Setting the Stage for Success

“How do we get on your bid list?” It’s a question Owner’s Representatives who manage construction projects hear frequently. But what’s often overlooked is how decisions are made behind the scenes and how your performance directly impacts on your ability to stay on our future bid list. Winning our business is just the first step. Maintaining it requires consistent performance, clear communication, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. Falling short doesn’t just disrupt projects—it undermines trust, damages relationships, and limits your future opportunities with us.

Unfortunately, recurring issues often sour promising relationships. Poor documentation, unrealistic bids, and lapses in communication are common culprits that frustrate Owner’s Reps and clients alike. These problems happen repeatedly across vendors; despite their frequency, many seem unaware or unwilling to address them. If you want to build lasting partnerships and stand out, it’s critical to understand and actively avoid these pitfalls.

This article goes beyond the basics to share candid, direct, no-nonsense insights that aren’t often discussed, like what it takes to succeed as a trusted partner. Drawing on insights from experienced Owner’s Reps, these principles highlight the key expectations and common mistakes determining whether you stay on our bid list.

1. Building Relationships –  It Starts During the Client Sales Process

Successful client partnerships start long before a contract is signed. While a polished PowerPoint sales presentation may grab attention, what truly matters is your team’s ability to align with the client and demonstrate collaboration. As the Owner’s Representative, we act as matchmakers, recommending and inviting multiple qualified vendors based on past expertise, communication style, and our perception of alignment with the client’s needs. We bring you to the table, but it’s on you to close the deal by building a connection and demonstrating that you’re the right partner for their project.

Clients care about how you address their specific goals. Even if you haven’t tackled a project exactly like theirs, they often seek a team that connects with them personally and professionally. Rapport and personality frequently make a difference.

We lead numerous client sales meetings with vendors and debrief afterward with clients. While PowerPoint presentations are expected, we’ve seen firsthand that clients’ eyes glaze over from presentation fatigue. They want to see polish, but they also want engagement. The most successful bidders ask thoughtful questions, address specifics in the bid package, and actively involve stakeholders. This shows a deeper understanding of the client’s needs and builds confidence in your ability to deliver.

Clients want to meet the actual project team, not just the sales or leadership group. It’s critical that the team they meet is the one delivering the project—a bait-and-switch erodes trust and damages relationships. We also help clients understand how delays in awarding bids and issuing Notices to Proceed can impact team availability, ensuring they are aware of how their timelines and decisions affect your ability to maintain staffing continuity.

2. Bid Walks, RFIs, and Realistic Bidding

Understanding what you’re bidding on is fundamental. As Owner’s Reps, we strive to issue RFPs that clearly reflect the client’s vision and scope of work, providing as much detail as possible. However, we’re not designers or contractors, so there may be gaps or nuances that are best addressed during the bid walk and RFI process. These moments are your opportunity to demonstrate your expertise, clarify ambiguities, and ensure the project’s requirements are fully understood.

Pointing out potential issues during the bid walk shows that you’ve thoroughly reviewed the project and are proactive about identifying challenges. Thoughtful RFIs reflect diligence and a commitment to resolving questions early, fostering alignment across all stakeholders. This process allows you to bring valuable insight and practical solutions to the table, reinforcing your role as a trusted partner. Believe me, the client and I remember how you stand out when you demonstrate this level of professionalism and engagement.

We can quickly spot whether your bid is realistic during the bid-leveling process. Avoid low-balling with the expectation of making up the difference on change orders—it’s a tactic that doesn’t work and could lead to disqualification. Vendors who highlight risks, ask insightful questions, and provide meaningful input stand out as proactive partners. On the other hand, simply “bidding what’s on the table” without adding value is a missed opportunity to differentiate yourself.

Who’s Responsible:

Both Owner’s Reps and vendors share responsibility. We provide detailed RFPs that reflect the client’s vision, while it’s up to vendors to ask questions, clarify scope, and ensure their bids are comprehensive and realistic.

Pro Tips:

• Use bid walks and RFIs to align expectations and demonstrate expertise that impresses all stakeholders, including the client.
• Submit realistic bids that reflect the true project scope and highlight potential risks.
• Ensure bid packages are complete and responsive to potential concerns, minimizing ambiguity in the RFI process.
• Avoid “bidding what’s on the table” without adding meaningful input or addressing known challenges.

3. Documentation and Change Orders

Poor documentation and surprise change orders caused by design errors and omissions are guaranteed to frustrate everyone involved. They derail timelines, inflate costs, and create unnecessary tension with stakeholders.

The most common complaint from contractors? The drawings are bad, and architectural and engineering plans are not coordinated. This lack of cohesion leads to missed deadlines and expensive change orders. As designers, you’re hired for your expertise in design coordination—not just to produce documents, cross your fingers, and hope they work in the field.

When issues arise—whether from errors, omissions, lack of coordination, or unexpected field conditions —address them proactively and work collaboratively to resolve them. And when the mistake is yours, absorb the cost when appropriate without leading to contractual disputes. Blame-shifting only delays resolution and damages relationships.

