Subcontractor Enquiry Module

The Esti-mate Subcontractor Enquiry Module allows the Items within a job to be marked-up with trades. Items for a Trade may then be sent to selected Subcontractors as an enquiry.  When quotations are returned, the program allows you to enter them into a comparison and select the required Subcontractor for the Estimate.

Main facilities include: 

• The module can be accessed from within the Estimating Module or run as a separate program, allowing the enquiry process to be carried out in parallel with the estimating process.

• It allows rapid marking up of the Estimate with Trades which may be allocated by Item, across groups of like Items, all Items on a Page or Sections etc. Items may, also, be allocated to multiple Trades.

• Items are abstracted for the Enquiry and displayed/printed as a Trade Bill. Page breaks are automatically generated and hard breaks may be added to format the enquiry.

• Subcontractors may be added to the Enquiry from a Subcontractor Register or directly into the job.

• Enquiries may be printed or sent by e-mail. E-mails may be in C.I.T.E, Word or Excel formats with attached specifications files.

• Standard letters may be created within the module and attached to the enquiry. Labels may be defined and printed for each Subcontractor in the enquiry.

• Enquiry progress may be tracked, with follow-up letters, recording of contact by telephone etc.

• Quotations returning by e-mail may be imported directly into the comparison sheet without typing.  Comparisons may include general discounts, trading discounts and specified adjustments for each Subcontractor.

• The Comparison contains an "Own Rate" value, which may be set to include/exclude Resource Types (such as labour, plant, materials etc) on an Item by Item basis or across the whole Enquiry.

• Un-priced Subcontractor Rates may be set as "Included" or to a variety of types including Highest, Lowest or Average of the other Rates. Full analysis of a Subcontractors quote is provided.

• Rates may be compared as a variance against a selected Subcontractor or against the Own Rate values. The items on this analysis can be limited to only those that vary by a percentage.

• Analysis of the rates allows the "best" Subcontractor to be selected. Enter the rates for that Subcontractor directly into the Estimate Items, optionally removing existing resources (labour, plant, materials etc) from the Item's rate build-up. This process may also be reversed, re-establishing the original Item build-ups.

• Register of Subcontractor's including Regional Offices. The Register also maintains the Subcontractor/Trade allocations.