Federal and government construction
Federal estimates built to the bid schedule, not just the drawings
Federal work is estimated to the government's rules, not the contractor's habits. A sealed bid is read line by line on the bid schedule attached to the SF-1442, and every CLIN, option item and additive item has to carry a price the contractor can defend when the contracting officer asks. Davis-Bacon wage determinations set the labor rate and the fringe, the Miller Act requires performance and payment bonds on contracts above $150,000, and the Buy American Act decides which materials are eligible. LEEDS builds federal estimates in that order: scope from the drawings, labor from the wage determination, and pricing arranged as the bid schedule asks for it, with the total checked against bonding capacity before bid day.
- 5.0 Google
- 4.9 Trustpilot
- 4.9 Clutch
Specification sheet
- CSI divisions
- 01 General Requirements · 02 Existing Conditions · 03 Concrete · 05 Metals · 26 Electrical · 31 Earthwork · 32 Exterior Improvements · 33 Utilities
- Turnaround
- 24–48 hours (rush available)
- Deliverables
- Excel workbook, marked-up PDFs, material list
- Software
- Bluebeam Revu, RSMeans Data, Trimble Accubid
Scope of takeoff
Federal scope we quantify and price
Physical quantities come from the drawings and specifications, and the federal-only costs come from the solicitation sections and clauses that most estimators skip.
- 01Bid schedule and unit-price itemsScope mapped to each CLIN, option item and additive or deductive item, with estimated quantities for rock excavation, unsuitable soil and dewatering days priced per unitScope mapped to each CLIN, option item and additive or deductive item, with estimated quantities for rock excavation, unsuitable soil and dewatering days priced per unitEA / LS / CYBid schedule attached to the SF-1442 and geotechnical report
- 02Wage classification mappingCrew hours assigned to Davis-Bacon classifications with base rate and fringe, and apprentice rates only within a registered program's ratioCrew hours assigned to Davis-Bacon classifications with base rate and fringe, and apprentice rates only within a registered program's ratioHRSWage determination from SAM.gov and registered apprenticeship program standards
- 03Bonds and insuranceBid guarantee and Miller Act performance and payment bonds where required on contracts over $150,000, plus builder's risk and liability limitsBid guarantee and Miller Act performance and payment bonds where required on contracts over $150,000, plus builder's risk and liability limitsLS / %Solicitation clauses and surety rate letter
- 04Buy American material reviewIron, steel, manufactured products and construction materials flagged for domestic sourcing and priced on compliant quotesIron, steel, manufactured products and construction materials flagged for domestic sourcing and priced on compliant quotesEA / TONBuy American Act or BABA clauses and vendor certifications
- 05Earthwork and site utilitiesCut, fill, structural excavation, backfill, storm, water, sanitary and electrical duct banksCut, fill, structural excavation, backfill, storm, water, sanitary and electrical duct banksCY / LFCivil plans and government unit-price quantities
- 06Concrete and structureFootings, slabs, walls, reinforcing, structural steel, deck and stairs, with anti-ram and blast-rated elements separatedFootings, slabs, walls, reinforcing, structural steel, deck and stairs, with anti-ram and blast-rated elements separatedCY / TONStructural drawings and schedules
- 07Envelope, openings and finishesRoofing, wall systems, forced-entry or blast-rated doors and windows, interior finishes by roomRoofing, wall systems, forced-entry or blast-rated doors and windows, interior finishes by roomSF / EAArchitectural plans and door and window schedules
- 08Mechanical, electrical and plumbingEquipment, distribution, fixtures and feeders, with metering and energy requirements from the specificationEquipment, distribution, fixtures and feeders, with metering and energy requirements from the specificationEA / LFMEP plans and equipment schedules
- 09Security and base accessBadging, background checks, escort hours, vehicle inspections and cleared-labor premiumsBadging, background checks, escort hours, vehicle inspections and cleared-labor premiumsHRS / EADivision 01 and installation access requirements
- 10Government-furnished propertyGFE and GFM receipt, storage, handling and installation labor without the material costGFE and GFM receipt, storage, handling and installation labor without the material costEA / HRSGFP attachment and specification sections
- 11Submittals and documentationSubmittal register, QC plan, Accident Prevention Plan, activity hazard analyses, RMS or eCMS entries, certified payroll, as-builts and O&M manualsSubmittal register, QC plan, Accident Prevention Plan, activity hazard analyses, RMS or eCMS entries, certified payroll, as-builts and O&M manualsHRS / EADivision 01 and contract clauses
- 12Temporary facilities and phasingSite fencing, government field office, temporary utilities, containment, after-hours shifts and swing space in buildings that stay openSite fencing, government field office, temporary utilities, containment, after-hours shifts and swing space in buildings that stay openMO / LSPhasing plans and Division 01 work restrictions
- 13Schedule and liquidated damages exposureDuration, weather days, float and the daily liquidated damages rate carried as a risk lineDuration, weather days, float and the daily liquidated damages rate carried as a risk lineDAYSPeriod of performance and liquidated damages clause
Estimate types
What type of federal estimating can you get?
