How to Process a Bid: Steps 1–75

1. A. Start the bid · Step 1Estimator Start a new bidClick New Bid. Save any bid already open before replacing it.
2. B. Load bid documents · Steps 2–4Conditional Upload the spec book or RFP first (optional auto-fill)Use a searchable PDF, DOC, DOCX, or TXT. Review and correct every value the program fills automatically.
3. Conditional Drop the symbol legend or device schedule (coverage checklist)The program reads the device types off it and asks you for any count you have not dictated yet — your completeness checklist. It never counts anything itself.
4. Estimator Upload every addendum and confirm none are missingInclude written addenda, revised sheets, and the deliberate “no addenda issued” answer when applicable.
5. C. Complete Project Setup · Steps 5–24Estimator Enter or verify the project nameUse the official project name from the solicitation.
6. Estimator Enter the exact bid due date and timeMatch the solicitation, including the time zone. This controls deadline warnings and saved-bid ordering.
7. Estimator Enter the GC, agency, or clientUse the organization that will receive the bid.
8. Estimator Select the estimator doing the takeoffChoose the person responsible for the quantities and bid record.
9. Estimator Select the salesperson shown on the proposalVerify the displayed name, title, email, phone, and office.
10. Estimator Choose the delivery methodSelect Plan-and-Spec or Design-Build as required by the job.
11. Estimator Enter or verify the project locationUse the correct city and state because location affects wages, pricing, availability, and travel.
12. Estimator Enter or verify the code jurisdictionConfirm the applicable code edition, local amendments, and authority having jurisdiction.
13. Estimator Select the project typeChoose new construction, renovation, tenant improvement, addition, or the closest accurate option.
14. Estimator Select every discipline included in the bidCorrect every auto-selected chip. Include all bid scope and remove only work clearly by others.
15. Estimator Verify ceiling and floor-to-floor heightsKeep detected/default heights only when the drawings support them.
16. Estimator Verify the plan sheet sizeChoose the actual drawing size to support scale and pathway calculations.
17. Estimator List specific items that must be includedName unusual devices, owner requirements, alternates, or items needing special attention.
18. Estimator Enter known quantities for an accuracy cross-checkUse confirmed schedule or manual counts only as a verification reference.
19. Estimator Choose the correct wage typeMatch standard, prevailing-wage, Davis-Bacon, or other solicitation requirements.
20. Conditional If prevailing wage applies, select the correct county/state/metroDo not continue with an unresolved wage jurisdiction.
21. Estimator Choose the work shiftAccount for normal hours, nights, weekends, occupied work, and restricted access.
22. Estimator Confirm whether this is transit or railroad workEnable the specialized cost and labor treatment when required.
23. Estimator Confirm whether all divisions are self-performedTurn this on only when bidding as the prime and carrying all applicable divisions.
24. Conditional Add the prior estimate when one existsUse a relevant prior bid for comparison and account for scope differences.
25. D. Complete pricing setup · Steps 25–32Estimator Open pricing and cost settingsDo not accept hidden defaults without checking them.
26. Estimator Choose the estimate depthSelect the level appropriate for the bid’s size, risk, and document quality.
27. Estimator Choose the pricing tierMatch the material source quality and purchasing position available for this project.
28. Estimator Verify the regional multiplierConfirm the selected region matches the actual project market.
29. Estimator Apply the approved pricing preset or target marginUse the company-approved preset or a specifically authorized custom target.
30. Estimator Verify every labor classification and rateCheck technicians, foremen, project management, engineering/programming, and all other displayed rates.
31. Estimator Verify burden is included only when appropriateChoose deliberately and confirm the burden percentage.
32. Estimator Verify material, labor, equipment, and subcontractor markupsThese values directly affect the customer price.
33. E. Review the setup · Steps 33–40Estimator Continue to the review stepClick Next after all Project Setup warnings are resolved.
34. Estimator Review the project summary and all uploaded file countsCompare the project, disciplines, formats, specifications, plans, and addenda to the solicitation.
35. Estimator Review the estimated accuracy and fix weak inputs if neededReplace unreadable files, correct scale information, and resolve quality warnings before analysis.
36. Estimator Add final estimator notes and special instructionsInclude scope priorities, exclusions to investigate, special counts, and customer directions.
37. Estimator Save the draft before analysisConfirm the save succeeds so the setup can be recovered.
38. Estimator Continue — voice-first bids skip analysis hereWith no plans uploaded there is nothing to analyze; the program goes straight to Travel & Costs. Your quantities come from Voice Takeoff at Step 48.
39. Conditional Answer every clarification using the specificationsAppears only on legacy analyzed bids. Do not guess — check the source documents for every response.
40. Conditional Continue only after every clarification is answeredAppears only on legacy analyzed bids. Resolve every required question before the program proceeds.
41. F. Complete Travel & Costs · Steps 41–47Estimator Review the labor hours and crew recommendationCompare total hours, crew mix, and duration with field experience and project constraints.
42. Estimator Choose travel/per diem or confirm this is a local jobUse No Per Diem — Local Job only when travel truly does not apply.
