The day I became a better bidder

My obsession with winning every bid faded as I tried not to let emotion cloud my judgement.

I concentrated on things in my control: our estimating (accurate costs) and bidding strategy (right price), without conflating the two.

I deepened my empathy to understand competitor points of view.

I felt comfortable with a sound estimate and a reasonable pricing strategy based on data and intel, regardless of the bid results.

I adopted a beginner’s mindset of improving as we learned.

There, I saved you some time. Now you don’t have to learn these lessons the hard way.

Blue Water’s Midas Touch

Snapshot:

• Score another one for the famed Baker family. Another impressive deal in their long track record of home runs.

• Martin will acquire 20 aggregates operations in Alabama, South Carolina, South Florida, Tennessee, and Virginia from Blue Water Industries’ affiliate (“BWI Southeast”) for $2.05 billion in cash.

• Did you know? The Midas touch is a Greek myth where everything that King Midas touches turns to gold.

• Article below:

AGC: Get Creative w/Workforce Development

Snapshot:

• AGC’s "Whole-of-Firm Approach" advocates for a comprehensive strategy to construction workforce development, emphasizing collaboration across all firm levels—leadership, HR, and frontline staff—to address recruitment and retention challenges effectively.

  Success Stories:

  • Webber Construction's Partnership with Connect U 2 Jobs: Webber successfully tapped into non-traditional labor pools by participating in the Texas Department of Transportation's Connect U 2 Jobs program. This initiative focuses on integrating young adults with criminal justice backgrounds into the construction workforce, demonstrating a commitment to community rehabilitation and workforce development.

  • Strack Inc.'s Innovative Work Scheduling: To improve employee retention and attract workers with family or other non-work commitments, Strack Inc. implemented flexible work schedules, such as the 4-10 workweek. This approach not only helped in retaining current employees but also made the construction careers at Strack Inc. more appealing to potential new hires.

Report below:

AJAX Paving Industries of Florida!!

Snapshot:

• Our recently announced partnership with Ajax Paving Industries of Florida marks a significant milestone, underscoring our iterative journey from minimum viable product (MVP) to an innovative solution that captivates industry leaders with our enhanced, data-driven approach for bidding and backlog tracking.

• The “A Team” is an esteemed leader known for their excellence in estimating, safety, operations, equipment, and employee well-being.

• Check out the LI announcement below 🚀🚀🚀

Stoic Wisdom Quote

“Your failures serve as a beautiful reminder that you were in the arena trying” - Shane Parrish

Reflect on this as we embark on another week of bidding and building.

Warmly,

Tristan

About the Author

Tristan Wilson is the CEO and Co-Founder of Edgevanta. We make software that helps contractors win more work at the right price. He is a 4th Generation Contractor, construction enthusiast, bidding nerd, ultramarathoner, and paving nut. He worked his way up the ladder at Allan Myers in the Mid-Atlantic and his family’s former business Barriere Construction before starting Edgevanta with his Co-Founder Matt in Nashville, where the company is based. Reach out to him at [email protected]