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Preconstruction guides for US contractors.

Plain-language guides for US preconstruction teams: how bidding works, which contract clauses shift risk to you, and how to level sub bids before award. Each guide answers one question and cites the standard it relies on, from AIA A201 to Texas law.

23 guides by Tushar Adsul, reviewed by the BAU AI Standards Team. Updated October 2026.
Start hereWhat is bid leveling in construction?Bid leveling puts subcontractor bids on the same scope so you compare like for like.Read the guide, 4 min

Bids and RFPs

Finding, reading and deciding on a bid.

4 guides
  1. How US construction bidding works: ITB vs RFP vs IFB vs CMARITB, IFB, RFP and CMAR explained for US contractors: how each solicitation is awarded, what a bid package contains, and what makes a bid...4 min
  2. Construction bid package review checklist: what to read before you priceA contractor-side checklist for reviewing a US bid package: due dates, bonds, LDs, insurance, prevailing wage, DBE goals, addenda and scope, in...4 min
  3. How to make a Go/No-Go bid decision in constructionA weighted bid/no-bid checklist for US contractors: owner risk, bonding, LDs, schedule, competition and fit, with a scoring matrix you can adapt.3 min
  4. Prevailing wage, DBE goals and FAR clauses in US bid packagesWhat Davis-Bacon, Texas prevailing wage, DBE contract goals and FAR 52 clauses require at bid time, with the USDOT DBE rule status as of October 2026.4 min

Contract review

The clauses that move risk to you, and what to ask for.

7 guides
  1. Construction contract review checklist for US contractorsA clause-by-clause construction contract review checklist for US contractors: scope, payment, LDs, indemnity, delay, notice and flow-down, cited...3 min
  2. How liquidated damages work in US construction contractsHow liquidated damages are set, calculated and enforced in US construction contracts, where they sit in AIA documents, and what FAR 52.211-12 adds.5 min
  3. Indemnification clauses in construction contracts: broad, intermediate and limited formHow broad, intermediate and limited form indemnity clauses shift risk, what AIA A201 3.18 says, and how Texas Insurance Code Chapter 151 limits them.6 min
  4. What is a no-damage-for-delay clause, and when is it enforceable?A no-damage-for-delay clause limits a contractor to a time extension.5 min
  5. Pay-when-paid vs pay-if-paid: what the clause means in your statePay-when-paid sets timing; pay-if-paid shifts owner nonpayment risk to the sub.5 min
  6. AIA vs ConsensusDocs: how the two contract families allocate riskAIA A201-2017 and ConsensusDocs 200 compared clause by clause: indemnity, delay, consequential damages, termination and disputes, with section cites.3 min
  7. Subcontract review checklist: the clauses that cost subcontractors moneyA subcontract review checklist for US subcontractors: flow-down, indemnity, pay-if-paid, no-damage-for-delay, termination and changes, with...3 min

Bid leveling

Putting sub bids on one scope before you award.

5 guides
  1. What is bid leveling in construction?Bid leveling puts subcontractor bids on the same scope so you compare like for like.4 min
  2. How to level subcontractor bids, step by stepThe bid leveling process in eight steps: scope sheet, responsiveness check, inclusions and exclusions, plugs, alternates, outlier review and the...4 min
  3. What is a scope gap in construction, and how do you spot one?A scope gap is work in the plans and specs that no subcontractor priced.4 min
  4. What is an unbalanced bid, and how do you detect one?Mathematically vs materially unbalanced bids, front-end loading, the FHWA and FAR tests, and worked examples of spotting skewed unit prices in bids.7 min
  5. Free bid leveling template for subcontractor bidsDownload a free bid leveling template in Excel: a CSI MasterFormat bid tab with median and variance formulas, a scope sheet and an award memo.5 min

After award

Takeoff, buyout, schedule, RFIs and compliance, with Theo, Patrick, Dario, Lex, Fina, Colin and Pixer.

6 guides
  1. What is a construction takeoff?A construction takeoff measures quantities from plans and specs: counts, lengths, areas, volumes.3 min
  2. What is buyout in construction?Buyout turns the estimate into signed subcontracts and purchase orders after award.3 min
  3. How does construction scheduling work on US projects?How CPM scheduling works on US construction projects: critical path, float, schedule updates, the AIA A201 time clauses, and how delay claims are...3 min
  4. What is the difference between an RFI and a submittal?An RFI asks the design team to clarify the documents; a submittal shows what you plan to install.3 min
  5. What does construction compliance require after award?Post-award compliance for US contractors: certified payroll (WH-347), OSHA recordkeeping, permits and inspections, Buy America and insurance...6 min
  6. What does construction operations cover?Construction operations runs from notice to proceed to closeout: site, safety, quality, RFIs, changes, pay apps.3 min

AI in preconstruction

What AI agents do, and what to ask a vendor.

1 guides
  1. AI agents for construction: what they are and how they workWhat an AI agent for construction is, what it can and cannot do today, how to evaluate one, and the questions to ask a vendor before it reads your...5 min

Reference

Definitions, comparisons and the study behind the guides.

  1. Glossary of US preconstruction termsPlain definitions of bid, contract and AI terms, each linked to the guide that goes deeper.70 terms
  2. Compare construction AI toolsWhich kind of tool fits which job, judged on the same criteria.Criteria
  3. Bid package patterns 2026Study design for counting LD, scope gap and indemnity patterns in bid packages.In progress

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