43. Estimator Choose the scheduling method, crew, days, and mobilizationsUse By Techs or By Schedule and confirm the resulting person-days and trips are realistic.
44. Estimator Enter and verify all travel costsInclude hotel, per diem, mileage, airfare, rental car, parking, tolls, and other actual costs.
45. Estimator Enter permits, insurance, bonding, rentals, fuel, and bufferEnter zero only when the cost will not occur and avoid double-counting costs carried elsewhere.
46. Estimator Review the complete travel and incidentals totalConfirm every included cost and the total added to the bid.
47. Estimator Continue to ResultsClick View Results. Voice-first bids go straight to the Results screen; legacy analyzed bids still pass the pin review first.
48. G. Voice takeoff & coverage · Steps 48–54Estimator Open Voice Takeoff and dictate every count and noteClick the 🎙 Voice Takeoff toolbar button. Read your counts off the drawings out loud — twelve dome cameras on the second floor, three hundred feet of cat6 — or type them. Say we're in the lobby to tag locations and scratch that to undo.
49. Estimator Send the takeoff to the bid, then Apply the priced linesClick Send to Bid on the capture page, switch back to this tab, review the catalog pricing on each line, and click Add to bid. Lines land as draft manual BOM items.
50. Conditional Work the Legend Coverage card until nothing is missingIf you dropped a legend at Step 3, every device type it lists must end green: dictate a count for it or mark it N/A on this job.
51. Conditional Accept or adjust the cable suggestions from your device countsThe program derives homerun cable by the average-drop method — 150 ft per data drop, 90 ft per card reader, 120 ft per camera. Adjust the average for this building, then Add to BOM. If you dictated cable yourself, it stands aside.
52. Estimator Confirm the takeoff total before the deep reviewSanity-check the BOM grand total against your gut number for the job. Price every $0 “unpriced” line with your real cost.
53. Conditional Legacy plan bids only: return to the large green review buttonApplies only to older bids that ran the plan analysis. Voice-first bids skip 53–54 entirely.
54. Conditional Legacy plan bids only: PUSH TO OK THE REVIEWOn a legacy analyzed bid, press PUSH TO OK THE REVIEW once to apply the reviewed counts and unlock reports.
55. H. Review Results & RFIs · Steps 55–66Estimator Review the final bid total and Bid Readiness scoreCompare the total and cost breakdown with the expected range. Follow every Bid Not Ready or Review Recommended instruction.
56. Estimator Open Diagnostics and resolve every warning or sanity issueClear blocking math, scope, count, page, safety, and integrity findings.
57. Estimator Review and edit every BOM quantity, price, and labor valueVerify count-source badges and all high-dollar or unverified lines; add missing scope and remove out-of-scope items.
58. Estimator Review exclusions, assumptions, and clarificationsEdit every statement so it matches the actual scope and protects the company.
59. Estimator Open Workbench and complete the pre-bid reviewReview Dashboard, Estimate Summary, Scope Validation, Risk/CO Exposure, Value Engineering, and Quote Comparison.
60. Estimator Review, select, and export the required RFIsKeep only relevant questions, edit them for clarity, and obtain required answers before finalizing the bid.
61. Manager Have the manager mark the bid as reviewedThe manager checks pins, scope, pricing, exclusions, RFIs, and Workbench notes, then records a useful review note.
62. Estimator Check the ready-for-submission confirmationCheck it only after the displayed total, scope, documents, and manager review are correct.
63. Manager Approve and submit the bid internallyComplete the internal approval before generating the customer deliverable.
64. Estimator Generate the Full Proposal in WordGenerate it only from the approved final pricing and scope.
65. Estimator Open the downloaded proposal and proof every page and dollarVerify customer/project names, total, alternates, addenda, scope, exclusions, credentials, review stamp, signatures, and attachments.
66. Estimator Open Compliance after the proposal is approved and proofedDo not start submission until the approved proposal has been fully proofed.
67. I. Compliance, approval, and delivery · Steps 67–75Estimator Complete every compliance filing that applies to this bidFinish applicable DBE/SBE/MBE, DAS, COI, bid-bond, subcontractor, and site-walk requirements.
68. Estimator Open the Approval Chain tabUse the formal chain required for public, large, or high-risk bids.
69. Manager Enter approvers and obtain every required approvalCorrect any rejection and resubmit until all required approvers show approved.
70. Estimator Open the Send / DocuSign tabUse the delivery workflow only after compliance and approvals are complete.
71. Estimator Confirm the To and CC recipientsMatch the solicitation and verify every email address.
72. Estimator Proof the subject and complete email bodyInclude the correct project and bid identification without exposing internal notes.
73. Estimator Choose the delivery methodSelect email, DocuSign, portal, or the exact method required by the customer.
74. Estimator Open the email, attach the approved proposal, and send itAttach every required form, signature, bond, and supporting document; then deliver before the deadline.
75. Estimator FINAL: after delivery succeeds, mark the bid as sentReturn to The New Terminator, click Mark as Sent, save the final record, and retain delivery confirmation.

The New Terminator bid operating guide · Voice-first sequence reviewed August 2026 · Red numbers are the mandatory order of work.