Course outline
Following up with every GC on the same bid
When you've bid a project to several GCs, follow up with each one separately — one message per GC, never a shared thread or copy, because they're competitors. Track each GC's status on its own, change your message once the project is awarded, and stop chasing GCs that have lost the job while you focus on the one that won. Cadence and wording are in the bid follow-up guide.
By Michael Reddy, IntelBid
After this lesson you can
- Follow up with competing GCs without exposing one to another
- Pick the right contact at each GC as the project moves
- Change the message — or stop — when the project is awarded
How often to follow up and what to say are covered in the bid follow-up guide. This lesson is about the part that gets messy when one project went to several GCs.
Why separate messages matter
- They're competitors. A shared email tells each GC who else is bidding — and invites comparing your numbers.
- Your prices may differ. Each GC's proposal reflects its own scope and terms.
- Their statuses differ. One GC may be carrying you while another already lost the job.
- BCC isn't a fix. Reply-all and forwarding make it easy for a blind copy to become visible.
Who should you contact at each GC?
| Stage | Contact | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Before award | The estimator who invited you | They built the bid and know where your number landed |
| After award | The project manager or buyout contact | They write subcontracts and schedules |
| Any stage | One contact per GC, plus your own team on copy | Multiple contacts at one GC create mixed messages |
How should the message change as the project moves?
| Where the project is | To whom | Message |
|---|---|---|
| Bids submitted, no decision | Every GC you bid | Confirm receipt, offer to clarify scope or alternates |
| A GC tells you it's carrying you | That GC | Ask about owner timing; offer value engineering ideas |
| Awarded to one GC | The winning GC | Ask about the scope review and schedule — see bid day to subcontract |
| Awarded to one GC | The other GCs | A short thank-you and a request to stay on their list |
| On hold or being rebid | GCs still involved | Offer to re-confirm or update pricing when it restarts |
When should you stop?
- The GC confirms it lost the project — close that GC's bid.
- The GC tells you it chose another flooring sub — close it, and ask for feedback.
- The winner is public — stop chasing the GCs that didn't win.
- The project is cancelled — close every GC's bid, with a note.
Should I email multiple GCs together about the same bid?
No. Send a separate message to each GC. They're competitors, your prices may differ, and a shared thread exposes who else is bidding.
Who should a subcontractor follow up with after bid day?
The estimator who invited you before award, and the project manager or buyout contact after award — one main contact per GC.
Should I keep following up after the project goes to another GC?
Stop chasing the GCs that lost the project, send them a brief thank-you, and focus follow-up on the GC that won.
Key points
- One message per GC — never a shared thread or copy.
- Estimator before award, project manager after.
- Change the message at award, and stop chasing GCs that lost the job.
One draft per GC
IntelBid drafts follow-ups for every GC still live on a bid — a separate draft for each, so competitors never share a To or CC line — and leaves every draft for you to review and send. Once a GC's bid is closed as lost, it stops being chased.
Start your free trialEvery trial starts with a sample project loaded, so you can try this before connecting anything.
Get new lessons, plus $100 toward IntelBid
New modules as they're published. Confirm your email and we'll send a $100 credit toward your IntelBid membership.
About the author. Michael Reddy builds IntelBid, bid management software for commercial flooring subcontractors. These lessons come from the bid desk: how the work is priced, won and paid for.