Bid evaluator

Bid Evaluator

Evaluate tabulated subcontractor bids against construction documents. This skill does NOT make the award decision — it builds the analytical foundation so the PE/PM can decide quickly and confidently.

Pipeline & Disambiguation

/bid-tabulator → THIS SKILL → user confirms → /subcontract-writer

This skill requires tabulated bids as input. If the user has raw bid PDFs that haven't been tabulated yet, run /bid-tabulator first to produce the per-bidder JSON files and comparison Excel. This skill consumes that output.

• User has bid PDFs → /bid-tabulator (data capture) → then offer this skill
• User has tabulated bids and wants analysis → this skill directly
• User says "compare bids" or "buyout" → check if bids are already tabulated; if not, start with /bid-tabulator

Tier System

• RIGID: Output schema, scoring tables, file naming
• GUIDED: Dialogue sequencing, scope assembly, scoring thresholds
• FLEXIBLE: Bid interpretation, scope coverage, risk assessment

Required Inputs

1. Tabulated bids (from /bid-tabulator or equivalent)
2. Relevant specification sections
3. Relevant drawing sheets (Claude reviews via vision)
4. Scope context (from user dialogue)

Optional: bid form/ITB, schedule, owner requirements, budget estimate, past experience with bidders.

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Step 1: Scope Assembly

Complete before analyzing any bids.

Mode Detection

Check for .construction/ directory at the project root.

• AgentCM mode: Read specs from .construction/spec_text/{section}.txt. Use sheet index from .construction/index/sheet_index.yaml for drawing identification.
• Flat File mode: Discover spec PDFs via CLAUDE.md paths or directory search (Specifications/, Specification Sections/). Read drawing sheets directly from PDF.

1a. Spec Review

Extract from each spec section: work included (Parts 1-3), work by others (GC/NIC/Owner), related section cross-references, performance requirements, coordination and temporary requirements.

1b. Drawing Review

Load references/drawing-review.md for guidance on what to look for per drawing type. Vision-read key sheets to identify scope items, conditions, and quantities not apparent from specs. Track drawing- derived items separately — they differentiate thorough bidders. Offload reference after completing drawing review.

1c. User Dialogue

Ask targeted questions to fill gaps documents can't answer. Do not dump a questionnaire — ask conversationally, skip what you already know.

Always ask: package definition (which specs/drawings), GC-provided items, bid count and format, drawing confirmation if provided.

Ask when relevant: multi-trade splits, alternates/allowances, qualification requirements, budget reference, schedule constraints.

Confirm assembled scope with user before proceeding.

1d. Build Scope Baseline

Produce internal baseline document: items in sub scope (with source), drawing-identified scope, GC/owner exclusions, allowances, alternates, qualifications, schedule constraints.

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Step 2: Bid Analysis

Load references/buyout-domain.md for domain knowledge on bid language interpretation, common scope splits, red flags, trade- specific evaluation notes, and non-price factors. Keep loaded through Steps 2a-2d, then offload.

2a. Normalize Pricing

Adjusted Base = Submitted Base
              + Excluded spec-required items
              - Included GC-provided items
              + Accepted alternates ± Allowance adjustments

Valuation order: other bidder's line item → budget estimate → professional judgment (flagged) → qualitative risk if unknown. Document every adjustment. No silent price changes. Flag unit price outliers (>2x median). Calculate exposure ranges.

2b. Scope Coverage Mapping

Map each bidder against every scope baseline item using five statuses:

Status	Meaning
INCLUDED	Explicitly includes
EXCLUDED	Explicitly excludes
SILENT	Not addressed — most dangerous
PARTIAL	Includes with limitations
DIFFERENT	Offers substitution

Flag all SILENT items on spec-required scope. Drawing-derived SILENT items suggest incomplete document review by that bidder.

2c. Exclusion Risk Scoring

Level	Criteria
CRITICAL	Spec-required, uncarried, >1% bid or >$5K
SIGNIFICANT	Implied by spec/practice, $2K-$5K
MINOR	Common GC-provided, <$2K
INFO	Clarification only, no cost impact

2d. Qualification & Responsibility

Assess per bidder: bonding, insurance, licensing, experience, capacity, DBE/MBE, bid completeness. Bust detection: >20-30% below field + scope gaps + incomplete submission. Flag for verification, never call it a bust.

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Step 3: Output

Build JSON per schema in scripts/sample_input.json, then run:

${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../bin/construction-python ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/scripts/export_bid_evaluation.py input.json output.xlsx

The script produces 5 sheets: Bid Comparison, Price Summary, Exclusion Detail, Qualification Summary, Recommendation.

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Step 4: Handoff

1. Lead with the recommendation — don't make them hunt for it
2. Highlight items needing PE attention
3. Ask for explicit confirmation: selected bidder, scope adjustments, alternates, special conditions

Do NOT proceed to /subcontract-writer without user confirmation.

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Step 5: Write Graph Entry

If .construction/ directory exists (AgentCM mode), record the evaluation:

${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../bin/construction-python ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../scripts/graph/write_finding.py \
  --type "bid_evaluation_complete" \
  --title "Bid evaluation: {scope} — {N} bidders, recommended {company}" \
  --output-file "{output.xlsx}" \
  --data '{"scope": "...", "bidder_count": N, "recommended": "...", "adjusted_amount": ..., "pe_attention_items": [...]}'

If no .construction/ directory exists, skip — the Excel workbook is the deliverable.

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Context Needs Chart

Step	Resource	Load Trigger	Offload After
1b	references/drawing-review.md	Drawing sheets provided	Step 1b complete
2	references/buyout-domain.md	Entering bid analysis	Step 2d complete
3	scripts/sample_input.json	Building output JSON	Step 3 complete
5	../../scripts/graph/write_finding.py	AgentCM mode detected	Step 5 complete

Error Handling

• Uneven formats: note difficulty, don't penalize lump-sum bids
• <3 bids: note limited field, suggest re-bid if appropriate
• Budget mixed with hard bids: segregate with caveat
• Math errors: flag discrepancy, don't correct
• Scope too complex: focus on highest cost-impact items

What This Skill Does NOT Do

• Contact subs, execute awards, or negotiate pricing
• Replace PE judgment on responsibility
• Produce subcontracts (use /subcontract-writer)
• Perform quantity takeoffs from drawings

File Safety

Never overwrite an existing bid evaluation. The export script uses safe_output_path() which appends _v2, _v3, etc. automatically.

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Allowed Scripts

• ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../bin/construction-python
• ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/scripts/export_bid_evaluation.py
• ${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../scripts/graph/write_finding.py