A bid tabulation, or bid tab, is the record an agency publishes after bids are opened. It lists each bidder and their prices, often line by line, and may note which bids were responsive. Reading tabs shows you who competes, how close the prices were, and where your pricing stood. Over time, tabs become one of the best free sources of market data in public work.
What a tabulation contains
For best-value awards, the agency may publish a score sheet instead, showing points for each criterion.
Formats differ widely. Some tabs are a single page with totals. Others are long spreadsheets with every line item. Take a minute to understand the layout before you start comparing numbers.
- The solicitation number, title and opening date.
- Each bidder's name, and sometimes location.
- Total bid amounts, and often unit prices for each line item.
- Alternates or options priced separately from the base bid.
- Notes on bid security, acknowledged addenda or missing forms.
- A mark showing the apparent low bidder or the recommended award.
Apparent low bidder vs award
A tab shows the results of bid opening, not the final decision. The apparent low bidder still has to be found responsive and responsible.
The award usually comes later, sometimes after a board or council vote. Check the award notice before drawing firm conclusions.
Some tabs are marked as unofficial or preliminary. Totals can change after the agency checks the math, since many solicitations say unit prices win if a total does not match the unit price times the quantity.
How to read it
- Find your line and your rank.
- Look at the spread from lowest to highest. A tight spread means a well-defined scope and a mature market. A wide spread can mean confusion about the scope.
- Compare unit prices line by line. Large gaps on a single line often show where your assumptions differed from others.
- Note which bids were marked non-responsive and why.
- Record the names of bidders who show up again and again, and note who won.
- Save the tab with the solicitation so you can find it when the work comes up again.
Using tabs before you bid
Tabs from past bids for similar work are useful in pricing. They show the range agencies have accepted and who usually competes. If the same incumbent wins every renewal by a wide margin, that is worth knowing before you spend a week on a response.
Keep a simple file of tabs for your categories and agencies. Over a few months, patterns will appear.
Be careful not to copy a competitor's number. Their costs, overhead and assumptions are not yours. Use tabs to understand the market, then build your own price from your own costs.
Tabs also help after a loss. If you were far above the others, look line by line for the cause. If you were close, the difference may have come down to one item or one assumption you can revisit next time.
Where to find them
Many agencies post tabs on the same page as the solicitation, or in a separate results section. Others share them only on request. If you cannot find one, ask the buyer named in the solicitation. Public records rules generally give access to bid results after award.
BotBid can keep results alongside the bids you tracked, so they are easy to compare later.
Rules vary by agency and state; check the solicitation and your own advisers.
What did they pay last time?
Pricing research
Read transcript
Illustrative narration with fictional examples. Review source requirements and approve prices, signatures and submissions yourself.
What did this city pay last time? Who bid? Who won? BotBid pulls the past awards for this buyer and others like it, so you walk in knowing the price range.
Common questions
Is a bid tab the same as an award?
No. A tab shows what was bid. The award is a separate decision that may come later.
Can I see a competitor's full proposal?
Sometimes, through a public records request after award. Agencies usually withhold parts marked as trade secrets.
Why was a lower bid passed over?
It may have been non-responsive, the bidder may not have been found responsible, or the award may have been based on best value rather than price alone.