Sample Electrical Bid Risk Review

What we would flag before this bid goes out

A composite 24-hour review for a medical office tenant improvement: scope gaps, RFIs, exclusions, addenda, and bid-day actions for an electrical estimator.

ProjectMedical Office TI
TradeElectrical
StageIssued for Bid
Due3 days out
Turnaround24 hours
This is a composite sample built to show the review format. It is not a customer project, stamped design review, legal interpretation, quantity takeoff, or final pricing recommendation. The estimator makes the final bid decisions.

Reviewed Materials

  • Bid invitation and scope narrative.
  • Electrical drawings E0.01, E1.01, E2.01, E3.01, E5.01, and panel schedules.
  • Architectural reflected ceiling plan and door/hardware notes.
  • Mechanical equipment schedule and controls notes.
  • Specification sections 26 05 00, 26 09 23, 26 51 00, and 28 31 00.
  • Division 01 front-end requirements.

Bid Desk Snapshot

7bid risks worth resolving before price lock
7RFIs or proposal qualifications to consider
2missing compliance items: addenda log and bid form
4scope boundaries that need GC/vendor confirmation

Intake Completeness

Package Item Status Estimator Impact
Drawing set Present Electrical, architectural, reflected ceiling, and mechanical sheets need cross-checking.
Specifications Present Division 26, fire alarm, communications, and general requirements create scope boundaries.
Addenda log Not included High risk if fixture counts, controls, bid form, or alternates changed after invite.
Bid form Not included Alternates, unit prices, allowances, addenda acknowledgement, and delivery method are unconfirmed.
RFI cutoff Not listed RFIs below should be sent immediately or converted into proposal qualifications.

What We Found

ID Severity Where It Shows Up Why It Matters Bid Action
E-01 High Bid invite references addenda, but the package did not include an addenda log or final bid form. Missed acknowledgement, alternate, allowance, or revised sheet can make the bid non-compliant. Ask GC for final addenda log and bid form before price lock.
E-02 High Sheet E2.01 fixture tags do not cleanly reconcile with the RCP and Spec 26 09 23 controls language. Controls scope can quietly include sensors, room controllers, dimming, programming, startup, and training. Send controls RFI and request a complete lighting controls quote.
E-03 High E3.01 shows fire alarm device relocation; Spec 28 31 00 implies complete system responsibility. Programming, verification, monitoring coordination, permits, and testing may fall to EC unless clarified. RFI responsibility split and qualify proposal language.
E-04 Medium Mechanical equipment schedule lists new equipment, but electrical sheets do not show every disconnect/circuit. Missing feeders, disconnects, starters, VFD wiring, controls interlocks, or final connections create exposure. Request equipment matrix and cut sheets before vendor quote cutoff.
E-05 Medium Low-voltage symbols appear on plan, but rough-in/cabling/programming boundary is not defined. Data, security, access control, nurse call, AV, and paging often get split between EC, LV vendor, owner, and GC. State conduit/boxes/pull string only unless cabling/termination is expressly assigned.
E-06 Medium Division 01 references occupied work; no phasing, shutdown, or infection-control notes were included. After-hours work, dust control, temporary barriers, and occupied-space coordination can change labor assumptions. Price normal hours only unless GC confirms occupied/phased requirements.
E-07 Medium RCP shows existing ceilings remain in several work areas, but access responsibility is not assigned. Ceiling tile removal/replacement and damage repair can become unpriced incidental scope. Clarify whether ceiling access is by EC, GC, or ceiling trade.

RFI Draft Log

Priority 1 - bid compliance Please confirm whether all addenda issued to date have been included in the bid package and provide the final bid form, including required alternates, unit prices, allowances, taxes, bonding, and addenda acknowledgement requirements.
Priority 1 - lighting controls Please confirm lighting controls responsibility, including design assistance, room controllers/power packs, low-voltage control wiring, sensor coverage, programming, startup, commissioning, and owner training.
Priority 1 - fire alarm Please confirm whether fire alarm engineering, permit drawings, panel programming, verification, monitoring coordination, third-party testing, and AHJ closeout are included in the electrical contractor scope.
Priority 2 - equipment connections Please provide the final mechanical and owner-furnished equipment matrix with voltage, phase, MCA/MOCP, disconnect requirements, controls interface, and final connection responsibility.
Priority 2 - low voltage Please confirm responsibility for low-voltage systems, including conduit, boxes, cable tray, pull strings, cabling, terminations, devices, programming, testing, and labeling for data/security/access control/nurse call/AV/paging.
Priority 2 - occupied work Please confirm whether work occurs in an occupied medical suite and whether after-hours work, shutdowns, temporary power, temporary lighting, dust control, infection-control measures, or phased turnover are required.
Priority 3 - ceiling access Please confirm who is responsible for removal, storage, replacement, and repair of ceiling tiles/grid where access is required for electrical work above existing ceilings.

Proposal Clarifications To Add

  • Proposal is based on documents received as of the bid review date.
  • Excludes unissued addenda or revised sheets after proposal submission.
  • Excludes lighting controls design, programming, startup, commissioning, and owner training unless included in vendor quote.
  • Excludes fire alarm engineering, permit drawings, panel programming, verification, and monitoring coordination unless stated.
  • Excludes data, security, access control, nurse call, AV, paging, and other LV cabling/termination/programming unless assigned.
  • Excludes premium time, after-hours work, shutdown coordination, infection-control measures, and phased turnover unless stated.
  • Excludes ceiling tile/grid removal, storage, reinstallation, replacement, and repair unless shown as EC scope.
  • Excludes permit fees, utility charges, inspection agency fees, and design fees unless stated.

Bid-Day Actions

  1. Get final addenda log and bid form from GC.
  2. Confirm RFI cutoff. If cutoff has passed, convert unanswered RFIs into proposal qualifications.
  3. Send full lighting drawings/specs to controls vendor and require quote before internal price lock.
  4. Send fire alarm scope to FA vendor and require written scope split.
  5. Cross-check mechanical equipment schedule against panel schedules, one-lines, and disconnect locations.
  6. Check all alternates, unit prices, allowances, taxes, bonding, and bid delivery instructions.
  7. Paste accepted clarifications into proposal before submission.
  8. Save submitted proposal, bid form, addenda acknowledgement, vendor quotes, and RFI log in the bid file.