Bid strategy
Jun 13, 2026
6 min read
They Already Know Who's Getting the Job
What to look for when an RFP is written for someone else, and how to decide whether to bid anyway.
Read article
BidTerms Field Notes
Practical RFP review tips for contractors.
Plain-English guides for spotting bid risks, tracking deadlines, and deciding whether an RFP is worth estimating before your team spends hours pricing the work.
Latest guides
Read before you price the job
Bid strategy
Jun 12, 2026
8 min read
The RFP Told You Everything. You Just Had to Know How to Read It.
Experienced contractors can tell before finishing an estimate whether an owner has done this before. Here is what to look for and what it means for your price.
Read article
Bid risk
Jun 5, 2026
7 min read
The RFP Looks Like a Good Job. Then You Read the Fine Print.
Before pricing an RFP, contractors should review the payment terms, deadline traps, addenda, insurance, bonding, and submission requirements that can quietly change the job.
Read article
Bid decisions
May 29, 2026
5 min read
A Bid/No-Bid Checklist for Small Trade Contractors
Use this bid/no-bid checklist to decide whether an RFP is worth estimating before your team spends time calling suppliers and building a proposal.
Read article
Deadlines
May 22, 2026
4 min read
Pre-Bid Meetings, RFIs, Addenda, and Bid Deadlines Explained
A plain-English guide to the RFP dates contractors should track, including pre-bid meetings, site walks, RFIs, addenda, bid due dates, and closeout terms.
Read article
Contract risk
Jun 13, 2026
7 min read
Liquidated Damages in Construction Contracts: What Contractors Need to Know
How liquidated damages clauses work, what the daily rates actually mean for your bottom line, and how to spot the ones that can bankrupt a job.
Read article
Contract risk
Jun 13, 2026
6 min read
Pay-When-Paid and Pay-if-Paid Clauses: A Contractor's Guide
The difference between pay-when-paid and pay-if-paid, which states enforce each, and what to do when you find one in a subcontract.
Read article
Bid basics
Jun 13, 2026
5 min read
What Is a Bid Bond and When Do You Need One?
A plain-English explanation of bid bonds: what they guarantee, how much they cost, when owners require them, and what happens if you win and cannot perform.
Read article
Compliance
Jun 14, 2026
7 min read
Prevailing Wage in Construction: What It Means and What It Costs You
A plain-English breakdown of prevailing wage requirements for contractors: how rates are set, which jobs trigger them, and how to price them correctly.
Read article
Bid basics
Jun 15, 2026
8 min read
How to Read a Construction RFP: A Contractor's Walkthrough
A step-by-step guide for trade contractors on how to read an RFP, where the important clauses are, and what to look for before you spend time estimating.
Read article
Contract risk
Jun 16, 2026
6 min read
Retainage in Construction Contracts: What It Is and How to Manage It
How retainage works, what percentage is standard, when it gets released, and how to protect your cash flow when an owner holds it too long.
Read article
Contract risk
Jun 17, 2026
5 min read
Written Notice Requirements in Construction Contracts: Why Missing One Kills Your Claim
Why written notice clauses exist, what triggers the requirement, how long you have, and how contractors lose valid claims by missing a notice deadline.
Read article
Bid basics
Jun 18, 2026
5 min read
Performance Bond vs. Payment Bond: What Each One Does
The difference between performance bonds and payment bonds, who they protect, when each is required, and what happens when a claim is made.
Read article
Contract risk
Jun 19, 2026
6 min read
Indemnification Clauses in Construction Contracts: What You're Agreeing To
How indemnification clauses work in construction contracts, the difference between broad and limited form, and why the wrong clause can make you liable for things you did not cause.
Read article
Bid basics
Jun 20, 2026
7 min read
How to Bid on Government Contracts as a Small Contractor
A step-by-step guide for small contractors entering public bidding for the first time: registration, bid bond, certified payroll, and what makes a bid non-responsive.
Read article
Project management
Jun 21, 2026
6 min read
The Change Order Process: How to Get Paid for Extra Work
How to document, submit, and negotiate change orders in construction so extra work does not become unpaid work.
Read article
Insurance
Jun 22, 2026
5 min read
Additional Insured Requirements in Construction Contracts: What Contractors Need to Know
What it means to add someone as an additional insured, how it affects your policy, what endorsement language to use, and why the wrong certificate can get your bid rejected.
Read article
Tools
Jul 4, 2026
8 min read
I Tested AI Tools on Real Construction RFPs. Here Is What I Found.
Why ChatGPT and general AI assistants struggle with construction RFPs, what they get wrong, and why the type of engine matters as much as the model behind it.
Read articleHave an RFP you need to review?
Upload it to BidTerms and get a structured review of deadlines, submission requirements, risk clauses, and source text.
Get a free RFP review