A challenge many HVAC contractors face is finding the work to expand their business beyond their neighborhoods. Fortunately, there are plenty of websites that post or collect opportunities from both public and private organizations that make this easier than ever, and some can even help you with putting your proposal together or other aspects of the bidding process. In this article, we list some top HVAC bidding websites, and discuss how they can help you bid faster and with greater reach.
We’ll start by explaining how HVAC proposal websites work, and how their unique features can expand your business reach and speed up the bidding process. Also be sure to check out our HVAC bidding guide for tips on how to put your bid together before you submit it to one of these websites.
HVAC bidding sites offer a digital platform to submit bids for HVAC work, but they don’t radically change the process of interacting with potential customers directly. The basic flow is something like this:
Moving this process to an online HVAC bid list expands the reach of both contractors and clients, allowing them to connect for more jobs over greater distances. It also makes the process more useful and easier to manage for both clients and contractors. The next section will expand on these points.
Using software to structure and put together your bid proposal is another way to make bidding – online or otherwise – more efficient. We explain more in our article on how to choose the best HVAC bidding software for your business.
There are many advantages to managing your HVAC bids online if you find the right platform. Here are four general qualities you should look for in a bidding website to ensure you’re getting the most benefit.
1. Access to a network of clients in your general service area
Moving the HVAC bidding process online allows you to overcome time and distance constraints by letting contractors access larger pools of projects over wider areas. It’s then up to the contractor how flexible they want to be in terms of how far they’re willing to travel for the work.
2. User-friendly interface & task assistance
A good HVAC bidding website will provide tools that assist with tasks related to submitting bids. This may include providing templates to structure a bid proposal, tracking the statuses of bids, and allowing you to manage or submit bids with just a few clicks. The idea is to cut down on manual administrative work so your bids get out to clients faster.
Our article on commercial HVAC bid templates gives an example of a template designed for commercial HVAC bids, as well as a list of other templates you can use for commercial HVAC proposals. You can also check out our article on HVAC bid templates for a more inclusive list.
3. Speeds up and automates the bidding process
An HVAC bidding website with tools to speed up proposal reviews for clients is helpful for contractors as well. It sets clear expectations for what proposals need to include, and helps all parties move quicker to negotiations and, eventually, getting work done.
4. Real-time updates
Instant notifications is another key feature to look for in HVAC bid websites. Knowing if a bid has been accepted or rejected anytime, anywhere leads to faster decision-making on whether to prepare for negotiations or chase a different lead. It also keeps open communication between contractors and clients, which helps to increase transparency and minimize misunderstandings.
These websites bring together HVAC contractors and clients needing HVAC work from both Canada and the United States. Some of them even source proposals and application requests from other parts of the world, as well.
1. Tenders On Time
Tenders on Time is one of the biggest websites for bidding on contract work, including HVAC jobs. It sources government contract opportunities from over 240 countries in many different sectors, including construction, repair, and maintenance. Some free bids are available, and you can get a more limited subscription if you only want bids from a certain geographic area.
Industry Specialization: All types of commercial contracts
How Pricing Works: Monthly subscription based on features needed and areas you want covered (country, continent, worldwide).
What Sets It Apart: One of the largest bidding websites for all types of contract work all around the world.
Have a look at bids on Tenders on Time for North America.
2. BidPrime
BidPrime’s proprietary system monitors over 110,000 sources across the US and Canada for local, regional, and federal government contract opportunities – including, of course, HVAC jobs. BidPrime’s focus is on speed and access, as it has found that most government requests for proposals (RFPs) only stay open for about 10 business days. So BidPrime aims to send you bid opportunities the same day they are announced, along with any specification documents you may need to assess whether a contract is a good fit or not.
Industry Specialization: HVAC, electrical, refrigeration, plumbing
How Pricing Works: Free trial available; pricing available on request.
What Sets It Apart: Posts bid opportunities within 45 minutes of them being announced, letting you start drafting proposals sooner.
