Turning a $6.5 Million Mistake into a Win

TL;DR: My last-minute submission error cost the company a $6.5 million bid, but the mistake became a catalyst for personal and professional growth. By adopting systematic planning, time management, and prioritizing preparation, I improved productivity, won more bids, and grew from failure.

19 seconds… That was the difference between victory and defeat.

A month earlier, I was assigned as the Estimator for a 40,000 ton airport asphalt bid. There was excitement in the bid room as we were successful on past airfield work. At the time, I liked to wait until the last minute to complete tasks and took pride in the “excitement” of cutting it close. I worked late the night before the bid review because I had mismanaged my time that week.

An addendum was issued requiring subcontractor forms to be included with the bid package. I sent them out the day before. Our bid was due at 10 AM and signed forms trickled into my inbox that morning. I received the last form at 9:40 AM and started scanning our bid in a panicked state. The scanner operated slowly as our administrative assistant helping me radiated sheer terror. Once the PDF was uploaded onto the bidding platform and the submit button was clicked, it was 10:00:19. The phrase “Bid Not Accepted” flashed on the screen. We learned a few minutes later that we would have been the low bidder had I submitted our bid on time.

Comedian Jerry Seinfeld stated that “pain is knowledge rushing to fill a void”. Knowledge that I had personally cost our company a $6.5 million bid immediately rushed to fill my void.

I felt that my career was over. I had worked for the prior 11 years to establish myself as a results-driven team member and leader who worked his ass off and cared. In shock, I walked outside and emotions overwhelmed me as the reality of my mistake set in. My hands shook and I became sick to my stomach. My boss’ boss then approached me, put his hand on my shoulder, and told me that this could be the best learning experience of my career depending on how I chose to handle it. I replied that he may be right, but it sure doesn’t feel like it right now. Don’t the lowest moments bring about the most change and set us up for later success? 

Humiliated, I apologized to the team. It took some time to recover, helped by a great support network and supportive colleagues. I was given 30 days to prepare that bid. 30 days x 24 hours per day x 60 minutes per hour x 60 seconds per minute = 2,592,000 seconds. So, around 2.6 million seconds is what was afforded, and I chose to wait until the literal last seconds to submit the bid. It never had to be that close.

The challenge was clear: Learn from this and improve my habits or get fired and/or demoted. I vowed from then on to implement a personal accountability system based on writing things down, planning my week on Sunday using a planner, accomplishing tasks as early as possible, and ridding my life of procrastination. Over the following weeks and months, my productivity increased and my stress plummeted due to tasks not piling up. Our team won more bids and performed well on the jobs. We used bid submission checklists and submitted bids the day before the actual bid due date. I never again worked on a bid at odd hours. Around a year later, I earned a promotion to run the division. I shared my experience with incoming managers so that they understood how fundamental preparation was to our success.

Here’s what I learned:

Delegate and Schedule Quickly

Outlining roles and responsibilities for a bid as quickly as possible gives the team foresight and the ability to plan their work, especially when multiple Estimators are bidding a large project together. Scheduling bid reviews weeks in advance signals commitment and increases likelihood of key invitees participating.

Prepare for Obstacles Through Systemization

In Great By Choice, Jim Collins and Morten Hansen analyzed two teams competing to be the first to reach the North Pole in 1911. The team led by Roald Amundsen lived with eskimos and prepared for the worst by developing contingency plans for practically everything. They also committed to daily progress regardless of weather conditions. Alternatively, Robert Falcon Scott led the other team and scoffed at the planning because he believed sheer determination would overcome their hurdles. Both teams made it to the North Pole, with Amudsen’s team 34 days ahead. Tragically, Scott’s entire team died on their return trip. Building time buffers and making contingencies for things to deviate from plan relieves pressure. Estimates started late and rushed are often higher than the actual cost to perform the work, which will lead to lost opportunities. Extra time frees up resources to do better homework. Bid submission checklists work. Use them.

Celebrate Deep Work

An Estimator given the freedom to work in blocks of time without distraction will formulate a better estimate more quickly than someone who is barraged with meetings, notifications, texts and emails. Estimating is not merely running calculations. This is creative work done by some brilliant minds. Tune out the noise, and do meaningful work in chunks every workday.

Burning the Midnight Oil is Not Cool

Early in my career, I took catnaps at my desk while pulling all nighters. Hard work to master one’s craft is great. But we must accept responsibility for our time and outlining our expectations of others. Our bodies need sleep, exercise, and life outside work to properly function cognitively. In an industry that is struggling to attract Generation Y and Z employees who aspire for more balance, contractors cannot afford to make it worse by creating an environment where working regular 16+ hour stretches becomes common. It is avoidable if we plan ahead.

Process Over Results

7 National Championships, 11 SEC Championships, and 292 wins. No one can argue that Nick Saban has not built a phenomenal college football head coaching resume. Coach Saban is known for his “process” that stresses detachment from results and instead focuses one’s effort on doing the job that you control. Preparation and discipline are oddly more important than winning. In construction, if we only show gratitude when a bid is won, then we may encourage employees to become married to the results or fearful of failure instead of learning and improving their process. Winning a bid by a little bit feels awesome, and losing by a few bucks can burn. Consider applauding the effort that goes into a great bid regardless of the results and focusing attention on “the process” instead.

Preparation separates the best. Whether people see it or not, it always comes to light.

Things that helped:

Action Day Planner - An hour spent on Sunday planning the week changes the game.

Atomic Habits by James Clear

Getting Things Done by David Allan

How Good Do You Want to Be by Nick Saban

The One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey by Ken Blanchard

7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey

Deep Work by Cal Newport

Stoic Wisdom Quote

“Process saves us from the poverty of our intentions” - Elizabeth King

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

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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]