“If you’re a general contractor looking for a new bid solicitation system, I definitely recommend SmartBid.” – Marc Brown, Estimator at PCL Construction
PCL is a group of independent construction companies that carries out work across the US, Canada, the Caribbean, and Australia. These diverse operations in the civil infrastructure, heavy industrial, and buildings markets are supported by a strategic presence in 31 major centers. PCL is the 7th largest contracting organization in the US, the largest in Canada and is ranked a Top Green Contractor by Engineering News-Record (ENR) magazine.
The PCL team heavily relies on streamlined processes and organization to successfully deliver projects. PCL chose SmartBid to help them become more organized and simplify their bidding. SmartBid’s user-friendly interface, communication capabilities, and customizable functionality help PCL Construction improve preconstruction workflows, saving them much-needed time on every project. Here’s a look at how SmartBid helps PCL Construction save 8+ hours per project.
“We found that when we’re working on a project, we’re saving close to 8 hours per project and that has also translated into a very positive ROI.” – Marc Brown, Estimator at PCL Construction
Streamlines Day-to-Day Bid Management Processes
In the past, PCL relied on time-consuming, complicated bid management processes like spreadsheets and email. Using a combination of different software tools and manual processes caused employees to have extra work for their team and repetitive, un-needed responsibilities.
By consolidating and automating their bid management, PCL was able to move quickly through tasks like training users/subs, sending invitations to bid, qualifying subs, comparing bids, and more. SmartBid cut their preconstruction time by a significant margin, which resulted in a very positive ROI, and allowed their precon team to focus on other important construction project tasks. “SmartBid gets your invite out in a very organized, streamlined manner. Because of the software simplicity, it’s easy to train and maintain support, as well as get adopted by users and the trade community, “ says Brown.
Keeps Subcontractors Organized and Happy
With multiple projects going on and hundreds of subcontractors to manage, an efficient invitation to bid management process is key for PCL to win projects. “SmartBid helps us keep track of what our subcontractors are seeing and doing. We’re now able to make better phone calls, reducing the time-consuming bid proposal follow up process. The software really helps make our time a lot more efficient,” says Brown.
PCL’s subcontractors also like using SmartBid to receive invitations to bid and submit project bid proposals. “Our subcontractors love the SmartBid system. It easily allows them, with only 3 clicks, to view the ITB, access the project documents, and be off to the races working on the bid proposal,” says Brown.
Saves 8+ Hours Per Construction Project
PCL replaced their out-of-date manual bid tracking processes with automated bid solicitation software, allowing them to improve preconstruction efficiency, transparency, and consistency. They’re now able to focus on the important precon tasks at hand like comparing and contrasting bid proposals, instead of filling out spreadsheets.
Ultimately the benefits of using SmartBid outweighed the cost of implementation, allowing PCL to break-even at the end of their pilot project of using SmartBid and eventually save 8+ hours per construction project.
“We found that by the end of the pilot project of using SmartBid, we were looking at our break-even point,” says Brown.
Interested in seeing how SmartBid can save your company time and improve bid management workflows? Schedule a free demo today!
