How to Build a Winning Bid Team: Roles and Responsibilities Guide 2025
Learn how to structure an effective construction bid team. Understand key roles including estimators, project managers, executive sponsors, and proposal coordinators for winning more government contracts.
Building Your Bid Team
Why Team Structure Matters
Win Rate Increase:
15-30%
With structured team
Bid Errors:
-50%
With clear roles
Bid Capacity:
2-3x
More bids possible
Winning construction bids requires more than technical estimating skills. A well-structured bid team with clear roles and responsibilities significantly improves win rates, reduces errors, and increases the number of opportunities you can pursue.
Core Team
- • Bid/Proposal Manager
- • Chief Estimator
- • Project Manager
- • Executive Sponsor
Support Team
- • Proposal Coordinator
- • Technical Writers
- • Subject Matter Experts
- • Administrative Support
Core Bid Team Roles
Executive Sponsor
Senior leader who champions the bid and makes final go/no-go decisions.
- • Approves pursuit strategy and resources
- • Reviews final pricing and risk allocation
- • Participates in client presentations
- • Commits company to the contract
Bid/Proposal Manager
Coordinates entire bid effort and ensures on-time, compliant submission.
- • Develops bid schedule and assigns tasks
- • Ensures compliance with RFP requirements
- • Coordinates between team members
- • Manages document production
Chief Estimator
Leads the technical pricing effort and ensures estimate accuracy.
- • Performs quantity takeoffs and pricing
- • Solicits and evaluates subcontractor bids
- • Develops labor and equipment estimates
- • Identifies cost risks and contingencies
Project Manager
Provides construction execution expertise and will manage the project if won.
- • Develops construction schedule
- • Reviews estimate for constructability
- • Identifies execution risks
- • Plans project staffing and resources
Under $5M
2-3
Team members
$5M - $25M
4-6
Team members
Over $25M
6-12+
Team members
Key Responsibilities Matrix
| Activity | Exec Sponsor | Bid Mgr | Estimator | PM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Go/No-Go Decision | A | R | C | C |
| Bid Schedule | I | A | C | C |
| Cost Estimate | I | C | A | R |
| Project Schedule | I | C | C | A |
| Final Pricing | A | R | R | C |
| Proposal Submission | I | A | I | I |
R = Responsible, A = Accountable, C = Consulted, I = Informed
Bid Workflow
Opportunity Identification (Day 1-2)
Review RFP, assess fit, prepare go/no-go analysis.
Go/No-Go Decision (Day 3)
Executive sponsor approves pursuit, assigns team.
Kickoff Meeting (Day 4)
Review requirements, assign responsibilities, set milestones.
Estimating Phase (Day 5-20)
Takeoffs, sub solicitation, pricing, schedule development.
Internal Review (Day 21-23)
Team reviews estimate, identifies gaps, resolves issues.
Final Pricing (Day 24-25)
Executive review, markup decisions, final number.
Submission (Day 26)
Document assembly, compliance check, delivery.
Team Communication
Kickoff Meeting
Full team, 60-90 min
Daily Standups
15 min, status updates
Mid-Bid Review
Progress check, 45 min
Final Review
Exec sponsor, 60 min
Shared Drive/Cloud
Central document repository
Project Chat Channel
Quick questions, updates
Email for External
Subs, owners, formal items
Issue Tracker
Open questions, RFIs
Tools & Systems
Estimating
- • Takeoff software (Bluebeam, PlanSwift)
- • Estimating database
- • Spreadsheet templates
- • Historical cost data
Scheduling
- • Primavera P6 or MS Project
- • Resource loading tools
- • Schedule templates
- • Logic diagrams
Proposal Production
- • Word processing (templates)
- • Graphics/design tools
- • PDF assembly
- • Version control
Collaboration
- • Cloud storage
- • Video conferencing
- • Task management
- • Messaging platform
Success Tips
Assign Dedicated Resources
Bid team members should have protected time, not competing priorities during critical bid phases.
Use Checklists
Standard checklists for RFP compliance, document assembly, and quality control prevent errors.
Conduct Win/Loss Reviews
After each bid, review what worked and what did not. Continuously improve processes.
Build Reusable Content
Create a library of company qualifications, project descriptions, and resumes for quick assembly.
- Starting too late - allow adequate time for quality work
- No single point of accountability - someone must own the bid
- Insufficient executive engagement - pricing decisions need leadership
- Poor sub management - late quotes derail estimates
- Last-minute scramble - builds in errors and stress
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