Construction Law
Maintaining Business Relationships During the Bidding Process Part 1
Many believe that you have to be ruthless in order to get ahead in this industry. Were that the case, the construction bidding process would be the perfect example — a winner-take-all competition for deciding who gets to work on massive, lucrative, and high-profile construction projects. But while securing construction projects is incredibly competitive, construction companies can actually get ahead by being mindful of their relationships with private owners, government agencies, subcontractors, and other contractors.
In this two-part series, a Charlotte bid protest lawyer discusses how contractors can maintain these relationships throughout the bidding process. Fostering these relationships can help your company secure lucrative bids and avoid costly and time-consuming litigation.
Repeat Business
Contractors can always turn to public notices and online listings to find projects to bid on, but the most reliable project source is one you are already familiar with. Contractors are often informed of projects from owners they’ve worked with in the past. While this may not result in you being handed a project on a silver platter, it can result in you being one of a select few contractors to bid on a project. Always keep in touch with past clients. In addition to being kept in the loop on future projects, you will be working with a familiar owner that you know to be reliable.
Contractors that turn to existing clients for repeat business are ahead of the curve when it comes to bidding; however, this just makes it all the more important to get this process right. You can do so by making sure your project estimates are as accurate as possible. This will ensure that you don’t get in over your head. Failing to accurately account for the scope of work on a project could result in your company losing out on a lucrative client forever.
Private Projects and Your Reputation
As we’ve covered previously, government agencies cannot show bias during the bidding process, and unfairly awarded bids have resulted in many successful bid protests. But just because a government agency can’t show bias doesn’t mean that they would be willing to work with you. For this reason, you must only protest bids that have been awarded unfairly — bids you can win with the assistance of a Charlotte bid protest lawyer. Protesting a bid out of sheer spite could result in your company taking a hit to its reputation and losing out on future projects.
For more information on how to maintain business relationships during the bidding process, read part two.
If you would like to speak to a Charlotte bid protest attorney, please contact us today.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only. This information does not constitute legal advice, is not intended to constitute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as legal advice for your specific factual pattern or situation.