Who’s Responsible: The design team must produce detailed, accurate, and well-coordinated documents.

Pro Tips:

• It should go without saying, but you’re hired to thoroughly coordinate among all design disciplines to eliminate inconsistencies.
• Cross-check documents to catch conflicts before construction begins to avoid conflicts between the design and construction teams.
• Take ownership of mistakes, absorb the costs when appropriate without leading to contractual disputes, and resolve them promptly to restore trust.

4. Communication, Transparency, and Risk Mitigation

Clear communication is non-negotiable. Clients expect transparency about risks and mitigation strategies. Frustrations arise when:

• Teams hide or downplay risks instead of addressing them directly.
• Risk mitigation strategies aren’t documented or shared with the Owner’s Rep or client.

We’ve all been in those meetings where someone says, ‘There’s a minor issue, but we have it under control.’ The Owner’s Rep immediately thinks, ‘How big is the fire, and how fast is it spreading? Attempting to hide or downplay challenges doesn’t protect you—it erodes trust. Share risks openly, along with clear mitigation plans, to maintain confidence and prevent escalation.

Additionally, contentious Owner-Architect-Contractor (OAC) meetings are a frequent source of frustration. These meetings should focus on solutions, not unresolved conflicts. When design and construction teams bring disputes into OAC meetings, it exasperates clients and undermines confidence.

Pro Tips:

• Resolve disputes offline: Discuss conflicts and identify action plans before presenting issues to the Owner’s Rep or client.
• Don’t rely on digital portals for resolutions. Pick up the phone and call.
• Use OAC meetings to deliver solutions, not debates.
• Transparency with the Owner’s Rep fosters collaboration and ensures the client feels informed and supported.

Who’s Responsible: Both design and construction teams must ensure clear, consistent communication and maintain transparency about risks while contributing to productive OAC meetings.

5. The Job Site Safety Scramble and Cleanliness

A dirty or unsafe job site is unacceptable. Neglecting OSHA safety protocols endangers workers, creates liability, and reflects poorly on your professionalism. Daily cleanup isn’t optional—it must be enforced to prevent inefficiencies, hazards, and a bad impression on the client. This is not your site—it belongs to the client and their stakeholders. They will walk the site with their management, which must always be clean, safe, and professionally maintained.

Safety violations are not just a liability—they can bring the entire project to a halt. At one of my previous jobs, anyone on the client’s staff, regardless of their position, had the authority to call a “Safety Stop,” sort of like construction freeze frame. When they identified a potential safety hazard, everything came to a screeching halt, causing delays and financial repercussions. Contractors bore full responsibility for these schedule delays and the associated costs. If your site doesn’t meet safety standards, don’t expect leniency—clients are within their rights to prioritize safety of their staff over progress.

We also see all too often that when the client or the Owner’s Rep arrives for an unannounced walkthrough, texts go out amongst the trades, triggering a scramble to put on safety equipment. It’s like watching a game of musical chairs, except with hard hats and safety glasses. Spoiler: everyone loses when safety is treated as a performance instead of a practice.

This behavior clearly demonstrates that safety protocols are being knowingly ignored during daily operations. Such actions don’t go unnoticed and frustrate both us and the client. Safety protocols are not optional and cannot be treated as a performance just for inspections. Consistency in adhering to safety measures is non-negotiable.

Client-Imposed Penalties:
To enforce accountability, clients may impose contractual penalties for safety violations or related delays. If safety lapses result in stoppages or delays, contractors are responsible for covering the associated costs. This ensures that contractors remain incentivized to prioritize safety and cleanliness throughout the project lifecycle.

Who’s Responsible: The site superintendent and/or safety officer are responsible for enforcing safety and cleanliness standards and ensuring crews follow safety rules. 

Pro Tips:

• Subcontractor messes are the GC/CM’s responsibility—don’t deflect blame. Manage and enforce cleanliness daily.
• Enforce safety rules strictly. Hard hats, steel-toed boots, and protective eyewear must be always worn. A hard hat is useless on the floor while the contractor’s head is in the ceiling—safety equipment must be used properly to protect workers.
• The client should consider hiring a third-party safety officer to ensure impartial enforcement of safety protocols. Relying solely on the contractor’s internal policing can lead to lapses in accountability, akin to “the fox guarding the henhouse.” A third-party officer provides objective oversight, ensuring compliance without bias or conflicts of interest.

6. Complete Punch Lists before Handover

A near-pristine punch list is critical to a successful project handoff. Final walkthroughs should not reveal glaring issues like uneven walls, exposed wiring, non-working lights and switches, missing grout, or dirty ceiling tiles. These oversights sour what should be a celebratory moment for the client.

