price and the spread to your number. Build a standard bid checklist so nothing is missed, reuse scope sheets by trade, and prequalify early where counties offer it. Specialize: contractors who bid the same project types repeatedly price faster and more accurately. When bid volume exceeds your estimating capacity, outsource construction estimating and quantity takeoff so you can respond to every good solicitation rather than skipping them.
Related Bid Sharp pages
- Solicitation response support
- How to read a construction solicitation
- Public and institutional estimating
- Prevailing wage and Davis-Bacon for estimators
- Public bid estimating
- Construction bidding glossary
- Estimating and bidding FAQ
Need help with this on a live project?
Send the solicitation or plans on the contact page with your due date. We reply with scope, a firm price and turnaround before any work starts. Bid Sharp prepares the estimate and documents; the contractor reviews, signs and submits the bid in its own name.
Last reviewed October 2026. Procurement rules, thresholds, wage rates and permit procedures differ by agency and change over time; always confirm with the official solicitation or the agency named in it.
Have a bid coming up?
Upload your plans and bid date. We reply with scope, price and turnaround.
Frequently asked questions
Where do counties post construction solicitations?
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Usually on the county purchasing or procurement page, in a state procurement portal, in a legal-notice newspaper and sometimes through a bid-notification service. Register as a vendor with each county you want to work for so notices reach you.
What makes a county bid non-responsive?
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Missing or unsigned forms, an unacknowledged addendum, no bid security when required, a late submission, unpriced bid items or changes to the bid form. Responsiveness is checked before price is considered.
Do I need to attend the pre-bid meeting?
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Only if the solicitation says attendance is mandatory. Even when optional, attending is the best chance to hear the owner's priorities and see the site.
Can Bid Sharp submit the bid for me?
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No. We prepare the takeoff, pricing and supporting documents; the contractor reviews, signs and submits in its own name.
Written by the Bid Sharp Estimating Team
Bid Sharp provides construction estimating, quantity takeoff, structural and permit drawings, shop drawings and scheduling for contractors across the United States. This article is general information, not legal or engineering advice.