View BidPrime’s current opportunities for HVAC contracts.
3. InstantMarkets
InstantMarkets is another bidding website where you can find HVAC contracts for bid globally, though it’s not as big as Tenders on Time. Some features of InstantMarkets include historical bid data – so you can make informed decisions on how to put together proposals – and unlimited custom alerts that let you choose what opportunities you want to be informed about, when.
Industry Specialization: All kinds of commercial contracts
How Pricing Works: Free trial available; professional account is $60-$75/month; enterprise pricing available on request.
What Sets It Apart: Use of AI to extract purchasing document details and deliver relevant bid opportunities.
See what HVAC opportunities are currently available on InstantMarkets.
4. HVAC Bid Network
HVAC Bid Network is one of a series of contract bidding websites run by the North American Procurement Council (NAPC). It lists HVAC opportunities mainly from the US and Canada (but some from other countries at higher subscription tiers). It’s a simple site that offers a range of subscription options, depending on how many industries you work in and how broad your reach in Canada and/or the US is. It also allows for posting classified ads.
Industry Specialization: HVAC
How Pricing Works: Packages from $36/month to $165/month, depending on features and areas needed.
What Sets It Apart: Many links to other bidding websites based on industry or location in North America.
Discover NAPC HVAC contracts open for bidding on HVAC Bid Network.
5. Find RFP
Find RFP pulls bid opportunities in HVAC and other industries from over 100,000 government sources in the US and Canada. In addition to searching for bids by industry, you can also search by keywords and/or by geographical area. Find RFP will send you matching opportunities daily, which you can easily access by email.
Industry Specialization: HVAC, plumbing, electrical, fire safety
How Pricing Works: Monthly or annual subscription offering either regional or national coverage.
What Sets It Apart: Inexpensive plans that include a weeklong free trial, as well as discounts for professional organizations.
Check out the latest HVAC bid opportunities on Find RFP.
6. Biddingo
Designed for small and medium-sized companies, Biddingo provides access to over 10,000 government agencies for finding bid opportunities in HVAC (and other fields). It has a free option with limited access to search functions, tailored bids, notifications, historical bid research, and bid documents. A premium subscription expands search capabilities and tailored bid recommendations, gives you more frequent updates, and waives some fees for downloading bid packages. Biddingo’s main drawback is that most of its bids are from Canada, and its US opportunities are limited to California.
Industry Specialization: HVAC & plumbing
How Pricing Works: One-time fee to access bid documents, unless you have a premium subscription.
What Sets It Apart: Pay-as-you-go option to pay a one-time fee to download bid documents.
View HVAC requests for proposals currently open on Biddingo.
This list of websites focuses specifically on the US HVAC bid market.
1. ConstructConnect
ConstructConnect is more than just a website for finding HVAC (and other service) contracts to bid on near you. It’s also a project intelligence and bid management platform that lets you find the right kinds of opportunities and manage your bids for them. It’s useful for subcontractors, general contractors, construction product manufacturers, and other service providers. It’s somewhat expensive, though, especially if you’re looking to purchase the full suite of tools.
Industry Specialization: Commercial HVAC, electrical, fire safety, & plumbing
How Pricing Works: Bid access is $129-$199/month; other functions are extra.
What Sets It Apart: Can be used as a full-service bid intelligence, management, and takeoff tool.
View an overview of top HVAC contract opportunities available on ConstructConnect.
2. BidNet Direct
BidNet Direct provides access to HVAC bids and other service contract opportunities from over 90,000 government agencies across the US. Some agencies specifically ask to be part of BidNet Direct’s network; others are local or state agencies; and still others are federal agencies. Depending on which subscription package you pick, you’ll have access to bids from some or all of these categories. You can also filter by industry, location, post date, and whether a bid is open or closed.
Industry Specialization: All types of commercial construction jobs
How Pricing Works: Free account available; annual or bi-annual subscriptions charged per area selected per month.