The contractor’s project managers and site superintendents should proactively flag and address issues throughout the construction process—not leave them for the design team to catch during walkthroughs. You’re on-site every day and see these issues—they don’t appear overnight! Turning a blind eye or waiting until the punch list stage to catch and fix subpar work risks delaying occupancy and creating frustration for end users. Even worse, unresolved punch list items often lead to handover delays or “Day 2” repairs after the client has occupied the space. These disruptions anger clients significantly when employees are directly affected by poor craftsmanship, leading to delays or disruptive post-occupancy repairs.

Who’s Responsible: The CM/GC’s project manager and site superintendent must resolve all punch list items before the walkthrough.

Pro Tips:

• Inspect regularly and fix issues early—don’t wait for the design team to flag them to avoid last-minute scrambling.
• Deliver a clean, defect-free site for the walkthrough.

7. Adaptability and Professionalism 

Projects rarely go exactly as planned. Rigid teams or unprofessional behavior, including disrespectful communication, especially unresponsiveness or conflict within the team, creates unnecessary friction and reflects poorly on everyone.

Who’s Responsible: Consultants and construction teams must demonstrate flexibility and professionalism.

Pro Tips:

• Approach changes with a solutions-oriented mindset—don’t resist necessary adjustments.
• Maintain professionalism through clear communication, responsiveness, and respectful collaboration.
  
  

8. Invoicing and Billing: Accuracy, Transparency, and Change Order Approval

Timely, accurate, and transparent invoicing is essential to maintaining trust and ensuring smooth project operations. Common pitfalls—errors, delayed submissions, unsupported charges, or inflated billing—create unnecessary tension and undermine confidence.

Percent Complete and Work in Progress

Inflated percentage complete values and inaccurate work-in-progress (WIP) reporting are frequent red flags. Overstating progress or front-loading invoices to secure early payments misrepresents the project’s financial health and affects cash flow. While justified front-loading may occasionally be necessary, it must be communicated and aligned with agreed project milestones to maintain transparency.

Timely Change Order Approvals

Change Orders are another critical area. Potential change orders (PCOs) must be submitted and approved before work begins. Proceeding with unapproved changes creates disputes over costs, impacts schedules, and undermines accountability. Clear documentation and timely PCO submission ensure all stakeholders understand the implications and approve changes in advance.

A frequent challenge arises when design teams underestimate the original hours needed to complete their tasks and later attempt to frame this shortfall as a scope change requiring a change order. This often happens when the scope is unclear, or assumptions in the original contract are inadequately documented. To avoid disputes, contracts must clearly define the scope and establish expectations for how unforeseen conditions or ambiguities will be addressed.

When a design team submits a change order, it’s essential to scrutinize whether the request reflects a true scope change or a miscalculation in their original effort estimates. Transparent communication and thorough documentation are key to distinguishing between legitimate scope changes and mismanagement of time or resources. Maintaining clear, upfront expectations can prevent unnecessary disputes and ensure accountability.

Who’s Responsible:

Contractors and consultants must submit timely, accurate invoices and ensure change orders are approved before implementation. The design team must ensure the scope is clearly defined in the original contract and justify any additional requests as true scope changes, not underestimations.

Pro Tips:

• Ensure schedules of values are accurate, realistic, and aligned with project milestones. Avoid front-loading or inflating values.
• Regularly update work-in-progress reports to reflect actual progress, not projections.
• Submit invoices and PCOs promptly and ensure change orders are approved before starting associated work.
• Use AIA G702/703 forms where required, completing them accurately and thoroughly to avoid delays.
• Provide clear, detailed backup documentation to support all billed amounts.
• Clearly define scope expectations in the original contract to prevent disputes over underestimation versus scope changes.
• Communicate proactively about billing and change order issues to maintain trust and transparency.

Earning and Keeping Your Place on Our Bid List

Staying on the Owner’s Rep bid list isn’t just about avoiding mistakes—it’s about consistently demonstrating value, accountability, and professionalism. While this article highlights key principles, it’s not an exhaustive list. Every project and client have unique challenges, and flexibility, adaptability, and attention to detail are critical to navigating those nuances successfully.

We bring you to the table because we believe in your potential. Earning a place on the bid list is an opportunity—but staying there requires continuously earning our trust and the client’s confidence. Vendors who stand out:

• Solve Problems Proactively: Raise potential risks and solutions early to prevent disruptions.
• Engage Collaboratively: Build chemistry with stakeholders to foster understanding and trust.
• Deliver Consistently: Provide quality work, maintain transparency, and uphold safety and professionalism.
  

The Bottom Line

What keeps you on our bid list? Across the industry, reliability, transparency, and the ability to consistently deliver value are the golden rules. Partners who align with project goals, communicate proactively, and solve problems without creating new ones earn trust—and secure future opportunities.

As Owner’s Representatives, we’re the “Matchmaker” of construction projects (minus the fiddler on the roof). Clients depend on us not only for project oversight but for introducing our carefully curated “little black book” that connects them with trusted partners who deliver results. Exceeding expectations doesn’t just keep you in the book— it ensures you’re the first name we share when they ask, “Who should we call?”