Public projects
Takeoffs and bid estimates for US contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, and estimators bidding municipal, public safety, civic, public works, and federal projects, organized around the agency's bid form.
Project types we estimate
Every public project estimate includes
Nationwide coverage
Client feedback
Feedback from clients who work with us on construction estimates, takeoffs and shop drawings.
Review summary: Bart needed shop drawings on a tight schedule. The team discussed the project the same day, delivered drawings within a week, and completed minor revisions the following day. He praised their understanding of the scope, quick responses and progress updates.
Bart, BTW Enterprises, INC.
Read reviewReview summary: Ludin appreciated the professional team, their patience and guidance, and recommended BidAccurate for takeoff and shop drawing projects.
Ludin Pierre
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Government project estimating
BidAccurate provides public construction estimating services for government projects across the United States. We work from the drawings, project manual, bid form, and addenda to produce quantity takeoffs and priced estimates for the full project or for the trades you bid.
Publicly bid work is usually awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, so the estimate has to be complete and match the bid documents line for line. We organize each estimate by bid item, alternate, phase, and trade, so your team can check the numbers and submit with confidence.
What makes public work different
Public projects follow procurement rules, labor laws, and contract requirements that private work often does not. Each one changes how the estimate has to be built.
Public bids are submitted on the agency's own bid form, often with a base bid, additive or deductive alternates, unit prices, and allowances. A missing line or unacknowledged addendum can make a bid nonresponsive.
How we handle it
We set up the estimate around the bid form line items, price each alternate and unit price on its own, and track which addendum changed which quantity.
Federally funded work is often covered by the Davis-Bacon Act, and many states and cities have their own prevailing wage laws. Rates vary by labor classification and county, which changes labor costs trade by trade.
How we handle it
Labor is priced with the wage determination in the bid documents or the rates you provide, and labor hours are kept separate so rates can be updated without redoing the takeoff.
Public specifications add general requirements that private jobs may not: bonds, testing and special inspections, temporary facilities, security and badging, closeout documents, and detailed reporting.
How we handle it
We list the Division 01 and general-conditions items shown in the project manual as their own cost lines, so they are priced instead of buried or missed.
Federally assisted infrastructure projects may fall under Build America, Buy America (BABA), and direct federal work may carry Buy American requirements, which can affect the price and lead time of steel, products, and materials.
How we handle it
Materials and products named in the domestic content provisions are listed as separate line items, so your team can apply compliant supplier quotes where the specifications require them.
Police, fire, and emergency facilities are generally classified as Risk Category IV under the International Building Code, which often means heavier structure, backup power, and more robust building systems.
How we handle it
Structural members, generators, fuel systems, and redundant MEP equipment are taken off as drawn, so the added cost of an essential facility is visible in the estimate.
Many public renovations happen while the building stays open, with phasing plans, after-hours work, temporary partitions, and hazardous materials surveys that change the sequence and cost.
How we handle it
We break the estimate down by phase or area as shown in the documents, and keep demolition, abatement items identified in the surveys, and temporary work separate.
From city halls to fire stations and maintenance garages, each public building type has its own structure, systems, and contract requirements.
City halls, administrative offices, and public service centers with public-facing lobbies, offices, and council or meeting rooms.
Public safety facilities with apparatus bays, sleeping quarters, secure areas, and emergency power that must stay operational.
Assembly spaces, reading rooms, gyms, and multipurpose rooms with long spans, high ceilings, and durable public finishes.
Fleet maintenance garages, operations buildings, and storage structures for vehicles, equipment, and materials.
Park buildings, restrooms, shelters, trails, parking lots, and sidewalk work, often bid with unit prices for site quantities.
New construction and renovation of federal buildings and installation projects, with agency specifications and contract requirements.
Send the drawings, project manual, bid form, addenda, and bid date. We will review the documents and confirm the scope, trades, and delivery date.
Request Your Public Project EstimateRequest an estimate for the whole project or only the trades you bid. Each trade is taken off to match the bid items and alternates in the documents.
From capital budget to change orders
Public budgets are set early and are hard to change later. We update the estimate at each stage, so the design, the budget, and the bids can be compared.
Stage 1 · Planning
Early estimates from the program, site, and assumptions you approve, to support capital budgets and funding requests.
Stage 2 · Design
Estimates updated at schematic design, design development, and construction documents, with changes listed.
Stage 3 · Bidding
Complete takeoffs and pricing organized by base bid, alternates, unit prices, and allowances.
Stage 4 · Value engineering
Pricing of alternate systems and scope reductions when bids come in above the available budget.
Stage 5 · Construction
Revised quantities for addenda, bulletins, and change orders, so cost changes can be reviewed and documented.
Each team needs something different from a public project estimate. We match the breakdown and format to how you bid, buy, or budget the work.
General contractors
Estimates organized to the bid form, so you can check sub quotes and complete the form on time.
Subcontractors
Quantities for your trade, with alternates and unit prices broken out the way the bid asks for them.
Owners and design teams
Estimates at each design stage to compare with the approved budget and the bids received.
Suppliers
Counts for steel, masonry, doors, hardware, fixtures, and equipment, ready for quoting.
In-house estimators
Extra capacity when several public bids open in the same week, in a format your team can review.
Base bid, alternates, unit prices, and allowances priced as separate lines you can carry straight to the form.
Labor hours kept separate from rates, so prevailing wage changes can be applied quickly.
Division 01 items such as testing, temporary facilities, and closeout listed instead of buried.
Excel reports and color-coded plan markups that show where every quantity came from.
Pair public project estimating with takeoff, drafting, shop drawing, BIM, and permit drawing support from the same team.
Priced estimates with materials, labor, and equipment for complete public projects.
Detailed material quantities by trade, phase, and bid item for public bids.
Shop drawings for rebar, steel, and other fabricated scopes on public buildings.
3D models to coordinate structure and MEP systems where agencies require BIM.
Permit-ready drawing sets for public building additions and renovations.
Plans, elevations, and construction documents drafted to agency standards.
Explore estimating support for other construction sectors.
Partner with experienced construction professionals to deliver your project on time along with in budget.
