A construction bid template answers an invitation
A construction bid template prices work someone else already defined. The public button loads a state roof project. Selective demolition $8,000, roofing at the base specification $22,000, and flashing $4,000 are lump sum. That base is $34,000. The invitation also estimates 200 square feet of rotten decking at a unit price of $12, which is $2,400. The bid, before the bond, is $36,400.
The dollar amounts are round samples so the addition can be checked. They are not a price for the work, and they are not from a cost guide. A fixed offer you write for a homeowner, with no invitation behind it, is the construction quote template. A scope that can still change is the construction estimate example.
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Selective demolition, lump sum | $8,000 |
| Roofing, base specification, lump sum | $22,000 |
| Flashing and sheet metal, lump sum | $4,000 |
| Decking, 200 sq ft at $12 | $2,400 |
| Bid amount | $36,400 |
| Bidder's security, 10 percent, not in the bid | $3,640 |
The bid bond line on public work
The last line on the public sheet is $0. It records the bond. It is not a charge to the owner. On a California state project, Public Contract Code section 10167 says bids under the State Contract Act shall be presented under sealed cover and accompanied by bidder's security equal to at least 10 percent of the amount bid. A signed bidder's bond from an admitted surety insurer is one of the forms. A bid shall not be considered unless that security is enclosed (read October 14, 2026). Ten percent of $36,400 is $3,640.
That 10 percent is not the federal figure. Where a federal construction solicitation requires a bid guarantee, FAR 28.101-2 says the amount shall be at least 20 percent of the bid price but shall not exceed $3 million (read October 14, 2026). Twenty percent of $36,400 is $7,280, which is under $3 million. A private invitation sets its own security, or asks for none. This page is not legal advice.
Alternates stay off the base bid
The alternates button is a private invitation, so it has no bond line. AIA Document A701-2018, Instructions to Bidders, section 1.6 defines an alternate as an amount added to the base bid, deducted from it, or left unchanged, if the owner accepts that change in the work. Section 4.1.8 says the bidder bears the cost of preparing the bid, so that cost is not a line here (read October 14, 2026). The link is a completed copy posted for a Torrington, Connecticut school project, and those two sections are printed in it. On this sample the base bid is interior paint $12,000 plus flooring $8,000, which is $20,000. Alternate 1 adds quartz counters at $3,500. Alternate 2 deducts $600 for floor prep the owner supplies. If the owner accepts both, the sheet total is $22,900. If the owner accepts neither, the price is the $20,000 base. Delete the alternate lines they do not accept.
Unit prices and a subcontractor bid
The unit-price button uses the sample invitation's quantities: 40 cubic yards of excavation at $85 ($3,400), 25 tons of aggregate base at $40 ($1,000), and 120 linear feet of curb at $28 ($3,360). At those quantities the bid is $7,760. The notes on that sample say payment is the unit price times the quantity actually installed, so $7,760 is the bid extension, not a promise of the final check. Permits and traffic control are excluded.
The subcontractor button is a bid to the hiring contractor for eight windows. Furnish and set at $640 is $5,120. Interior trim at $85 is $680. Sealant is $240. The bid is $6,040. Structural opening changes, flashing, permits, and painting stay with the hiring contractor. After either bid is accepted, a change to the scope goes on the change order template, and the work that gets built is billed on the construction invoice template.
Download the construction bid sheet
Fill in the bid on this page, then download it as a PDF in three designs, a Word file, or an Excel file. The file uses the lines that are on screen, including the public sample that loads first.
How an estimate, a quote, and a bid commit you differently is in estimate vs quote vs bid. A proposal you send before anyone has written an invitation, with a schedule and a second option the client can pick, is the contractor proposal template. More forms are on the templates page.
Questions contractors ask
What is a construction bid template?+
A construction bid template is the sheet you fill in when an owner or a hiring contractor has already defined the work and wants a price. The public sample here is a $36,400 roof bid: $34,000 of lump-sum lines plus 200 square feet of decking at $12. The dollars are samples so the math can be checked, not a price for the work.
What should a construction bid include?+
The scope the invitation asked for, what you excluded, any alternate the owner can accept or reject without changing the base bid, unit prices where the invitation gives estimated quantities, and the bid security the invitation requires. AIA A701-2018 defines an alternate as an amount added to the base bid, deducted from it, or left unchanged.
What is a bid bond on a construction bid?+
Bidder's security is money or a bond that rides with the bid so the bidder will sign the contract if awarded. On a California state project, Public Contract Code section 10167 requires security of at least 10 percent of the amount bid, under seal, or the bid is not considered. Ten percent of the $36,400 sample is $3,640, and that amount is not part of the price. A federal solicitation that requires a bid guarantee uses a different floor: FAR 28.101-2 says at least 20 percent of the bid price, and not more than $3 million. Private work follows the invitation. This is not legal advice.
Can I download a construction bid template as Word or Excel?+
Yes. The bid you fill in downloads as a PDF in three designs, and as a Word file and an Excel file.
Missing a line you always need? Email support@vanreceipts.app and we will add it to the template.