SmartBid

SmartBid (now part of the massive ConstructConnect conglomerate) is a highly mature, highly secure legacy player that targets very serious, massive General Contractors. While tools like BuildingConnected push heavily toward an open, public "social network" of subcontractors, SmartBid appeals heavily to GCs who want complete, absolute, iron-clad control over their own proprietary, private data. Many top ENR 400 (Engineering News-Record) contractors refuse to use open networks because they view their meticulously curated list of reliable, high-quality subcontractors as a massive competitive trade secret. SmartBid provides a highly secure, private environment where the GC manages their own proprietary database, completely isolated from competitors. It is heavily renowned for its prequalification engine. Before a GC invites a concrete subcontractor to bid on a massive 50-story skyscraper, the GC must ensure that the subcontractor is financially stable enough to survive the project. SmartBid provides highly complex, secure workflows for subcontractors to upload their sensitive financial statements and EMR (Experience Modification Rate) safety scores, allowing the GC's risk department to approve them mathematically before they are allowed to see the blueprints.