Getting Started on ConstructConnect

We're so glad you asked! SmartBid is now a part of ConstructConnect. In addition to tracking all your invitations to bid (ITBs)—SmartBid, iSqFt, ConstructConnect—you'll now have access to these new bidding tools: 

• Bid Center & Bid Calendar 
• Match Score on all our projects 
• Inclusion in the largest network in commercial construction. Your company’s profile will now be available to SmartBid, iSqFt, and ConstructConnect network general contractors! 

After receiving a SmartBid Invitation to Bid: (Watch this short video to learn more) 

• Your SmartBid invitation to bid email now has the option to “Open Project in Digital Bid Board!” Use that link to access your invitation and your new digital bid board. Once you reach ConstructConnect, you’ll be prompted to complete your registration process to view those details.  

• When you’re taken to the ConstructConnect registration page, you’ll see “Don’t Have an Account? Create Instead.” Click on the link and create a username (email) and password for ConstructConnect. 

• You’ll be sent an email to confirm your email address. Next, you’ll head back to registration and create your password. 

• Use your new username and password to log in to the application. 

• You’ll be taken to the project details page for the ITB you received. 

• In the future, to access ConstructConnect you can log in directly to ConstructConnect or use the “Open Project in Digital Bid Board,” button on your SmartBid invitation to bid. Once you log in and land on Bid Center, you’ll see all of your SmartBid, iSqFt, and ConstructConnect invitations all in one place! 

You can also navigate to app.constructconnect.com/createprofile to register. Once you register, using the email associated with your SmartBid account, you’ll be taken to Bid Center, your free digital bid board. You’ll see all of your SmartBid, iSqFt, and ConstructConnect invitations all in one place! 

By verifying your email and contact information, you help general contractors ensure the security of the information you access. We want to keep your information, as well as bid information, as secure as possible without keeping you from the information you need.

When you log in to ConstructConnect, you will now see Bid Center as your default start page. Bid Center is a digital bid board designed to help you manage and organize your entire bid pipeline in one place.

Your project invitations can easily be found in Bid Center. Your invites will be grouped in different categories, based on your specified Bid Intent.

For example:

• Find ITBs with no Bid Intent specified in your Bid Center inbox
• Find ITBs with a “Will Bid” intent under the “Bidding” tab in Bid Center
• Find ITBs with a “Not Bidding” intent under the “Not Bidding” tab in Bid Center
• Find ITBs with an “Under Review” intent under the “Under Review” tab in Bid Center

You can respond to Invitations to Bid in a couple of different ways: 

• Project Details Page – You'll find a Bid Response ribbon under the project title. Here, you can provide your bid response to the general contractor who invited you
• Bid Center – Moving the project to the “Bidding” or “Under Review” buckets will update your Bid Response and notify the general contractor—it's that easy!

Here are helpful tips to find and respond to Invitations to Bid:

• Look at the “Source” column on Bid Center to determine if the ITB was sent through ConstructConnect, iSqFt, sources outside of ConstructConnect, or shared with you from another user in ConstructConnect.
• Click on the project name to review the project when receiving an ITB from sources through ConstructConnect.
• Use the Bid Intent selection to respond to the Inviting Source if you are: Bidding, Not Bidding, or still Reviewing.
• Look for the Bid Intent selector in the top right–hand corner of the project.
• The project will be moved under the selected status once you’ve responded to the general contractor.
• From a project details page, select “Back to Bid Center” to see a full view of your pipeline.
• To locate a project, click on the Status that you responded to the general contractor.

You’re in the right place! Use this page for helpful tips on standard workflows. We also have step-by-step instructions and videos on how to find and respond to ITBs, as well as how to use your new, free digital bid board, Bid Center. You can also contact our team if you need additional support:

• Email: customerservice@constructconnect.com
• Phone: 877-4CC-TOOL (877-422-8665)

You can use the Online Help section inside your new application for tutorials on all pages and features.

IMPORTANT: Setting up your Predict Preferences (Profile) is critical because this is how you and your company are promoted to our network of general contractors (ConstructConnect, iSqFt, and SmartBid).

The process for updating your Profile has changed. 

Now, you can:

• Find your Profile information under Predict Preferences
• Simply click on your name in the top right-hand corner and select Predict Preferences.

Once you dive into your Profile, there are 7 different preferences you’ll need to complete:

1. Trades - This tells general contractors the type of work you’re willing to do. You can search for your trades in 3 different ways: Scope of Work, Keyword, and Division.
2. Service Area (previously known as Coverage Area) - This tells general contractors the geographic area in which you perform your work.
3. Favorite Companies - Identify which construction companies you now work with and which ones you would like to work with. Selecting a “Favorite Company” means you’ll be notified when they’re added to a project.
4. Building Use - Identify which types of construction projects your company prefers to work on.
5. Project Status - Select the phase of construction you're looking for—whether in planning, bidding, or even post-bid.
   THESE TWO PROFILE ELEMENTS ARE AVAILABLE ONLY FOR PAID USERS. IF YOU’RE INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT A SUBSCRIPTION, PLEASE FILL OUT THE FORM BELOW AND YOU’LL RECEIVE A FREE DEMO!
6. Project Sector - Select if you are open to privately and/or publicly funded jobs.
7. Project Value - Select the range of job sizes your willing to work on for all reporting trades—not just sub-trades.

TIP: These 7 characteristics will drive your Match Score and let general contractors in the ConstructConnect network know which type of work you perform. Plus, ConstructConnect will match all the projects in our network with these characteristics and provide a score—from 0 to 7—to help you prioritize the projects you find on the platform.

Downloading Project Plans, Specifications, and Addenda

To download project documents, navigate to any ITB project detail page. Clicking the project title from anywhere on the app will typically take you to the details page. At that point, if project documents have been uploaded by the General Contractor, you’ll see the View or Download Documents button near the top of the screen.

Once you’re taken to the Document Viewer, you can select documents that you want to download by checking the box next to doc name. You’ll then click the Download Selected button to kick off the download process. If you want to download all documents associated with the project, use the Download All button.

Downloading Project Details

To download project documents, navigate to any ITB project detail page. Clicking the project title from anywhere on the app will typically take you to the details page. Under the 3-dot menu next to the Share button (right side of the screen, near the top of the page), you’ll see options to download project details in either PDF or CSV format. These downloads will include important project dates, project building use, and type information, in addition to the project bidders and design team. Check out both formats to see which one works better for you!