Your bid department, on demand.
A senior heavy-civil chief estimator and a purpose-built estimating platform, for a predictable monthly fee. Bid-ready numbers on municipal, utility, paving, drainage and site work, on your schedule and in your format.
The full pre-construction cycle
Every engagement runs from bid selection through the handoff to your project manager. You make the final call on every number.
Go / no-go
Screen lettings and plan rooms. Recommend which bids fit your crews, equipment and backlog.
Quantity takeoff
Paving, utilities, drainage, earthwork, concrete, traffic and erosion control, from plans and the bid form.
Pricing
Crew-based labor and equipment production, materials, trucking and disposal, in your cost codes and historical rates.
Sub & supplier coverage
Solicit, level and price quotes. Track plan holders and every addendum.
Bid documents
Bid forms, unit price schedules, alternates, bonds, HUB/MWBE and agency-specific forms.
Risk review
Flag spec, schedule and quantity risks. Recommend markup and contingency for your decision.
PM handoff
Cost-coded budget, crew plan, quantity book and open-items list for awarded work.
Change orders
Price changes and claims on active jobs, with backup your owner will accept.
The platform
Estimates built in Apex Civil OS: live bid boards, reusable cost history, exportable reports.
Built for DFW public work
Experience across heavy civil, water and wastewater, pipeline, environmental remediation and data center infrastructure, with deep familiarity with how North Texas owners procure.
Why outsource estimating?
A full-time chief estimator costs a salary, benefits and a seat, whether you're bidding two jobs a month or ten.
With a reserved monthly plan, you get senior-level numbers when lettings stack up, and you don't carry the overhead when they don't.
Plans in. Bid out.
Standard turnaround is five business days. Priority plans get three, and rush work under 72 hours is available.
Send the plans
Plans, specs, bid form and addenda, plus your cost codes and rates if you have them.
We build the bid
Takeoff, crew-based pricing, sub coverage and a risk review, all in Apex Civil OS.
You make the call
Review the numbers and our markup recommendation. Your company makes every final pricing decision.
Reserved estimator time
Most contractors choose a monthly retainer: a reserved block of hours with the platform included. One-off bids are quoted as a fixed fee after a plan review.
Bid Support
- 2–3 mid-size bids a month
- Standard turnaround
- Platform included
Fractional Chief Estimator
- 4–6 bids a month plus handoffs
- Priority turnaround
- Platform included
Dedicated Pre-Con
- 7–10 bids plus handoffs and change orders
- Priority plus a weekly bid meeting
- Platform included
Plans start with a 3-month term, then continue month to month.
Apex Civil OS
Every estimate is built in our own estimating software, so your numbers, history and reports stay organized from bid to bid. Your own estimators can use it too.
- Live bid boardsEvery letting, due date and status in one place.
- Reusable cost historyProduction rates and unit costs that get sharper each bid.
- Exportable reportsBid forms, quantity books and PM handoff packages.
| Letting | Due | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 16" water main replacement | Nov 04 | Pricing |
| Residential street reconstruction | Nov 06 | Takeoff |
| Box culvert & channel | Nov 12 | Sub coverage |
| Sanitary sewer rehab, Ph. 2 | Nov 18 | Go / no-go |
| Parking lot & site paving | Nov 21 | Pricing |
Your numbers stay yours
The ground rules in every engagement.
No conflicts
We never prepare a bid for another client on a letting you're bidding.
Confidential
Your pricing, cost data, quotes and strategy are never shared.
You own the work
Estimates, bid documents and deliverables prepared for you are yours.
Insured
General and professional liability coverage, certificates on request.
Bidding more work than your team can price?
Send the next letting you're looking at. We'll review the plans and come back with a fixed fee or the plan that fits.
Send us a bid → apex@apexcivilos.com