Match the estimate to where your project is. Every option is priced as a flat fee before work begins.
| Estimate type | Accuracy | Turnaround | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
Sealed-bid and proposal estimate Full takeoff and pricing arranged on the bid schedule, with CLIN totals, unit prices, option and additive items and an unbalanced-bid check, or as the cost volume beside the technical factors of a best-value RFP. | ±5% | 72 hours | IFB bids and design-build RFPs |
Subcontractor federal bid Trade-specific quantities and Davis-Bacon labor for a sub quoting a federal prime, with the bond, certified payroll and flow-down clause costs stated separately. | ±6% | 48 hours | Trade subs quoting federal primes |
Task order and IDIQ pricing Unit-price books and task order proposals for MATOC, SATOC, JOC and IDIQ contracts, with coefficients built from actual Davis-Bacon labor, bonding and the overhead the contract absorbs. | ±8% | 48-72 hours | IDIQ and JOC contract holders |
Modification and claim estimate Pricing for change proposals under the Changes clause, differing site conditions and requests for equitable adjustment, with the same wage rates and markups as the base bid so the contracting officer can audit each line. | ±5% | 24-48 hours | Contractors on active federal contracts |
CSI divisions
CSI MasterFormat divisions we cover
Estimates are organized by division so they drop straight into your cost codes and schedule of values.
Highlighted divisions are the primary scope on this page.
Tools
Estimating software and cost data we work in
Deliverables fit the tools your team already uses.
Bluebeam Revu
Calibrated PDF markup and measurement
RSMeans Data
Localized unit cost database
Trimble Accubid
MEP estimating and pricing
Procore
Bid management and documents
Microsoft Excel
Deliverables formatted to your template
Deliverables
What's included in your estimate package
Every deliverable is formatted so it can go straight into a proposal, a purchase order or an owner report.
Priced bid scheduleXLSX
Bid schedule filled in by CLIN and unit-price item, with option, additive and deductive items, and the total carried to Block 17 of the SF-1442 as directed.
Detailed estimate workbookXLSX
Quantities, Davis-Bacon crew rates by classification with base rate and fringe, material quotes, equipment and markups by CSI division, keyed to each bid item.
Agency-format exportXLSX
Estimate organized to MII (MCACES), the UNIFORMAT II structure of UFS/UFC 3-740-05, CSI MasterFormat or the GSA or VA structure named in the solicitation.
Marked-up takeoff drawingsPDF
Color-coded quantity markups with bid item tags, exported for the pre-bid site visit and any post-award scope dispute.
Bid risk and assumptions memoDOCX
Unbalanced-bid check, magnitude range comparison, each compliance cost with the clause behind it, and the clarifications to submit before the question deadline.
Free quote
Get a fixed quote for this scope
Upload drawings or a plan link and tell us the bid date. A senior estimator confirms scope, price and delivery before any work starts.