What Sets It Apart: Ability to save searches and get automated notifications of targeted bid solicitations or partnering opportunities.
Find HVAC bid, contract, and RFP opportunities on BidNet Direct.
3. GovDirections
GovDirections searches over 27,000 sources daily for US government contract opportunities in over 200 work categories, including HVAC. It provides daily alerts of relevant bid opportunities, depending on what industries you’re interested in and whether you’re looking for bids at the local or federal level. GovDirections also has several tools for sorting the opportunities you search for, such as by NAICS code, industry, state, or other special classifications.
Industry Specialization: HVAC, electrical, refrigeration, plumbing
How Pricing Works: Monthly or annual subscription, depending on whether you need local state or nationwide coverage.
What Sets It Apart: Provides assistance with proposal writing via GovAdvice, as well as other bid consulting services.
See the latest HVAC, refrigeration, and mechanical bid opportunities on GovDirections.
Canada has plenty of opportunities for HVAC contractors as well. Here are 3 of the top websites for finding those bids.
1. MERX
The Canadian equivalent of BidNet Direct, MERX sources contract opportunities for HVAC and other services from over 2000 public sector organizations across Canada. You can search it by industry, location, post date, and whether a bid is open or closed. You’re also able to preview documents, get notifications on changes to opportunities, and identify partnership opportunities. Some of these require a subscription or are value-added services, though.
Industry Specialization: HVAC, refrigeration, electrical, fire safety
How Pricing Works: Pay-as-you-go ($70/bid); or monthly or annual subscription for provincial, regional, or nationwide coverage.
What Sets It Apart: Create profiles for the “Opportunity Matching” feature to get recommendations every weekday on bids to pursue.
Check out open HVAC solicitations on MERX.
2. Bids&Tenders
Bids&Tenders is a bid platform for HVAC and other service contracts that has some neat features. One is that you can preview bid documents before you commit to a bid, so you’ll know whether or not it’s the right fit before you start your proposal. It also gives you daily emails for relevant bid opportunities based on your company’s profile, and checks all bid submissions to ensure they’re complete before they’re accepted. It is somewhat small, however, only sourcing bids from about 450 organizations.
Industry Specialization: All types of commercial construction
How Pricing Works: $132/bid, or annual subscription of $440 for unlimited bids.
What Sets It Apart: Automated compliance checkers ensure your bid is complete and will be accepted before you submit it.
Discover what bid opportunities are currently available on Bids&Tenders.
3. BidCentral
BidCentral is a project of the British Columbia Construction Association (BCCA), so it’s great for finding HVAC bid opportunities in the province of British Columbia. It has many features of good bidding websites: advanced search functions to find bids by keyword, city, project stage, and so on; opportunity matching that gives you suggestions for relevant bids based on your company’s profile; and instant email alerts of important events or changes in a project. Unfortunately, you won’t find opportunities outside of BC on it.
Industry Specialization: All types of commercial construction
How Pricing Works: Limited free option available; premium subscription is $80/month or $875/year.
What Sets It Apart: Focus on local projects in British Columbia.
View opportunities for HVAC and other bids on BidCentral.
At this point, you may be asking: “How else can I find HVAC bids near me?” We’ll reiterate that we think bidding on HVAC contracts online with websites like the ones listed above is the most efficient way to expand your business. However, if you’re starting small and want to stick to local projects, there are a few other options available:
When it comes to how to find HVAC bids, the sites we listed above are good starting points. When it comes to managing an HVAC project after you’ve won the bid for it, count on BuildOps. It’s built for commercial contractors with features not often found in other field service management software like advanced non-exact searching your customer and project details to help you find information more easily, asset management hierarchies for clients that own more than one serviced property, AI that speeds up notetaking and report writing, and customizable workday lists of “need-to-input” information.
To see more of what BuildOps can do, join us for our free live Thursday demos and Q&A sessions. Or, if you want an even more in-depth look, contact us for an in-person demo.
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