The Art of Bid Leveling: Ensuring Fair & Complete Proposals Part II

The primary reason for having a single item (or a highly specific, curated set of items) on a construction document, rather than duplicate or cluttered items, is to ensure clarity, accuracy, and efficiency throughout the construction process. This approach minimizes discrepancies, reduces the likelihood of costly change orders, and provides a clear, actionable guide for contractors.

Here is a breakdown of the reasoning based on industry practices:

Minimizing Rework and Change Orders: When information is duplicated, it is often updated in one location but not another, leading to conflicts between documents. By having a single, authoritative reference, the risk of conflicting information is reduced.

Clearer Contractor Pricing and Communication: A single, well-defined document allows contractors to provide more accurate bids, as they do not have to guess which specification or detail takes precedence.

Version Control and Efficiency: If a revision is needed, only one document needs to be updated. This prevents contractors from using outdated, duplicate information.

Reduced Confusion and Risk: Multiple, similar entries (e.g., listing the same tile under floor, wall, and ceiling schedules) can cause confusion, whereas a single, consolidated reference clarifies the intent.

Increased Productivity and Safety: Streamlined documents make it easier for on-site crews to understand the requirements quickly, reducing the time spent searching for information and reducing the risk of errors that can lead to safety or compliance issues.

In essence, the goal is to make the construction documents a "single source of truth". While some, like the AIA, argue that contract documents are complementary and therefore "repeated" information is bound by that, others, including contractors, prefer the precision of specialized, non-duplicated details.