- Scope confirmation and a fixed price within two business hours
- Most estimates delivered in 24–48 hours
- Unlimited revisions until bid day
- Plans stay confidential and are deleted on request
Prefer to talk? Call +1 (800) 555-0199 or email info@leedsestimating.com.
Process
How our estimating process works
Four steps from upload to a bid-ready estimate, with a senior estimator signing off before anything leaves our desk.
- 01
Solicitation review
We read the SF-1442, bid schedule, wage determination, Division 01 and the FAR and agency clauses, then list every item that carries cost beyond the drawings.
- 02
Quantity takeoff
Scope is measured in Bluebeam and Trimble from the drawings and specifications, with each quantity tagged to the CLIN or unit-price item it belongs to.
- 03
Federal pricing
Crews are built on Davis-Bacon classifications, materials are checked for domestic content, and bonds, insurance, access and documentation costs are added as their own lines.
- 04
Bid schedule and review
CLIN totals, unit prices, option and additive items are entered on the schedule, checked for imbalance and compared against the stated magnitude range before the offer is signed.
Why LEEDS
Why contractors switch to LEEDS
An estimating desk that behaves like an extension of your team, not a software subscription.
- Every cost line is mapped to a CLIN, option item or additive item before pricing starts, so the bid schedule totals match the estimate on bid day.
- Labor is built from the wage determination in the solicitation, classification by classification, with fringes and registered-apprentice rates within the program ratio.
- Unit-price items are checked for front loading and mathematical imbalance against cost and the government quantities, so the bid does not draw an unbalanced finding.
- Miller Act bonds and the bid guarantee, where the solicitation requires them, are priced from the surety rate letter, and the total is checked against bonding capacity.
- Buy American Act items on direct federal contracts and BABA items on federally assisted work are flagged on iron, steel and manufactured products before quotes close.
- Estimates are delivered in MII, in the UNIFORMAT II structure set out in UFS/UFC 3-740-05, or in CSI MasterFormat, whichever the agency or solicitation asks for.
Nationwide
Priced for your zip code in all 50 states
Labor rates, material costs and code requirements are adjusted to the project location, not a national average.
Clients
Who relies on our estimates
From single-trade subs to national developers, every client gets the same measured-twice standard.
General Contractors
Bid more work without adding estimating headcount. We deliver division-by-division numbers you can level against sub quotes.
Subcontractors
Trade-specific takeoffs with labor hours and material lists, ready to drop into your proposal.
Architects & Engineers
Design-stage estimates at every milestone so value engineering happens before documents are finished.
Design-Build Firms
Conceptual through GMP pricing that moves as fast as your design iterations.
Construction Managers
Independent cost checks, change-order pricing and schedule-of-values support.
Reviews
What contractors say after their first bid with us
What general contractors, subcontractors and developers say after bidding with our numbers.
“We were turning down bids because our two in-house estimators were buried. LEEDS gave us division-by-division numbers in 48 hours that leveled cleanly against our sub quotes. We bid 40% more work last quarter and our hit rate went up, not down.”
Marcus Whitfield
Chief Estimator, Whitfield Commercial Builders · Charlotte, NC
“Washington energy code and seismic detailing were reflected in the pricing without us having to explain anything. That is rare for an out-of-state estimator.”
Kim Nakamura
Co-founder, Pacific Build Collective · Seattle, WA
“We feed every lender package through LEEDS. The documentation standard is high enough that underwriting has never asked for a second opinion.”
Sarah McAllister
Director of Preconstruction, Harborline Developments · Tampa, FL
Overview
What federal estimating covers
Federal construction is procured under the Federal Acquisition Regulation. FAR Part 36 adds the construction-specific rules, and the rest of the FAR and agency supplements such as DFARS govern solicitation, award and administration. A sealed bid or best-value proposal is submitted on Standard Form 1442 with the bid schedule attached, and that schedule decides how the price is read. It may carry one lump sum CLIN, unit-price items with government quantities, option items, or additive and deductive items awarded in a stated order as funds allow. Line-item prices go on the bid schedule, and Block 17 of the SF-1442 carries only the total offer or the notation See Bid Schedule. We break the scope into those buckets first so every dollar lands where the government expects it.
