How BidForge Works

From a pile of plans to a sealed, defensible bid — here’s the whole pipeline.

The pipeline

Six steps, fully autonomous

You bring the documents. BidForge does the rest — and shows its work.

Upload

Drop in your plans, specs, RFP, and supporting files — drag-and-drop or sync straight from your own storage. Mixed formats in one package are fine.

Parse

The Universal Parser reads every file — even scanned and mislabeled ones — using true-format detection and vision OCR, then normalizes everything into structured scope.

Detect trades

BidForge scans the parsed scope and turns on only the trades actually present in your documents — it never invents work that isn’t there.

Estimate

Each active trade brain runs in parallel, producing material and labor takeoffs with regional pricing, breakage buffers, and margin.

Verify

An independent verification pass re-checks quantities and prices. Low-confidence items are flagged for review instead of being silently accepted.

Export

Out comes a sealed, defensible bid with a full audit trail of every parse, price, and decision — ready to submit.

Universal Parser

Feed it anything

Real bid packages are messy — mixed formats, scanned sheets, files with the wrong extension. The Universal Parser reads a file’s true format from its contents and normalizes everything into structured scope, with vision OCR for scanned drawings.

Plans & documents

.pdf.docx.doc.xlsx.xls.csv.txt.xml.json.fdf

Scans & images

.png.jpg.jpeg.tiff.tif.heic.heif

CAD drawings

.dwg.dxf.dwfx

BIM models

.ifc.rvt.rfa.nwd.nwc.skp

Schedules

.mpp.xer

Email & archives

.msg.eml.zip.kmz.bcf.bcfzip

Don’t see your format? The parser is extensible and we add adapters regularly — ask us.

Your data, your hardware

Privacy by architecture

BidForge can run estimating entirely on your own machine, so confidential plans never have to leave your network. Cloud reasoning is always opt-in and runs on your provider keys.

On-device processing through the local worker
Free local AI models (Ollama) — fully offline, GPU-aware
Bring-your-own cloud keys when you want them — never required
Your files are never used to train models for other customers
Optional fully air-gapped / on-prem deployment on enterprise plans

Deployment options

Local models (Ollama)Offline

Bring-your-own cloud keyOpt-in

Private VPC / on-premEnterprise

Fully air-gapped / FedRAMPCustom Build

30 trade brains

A specialist for every trade

Each brain knows the scope, units, and pricing logic of its trade. BidForge turns on only the trades your documents actually contain.

General ContractingGeneral conditions, supervision, and bid coordination across every trade.

PlumbingDomestic water, sanitary & waste, fixtures, backflow, water heaters, grease lines.

ElectricalPower, lighting, switchgear, panelboards, feeders, conduit, low-voltage.

HVACDuctwork, RTUs, chillers, VRF, air handlers, ventilation, controls.

ConcreteFootings, foundations, slabs, formwork, rebar, sidewalks, curbs.

FramingMetal stud, wood framing, joists, trusses, cold-formed & light-gauge.

RoofingTPO, EPDM, shingles, membranes, flashing, parapets, roof drains.

DrywallGypsum board, partitions, acoustical ceilings, ceiling grid.

FlooringVCT, LVT, carpet, resilient & epoxy floors, sealed concrete, base.

PaintingPrimers, finish coats, wall & epoxy coatings.

Fire ProtectionSprinklers, standpipes, risers, fire pumps, NFPA-13 systems.

MasonryBrick, CMU, block walls, mortar, stone veneer.

GlazingStorefront, curtain wall, window wall, glass doors, spandrel.

InsulationBatt, rigid, spray foam, thermal & vapor barriers.

DemolitionSelective demo, tear-out, and removal of existing conditions.

Sitework / EarthworkExcavation, grading, paving, site utilities, storm drainage.

LandscapingPlanting, sod, irrigation, hardscape, trees & shrubs.

Steel / StructuralBeams, columns, metal deck, erection, miscellaneous metals.

Millwork / CarpentryCasework, cabinets, countertops, finish & architectural woodwork.

Tile & TerrazzoCeramic, porcelain, mosaic, quarry tile, terrazzo setting.

StuccoEIFS, cement & exterior plaster, lath-and-plaster systems.

SidingFiber cement, metal wall panels, composite cladding.

WaterproofingBelow-grade waterproofing, traffic coatings, joint sealants, air barriers.

Asbestos AbatementACM & lead-paint abatement, hazmat, mold remediation.

ScaffoldingShoring, access platforms, swing stage, mast climbers.

FencingChain link, ornamental, security & perimeter fence, gate operators.

Traffic ControlMaintenance of traffic, lane closures, flagging, barricades, MOT plans.

ElevatorsTraction & hydraulic elevators, escalators, vertical transportation.

Fire AlarmsFACP, smoke detectors, notification appliances, pull stations.

Security SystemsAccess control, CCTV, card readers, intrusion detection.

FAQ

Common questions

What file types can I upload?

A lot — the Universal Parser is built to take whatever a real project package throws at it. That includes PDF plans and specs, Word and Excel documents, scanned drawings and photos (PNG, JPG, TIFF, HEIC), CAD files (DWG, DXF), BIM models (IFC, Revit RVT/RFA, Navisworks, SketchUp), project schedules (MS Project MPP, Primavera XER), emails (MSG, EML), and archives (ZIP, KMZ, BCF). It detects a file’s true format from its contents, so a mislabeled or wrong-extension file still parses correctly. Uploads can be very large — single files up to tens of gigabytes.

Does my project data stay private?

Yes — privacy is a core design choice, not an afterthought. BidForge can run estimating on your own hardware through the local worker and free local AI models (Ollama), so your plans and specs never have to leave your network. If you’d rather use a cloud model, you bring your own provider key and stay in control of that relationship. Either way, your project files belong to you and are processed only to produce your bid — never used to train models for anyone else.

Can BidForge run fully air-gapped?

Yes, on our enterprise and Custom Build plans. Regulated, federal, and defense customers can deploy BidForge on-prem or in a private VPC, fully air-gapped, with FAR/CMMC compliance support (Davis-Bacon, Buy American, and more). Talk to us about a deployment that fits your security posture.

How accurate are the estimates?

Every quantity and price is cross-checked by an independent verification layer against regional cost data, with breakage buffers and margin applied. Anything the system isn’t confident about is flagged for human review rather than passed through silently. BidForge is decision-support — always review outputs before you submit a bid.

How long does a bid take?

Most projects go from upload to a fully priced, verified bid in minutes, because the trade brains work in parallel. Very large or complex packages take longer, but it’s still a fraction of a manual takeoff.

Which trades does it cover?

All 30 listed above, spanning sitework and structure through MEP, finishes, and specialty systems. BidForge automatically activates only the trades present in your documents.

Do I need my own AI keys?

No. You can run entirely on free local models. Bringing your own Google Gemini, Anthropic, or OpenAI key is optional — it lifts token caps and unlocks higher-end cloud reasoning tiers if you want them.

How does pricing work?

Plans range from a solo Journeyman tier up to multi-office enterprise, with annual billing discounts. Higher tiers add seats, more monthly bids, all 30 trade brains, more concurrent pipelines, and integrations like QuickBooks and Procore. Create an account to see current pricing, or contact us for enterprise.

Still have questions?