Sealed Bid Projects FAQs

With BC Pro, you can create projects where the bids submitted by subcontractors are not accessible until the bid due date has passed. Subcontractors can submit and revise their bids up until the bid due date.

Once that date passes, no further submissions are allowed. Only the bid administrator assigned on the project can unseal the bids. 

Here are frequently asked questions about the sealed bid process:

• How does sealed bidding work? 
• How do you set the bid administrator for a sealed bid?
• Can I change a project to sealed bidding after it has been published?
• Can I remove the sealed bid function on my project after it has been published? 
• How can I let subcontractors submit revisions on a previously sealed bid? 
• Can I reseal bids after they have been unsealed? 
• Can a report be generated with what time and date each bid package was unsealed and unsealed it? 

How does sealed bidding work? 

You can add the sealed bidding feature to a project while you are creating it or by selecting the sealed bidding option before your project is published. The following shows how sealed bidding affects your project before and after the bid due date: 

Before the Bid Due Date

• In Projects
  
  • In the "Bidders" and "Bid Leveling" tabs, you will not be able to see submitted proposals as usual. 
    
    
    
  • In the list of bid packages, bid packages with sealed proposals has a lock icon. 
    
    
• In Bid Board (Subcontractors)
  • Your subcontractors will see a note on their end that this is a sealed bid project.
    
    

After the Bid Due Date

• In Projects
  
  • For the Bid Administrator Only
    • In the "Bidders" and "Bid Leveling" tabs, the Bid Admin will now see the option to "Unseal Bid Package". Learn more in How to unseal bids (BC Pro)
      
      
      
  • For Project Team Members
    
    
• In Bid Board (Subcontractors)
  • Your subcontractors will no longer be able to submit bids or revisions. 
    
    
  • Subcontractors can only log bids, which do not submit a bid to you. 
    
    
    
    

How do you set the bid administrator for a sealed bid?

By default, the project creator is set as the Bid Admin. Learn how to change the bid administrator in How to designate a Bid Admin for sealed projects (BC Pro). Only the bid administrator can unseal bids anytime after the bid due date passes. 

If you have any further questions with unsealing or with the Bid Administrator permissions, please submit a request. 

Can I change a project to sealed bidding after it has been published? 

A project cannot be changed to sealed bidding after it has been published whether there have been submissions or not. 

If you need your project to be sealed, you will need to recreate it and invite bidders to your new project. To recreate your project: 

1. Copy your existing unsealed project. 
2. In the new project, go to the "Information" tab, click "Edit Project Information", and under "Advanced Options", check "Keep bids sealed until the Bids Due Date". 
3. Review your project as needed to ensure all your information is present. 
4. Publish your copied project, which will invite your bidders. 
5. We suggest sending a message to all bidders, clarifying why they may be seeing another project come through.
6. Reach out to the Support Team here and we can help delete the unsealed project to avoid confusion for you and your bidders.
   
   

Can I remove the sealed bid function on my project after it has been published? 

You also cannot revert a project to no sealed bids if you accidentally sealed your project before publishing.

If you need your project to be unsealed, you will need to recreate it and invite bidders to your new project. To recreate your project: 

1. Copy your existing sealed project. 
2. Review your project as needed to ensure all your information is present. 
3. Publish your copied project, which will invite your bidders. 
4. We suggest sending a message to all bidders, clarifying why they may be seeing another project come through.
5. Reach out to the Support Team here and we can help delete the sealed project to avoid confusion for you and your bidders.

How can I let subcontractors submit revisions on a previously sealed bid? 

You can extend the bid due date on your project after you've unsealed bids and allow subcontractors to submit revisions. The revisions will not be sealed as you cannot reseal bid packages.

To change the bid due date:

1. In your project, go to the "Information" tab.
2. Click "Edit Information".
3. Select a new bid due date.
4. Click "Save Project". 
   
   

Can I reseal bids after they have been unsealed? 

Bids cannot be resealed after they have been unsealed.

If you are working on a project with phased bidding processes, we typically suggest that you can create a new project for the next phase, select to seal your new project before publishing, and only invite the bidders that you want to submit in this new phase. 

Can a report be generated with what time and date each bid package was unsealed and unsealed it? 

We do not currently have a report that includes what time and date each bid package was unsealed and who the Bid Administrator was.