Labor is priced from the Davis-Bacon wage determination published on SAM.gov for the county and construction type, with each crew mapped to a classification, base rate and fringe. Apprentice rates apply only to workers in a DOL- or state-registered apprenticeship program, within the ratio that program allows. A missing classification is carried at the closest rate pending conformance after award. Certified payroll and any project labor agreement add hours priced in general requirements. Buy American Act and Build America, Buy America rules can bar the cheapest source of iron, steel and manufactured products. Above $150,000 the Miller Act requires performance and payment bonds, a bid guarantee follows whenever a performance bond is required, and both are carried as line items.
USACE and NAVFAC prepare estimates in MII (MCACES), and DoD's cost estimating criteria (UFC 3-740-05, reissued in February 2026 as UFS 3-740-05) describe how the Independent Government Estimate is composed, with UNIFORMAT II as its format. GSA's Public Buildings Service designs to its own facilities standards, historically the P100 and, since its rescission in February 2025, the interim PBS Core Building Standards. We present estimates in those structures when a solicitation asks. Much federal work is renovation of occupied facilities: a courthouse that holds trial while its air handlers are replaced, a VA clinic that keeps seeing patients. Phasing, containment, shift differentials at prevailing wage, escorts, badging and liquidated damages exposure are quantified from the phasing plans and carried as visible lines.
FAQ
Federal Estimating FAQs
How do you price option items and additive bid items?
Each option and additive item is estimated as its own scope with its own labor, material, bond and markup, then placed on the bid schedule in the order the solicitation says the agency will award them. Escalation is applied where an option item carries a later exercise date. The memo shows the cumulative total at each award step so the contractor can see where the budget is likely to stop.
What is an unbalanced bid and how do you avoid one?
An unbalanced bid shifts cost onto early or overstated unit-price items so the contractor is paid ahead of the work. Contracting officers review unit-price bids for mathematical and material imbalance against the government estimate and the other bids, and may reject a bid that fails the test. We price each unit item on its own cost and check it against the government quantity before the schedule is finalized.
Can you help a small business decide between prime and subcontractor roles?
Yes. For 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB and WOSB set-asides we model the self-performed share under the limitations on subcontracting, the prime's bonding and the margin split with teaming partners. You must register in SAM.gov, which issues your Unique Entity ID. Registration, the UEI and annual renewal are free. The real cost for a first-time bidder is the hours on registration and the bid package, which we carry.
Where do your labor rates come from on a federal job?
From the Davis-Bacon wage determination in the solicitation, published on SAM.gov for the county and construction type. Each crew is mapped to its classification with base rate and fringe, and apprentice rates apply only to workers in a DOL- or state-registered apprenticeship program, within that program's ratio. A missing classification is carried at the closest rate, with a conformance request to follow award.
Do you compare the estimate with the Independent Government Estimate?
The IGE itself is not released before award, but the solicitation states a magnitude range and the agency's budget is often public in programming documents or a prospectus. We compare the finished estimate with those figures, explain any gap by scope area, and note where our pricing is deliberately higher or lower so the contractor can decide how to position the bid.
Do you price renovation of occupied federal facilities differently?
Yes. Occupied courthouses, VA clinics, installation buildings and border stations carry phasing, temporary partitions, containment, after-hours labor, escorts and interim life safety measures that new construction does not. We quantify those conditions from the phasing plans and Division 01 work restrictions and carry them as visible lines rather than an allowance in general conditions.
Related
Related estimating services
Most projects need more than one trade. Bundle them into a single upload and we price the whole scope together.
Blog
Insights from the estimating desk
Practical guidance on bidding, takeoffs and protecting margin.
Ready for a federal estimating quote?
Upload your plans and get a fixed quote within 2 business hours. Most estimates are delivered in 24–48 hours.