Downtobid
Downtobid is an AI-powered tool that assists General Contractors in creating and sending out bid invitations based on analyzed construction drawings and plans. ...
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What is Downtobid?
Downtobid is an AI-powered construction bidding software designed for General Contractors (GCs) and Trade Contractors (subcontractors) to streamline the commercial construction preconstruction process. For GCs, the ITB tool allows users to upload construction plans where AI automatically detects trade packages, creates clean scope definitions, writes scope notes, and prepares personalized ITB (Invitation to Bid) invites that send from the GC's own email domain. For subcontractors, the Bid Board provides a centralized dashboard to see every invite, deadline, and RFI in one place, enabling them to reply before competitors even open their invites.
Key features for GCs include AI package detection that reads every sheet in PDF plan sets to identify trade scopes and draft scope notes automatically, personalized ITB sending where each subcontractor receives their specific scope with clear notes and relevant sheets, real-time coverage tracking to see who opened invites, who is bidding, and who needs follow-up nudge, CSV import for existing subcontractor lists with duplicate flagging, and transparent per-user pricing. Key features for subcontractors include finding and connecting with commercial GCs who need their trade, a calendar view for all due dates to never miss deadlines, team collaboration features to see who is working what project to prevent double-bidding, and the ability to assign estimators and track progress.
Downtobid is built for general contractors who send ITBs and need to manage bid invites efficiently, as well as subcontractors who want to stop losing bids to their inbox and track all their bid invitations. The platform replaces outdated workflows from competitors like BuildingConnected, iSqFt, PlanHub, and SmartBid by bringing back clear communication and real relationships digitally. The frictionless planroom requires no subcontractor login, and all follow-ups are automated while centralized in an intuitive dashboard.
The tool helps estimators focus on analyzing plans rather than chasing phone outreach, saving teams significant time (one case study shows 15 minutes vs 2+ hours for time to packages). It enhances subcontractor engagement through personalized communication, reduces administrative overhead, improves bid coverage (3.8 bids per package vs 1.9), and helps contractors expand into new markets with confidence by connecting with verified contractors anywhere they bid.
Downtobid pricing
Pricing model: Freemium
Downtobid starts at $149/month for your organization for General Contractors and is meant to be cost effective for GCs with transparent per-user pricing instead of revenue percentage pricing. For subcontractors, the basic 'leads' bid board starts at $119/month and the full bid management software starts at $299/month. Subcontractors can access planrooms and submit bids free without paying, but they can upgrade to Bid Board for advanced features like bid tracking and deadline management.
Downtobid pros
- AI package detection is scary accurate, reducing package creation from half a day to 2 minutes
- Upload plans and AI creates clean scopes, writes notes, and preps everything for invites in minutes
- Personalized ITBs sent from your own email domain, not portal emails like competitors
- Real-time bid coverage tracking shows who opened, who's bidding, who needs a nudge
- 15 minutes vs 2+ hours for time to packages, saving 15+ hours per week
- Improved bid coverage with 3.8 bids per package vs 1.9 from other platforms
- Active projects dashboard supports 24 running projects simultaneously
- CSV import for existing subcontractor lists with automatic matching and duplicate flagging
- Frictionless planroom requiring no subcontractor login for easier access
- Automated follow-ups reduce manual tasks and administrative overhead
- Subcontractors can find and connect with commercial GCs who need their trade
- Calendar view shows every due date in one place to never miss deadlines
- Team collaboration prevents double-bidding by showing who is working what project
- Assign estimators and track progress across multiple concurrent projects
- Transparent per-user pricing instead of revenue percentage pricing from competitors
- Migration from current bid management software completes in under an hour
- Verified subcontractor database is continuously updated nationally
- Each invite includes specific scope summary, relevant sheets, and company branding
Downtobid cons
- Paid platform starting at $149/month for GCs, not free for general contractors
- Subcontractor full bid management software costs $299/month, expensive for small subs
- Basic leads bid board for subs starts at $119/month, additional cost beyond free access
- AI scope notes require manual review and editing before sending, not fully automatic
- Nothing goes out without approval, adding manual step to workflow
- Primarily focused on commercial construction, may not suit residential contractors
- Requires uploading PDF plan sets, digital plans must be available
- Newer platform compared to established competitors like BuildingConnected
- Dependency on AI accuracy for package detection, though reported as highly accurate
Frequently asked questions about Downtobid
How does AI package detection work?
Upload your PDF plan set and the AI reads every sheet, identifies trade scopes, and drafts initial scope notes. You review and edit before sending—nothing goes out without approval. The AI detects packages by reading every sheet, identifying trade packages, and drafting scope notes automatically.
How is Downtobid better than other ITB platforms?
Downtobid offers AI-powered bid package creation with 15 minutes vs manual sorting time, personalized ITBs from your domain instead of portal emails, and transparent per-user pricing instead of revenue percentage pricing. Many GCs switch for the time savings alone, with reported improvements from 2+ hours to 15 minutes for package creation.
How much does construction bid management software cost?
Downtobid starts at $149/month for your organization for GCs. For subcontractors, the basic 'leads' bid board starts at $119/month and the full bid management software starts at $299/month. Subcontractors can access planrooms and submit bids free without paying.
Can I import my existing sub list?
Yes. Upload via CSV and Downtobid will match to their database, fill missing info, and flag duplicates. Your relationships stay intact with automatic contact verification and info updates.
How do I switch from my current construction bid management software to Downtobid?
Downtobid offers sub list imports from your platform or spreadsheet directly into their system. They verify contacts, update info, and flag duplicates. Most teams complete migration in under an hour.
What makes ITBs personalized?
Each invite includes the subcontractor's specific scope summary, relevant sheets, and your company branding. It looks like it came from you because it did—unlike portal emails from competitors that send generic blasts to everyone.
Do subcontractors pay to use Downtobid?
No. Subs access planrooms and submit bids free. They can upgrade to Bid Board for advanced features like bid tracking and deadline management, with basic leads board at $119/month and full bid management at $299/month.
What is the Bid Board for subcontractors?
The Bid Board is a centralized dashboard where subcontractors see every invite, deadline, and RFI in one place. It allows them to reply before competitors open theirs, find and connect with commercial GCs, never miss deadlines with calendar view, and prevent double-bidding by seeing who on their team is working what.
What is the ITB tool for General Contractors?
The ITB tool allows GCs to upload plans where AI creates clean scopes, writes notes, and sends personalized invites from their email. Features include AI package detection that identifies trade packages and drafts scope notes, personalized ITB sending with specific scopes for each sub, and real-time coverage tracking to see who opened and who's bidding.
How does Downtobid handle multiple concurrent projects?
Downtobid offers user-friendly features for managing multiple concurrent projects with the ability to assign dedicated bid coordinators to each project under specific plans. The dashboard supports 24 active running projects simultaneously with team collaboration features to track progress and assign estimators.