Assistant Construction Estimator & Coordinator

NOTICE — UPWORK COMMUNICATION ONLY Do not call, text, email, WhatsApp, or otherwise contact our company, employees, or affiliates outside Upwork regarding this posting. All pre-contract communication must occur through Upwork Messages. Any unsolicited off-platform contact will result in immediate disqualification. We document phone numbers, call logs, voicemails, messages, associated Upwork profiles, and other available identifying information and submit the evidence to Upwork Trust & Safety. Attempts to bypass this requirement through an agency, alternate profile, third party, or publicly obtained contact information will also be reported. No exceptions. Assistant Construction Estimator & Bid Coordinator About the Role We are seeking an experienced Assistant Construction Estimator & Bid Coordinator to support our commercial general contracting preconstruction process. This is not primarily a quantity takeoff position. The role is focused on bid coordination, subcontractor outreach, scope coverage, proposal review, and bid leveling. Our workflow is structured as follows: We source and qualify the opportunity. You take ownership of the bid setup and coordination process. We meet several days before bid day to review coverage, risks, and outstanding items. You support the team through final bid submission. You will serve as the second link in the preconstruction chain and will be responsible for converting a qualified opportunity into an organized, well-covered bid. Responsibilities Review bid documents, drawings, specifications, addenda, and owner requirements. Set up new projects in our estimating and bid management systems. Build and issue Invitations to Bid to subcontractors and vendors. Follow up and coordination phone calls to develop RFI's, work through subcontractor questions, and be the point person of the project until handoff prior to bid day. Develop the project bidder list by trade and geographic area as needed for scope coverage. Identify required trades, suppliers, and specialty scopes. Perform outreach to subcontractors and vendors to confirm bid interest. Research and recruit new subcontractors in markets where coverage is limited. Ensure subcontractors/vendors qualifications (COI's, licensure, W9 on file, etc.) Track subcontractor participation, declinations, and outstanding proposals. Follow up with bidders in advance of bid day. Maintain bid coverage reports and identify gaps by trade. Review subcontractor proposals for scope completeness, exclusions, qualifications, and inconsistencies. Prepare bid leveling sheets and compare pricing on an apples-to-apples basis. Identify scope gaps, overlaps, and potential double coverage. Track alternates, allowances, unit prices, clarifications, and addenda. Flag unusually high or low proposals for further review. Assist with the preparation of preliminary scope sheets and subcontractor bid packages. Participate in a pre-bid review meeting several days before submission. Clearly communicate outstanding risks, coverage concerns, and required follow-up actions. Support final proposal assembly and bid-day coordination as needed. What This Role Is Not This is not a position focused exclusively on performing detailed takeoffs. Quantity takeoff experience is helpful, but success in this role depends more heavily on: Understanding commercial construction scopes. Knowing which trades should be bidding a project. Maintaining strong subcontractor coverage. Reviewing proposals for completeness. Leveling bids accurately. Communicating clearly and following through on deadlines. Ideal Background The ideal candidate has experience working with a: Commercial general contractor. Construction manager. Preconstruction department. Estimating department. Subcontractor bidding to general contractors. You should understand the commercial bidding process from initial invitation through final submission. Required Qualifications Experience with commercial or industrial construction estimating and bid coordination. Ability to read construction drawings and specifications. Working knowledge of CSI divisions and common subcontractor scopes. Experience preparing and managing Invitations to Bid. Experience reviewing subcontractor proposals and leveling bids. Strong understanding of scope gaps, exclusions, overlaps, and bid qualifications. Strong written and verbal English communication skills. Highly organized and comfortable managing multiple active bids. Persistent and professional when following up with subcontractors and vendors. Able to work independently and escalate issues before they become bid-day problems. Strong proficiency with Microsoft Excel Preferred Qualifications Experience with platforms such as BuildingConnected, SmartBid, Procore, ConstructConnect, PlanHub, or similar systems. Bluebeam Revu. Monday.com experience is an added bonus. Experience building subcontractor databases and recruiting bidders in new markets. Familiarity with commercial renovations, tenant improvements, ground-up construction, industrial work, or public-sector projects. Experience reviewing bonding, insurance, prevailing wage, minority participation, and other bid requirements. Experience developing trade-specific scope sheets. Basic takeoff capability for scope validation or gap analysis. Performance Expectations A successful person in this role will: Keep every assigned bid organized and current. Provide clear visibility into subcontractor coverage. Identify missing trades and scope issues early. Avoid waiting until bid day to raise concerns. Produce clean and understandable bid leveling comparisons. Communicate what is covered, what is not covered, and what still requires a decision. Arrive at the pre-bid review prepared with a complete list of risks, gaps, and recommended actions. Working Relationship We will provide the qualified opportunity, project documents, bidding strategy, and initial direction. You will be expected to independently manage the coordination process, including: Project setup. Bidder list development. ITB issuance. Subcontractor outreach. Coverage tracking. Proposal organization. Bid leveling. Pre-bid review preparation. This position requires ownership. We are looking for someone who can manage the process without needing continuous supervision, while still communicating promptly when decisions or clarifications are required including but not limited to via Microsoft Teams, WhatsApp, Monday.com, and Email. Availability Availability during normal U.S. business hours is strongly preferred, particularly during subcontractor outreach and in the days leading up to bid submissions. Work volume may vary depending on the active bid schedule. This opportunity may develop into a consistent, long-term relationship for the right candidate. To Apply Please include the following in your proposal: A summary of your commercial construction estimating or bid coordination experience. The types of projects and approximate project sizes you have supported. The estimating or bid management platforms you have used. An example of how you have handled insufficient subcontractor coverage. Your process for reviewing and leveling subcontractor proposals. Your typical availability during U.S. business hours. A redacted sample bid leveling sheet, coverage report, or scope comparison, when available. Please begin your response with the words “Bid Coverage” so we know you have reviewed the full posting.