The next bid
“We made money last year and my limit did not move.”
Start with the financial picture behind the submission: WIP, working capital and the work still to complete.
See the reporting behind itBonding & financial visibility
Know what you
can take on.
The next job asks more of your numbers. Get the WIP reporting, cash visibility and job-cost detail behind the decisions to bid, build and grow.
For commercial specialty subcontractors carrying bonded work or preparing for it.
The work ahead
A clearer financial positionThe schedule.
The cash.
The margin.
The cash.
The margin.
Connected to the work in the field.
Recognize the conversation?
The questions come up
before the numbers do.
These are the reporting gaps this work is built to address.
The reporting scramble
“My agent asked for a WIP schedule and my bookkeeper built it in Excel over a weekend.”
Build a recurring reporting process, with the underlying records kept current between requests.
See the reporting behind itThe job in progress
“I do not know what a job made until it closes, and by then it does not matter.”
Bring job costs and the estimate together while there is still time to review what has changed.
See the reporting behind itThree views of the business
Make the position visible.
Explore sample schedules, the numbers behind them and the questions they raise. All figures are fictional.
What supports the next submission?
Put the work behind the number.
Keep your work-in-progress schedule connected to current job costs, billings and estimates to complete. Your agent has a current picture to work from when the next opportunity arrives.
Explore WIP and bonding supportContract reportingSample excerpt
September 2026Fictional business · Worked exampleThree open contracts · Month-end position
Work-in-progress review
Earned revenue beside billings, with the jobs that need a second look.
- Contract value
- $2.40MThree open jobs
- Revenue earned
- $1.576MCost-to-cost progress
- Net overbilling
- $24,000Billings less earned revenue
| Contract | Complete | Earned | Billed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2241 · Medical office | 72% | 720 | 754 |
| 2258 · School addition | 41% | 328 | 306 |
| 2263 · Warehouse | 88% | 528 | 540 |
| Total | 1,576 | 1,600 |
School addition: $22,000 underbilled
Earned revenue of $328,000 exceeds billings of $306,000. Check the billing cutoff and approved work before the next submission.
Billing owner · Review before the next pay applicationSample contract values: $1M, $800K and $600K. Earned revenue uses cost-to-cost progress. WIP and job costing depend on the agreed scope.
Can cash keep up with the work?
See the time between earning and collecting.
A profitable job can still put pressure on cash. Track billings, collections and retained amounts by contract, then line up expected receipts with payroll, materials and other commitments.
Explore cash forecasting and advisoryContract reportingSample excerpt
September 2026Fictional business · Worked exampleCash tied up in completed and ongoing work
Collections & retainage
Separate current invoices from retained amounts, then put a next step against each balance.
- Current invoices
- $194,000Excludes retainage
- Over 60 days
- $62,000Included in current invoices
- Retainage held
- $286,000Tracked separately
| Contract | 0–30 days | 31–60 days | Over 60 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical office | 48 | 24 | 0 |
| School addition | 0 | 36 | 42 |
| Warehouse | 24 | 0 | 20 |
| Total | 72 | 60 | 62 |
| Contract | Held | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Medical office | 108 | Confirm release terms |
| School addition | 96 | Check closeout list |
| Warehouse | 82 | Confirm acceptance |
| Total held | 286 |
Illustrative balances. A receivable is not a promised receipt date. Collections follow-up and cash forecasting are separately scoped where applicable.
What changed since the estimate?
See the movement before closeout.
Bring actual job costs and the forecast to complete back to the original estimate. Review the difference while there is still work ahead and a decision to make.
Explore decisions supported by your numbersJob-cost reviewSample excerpt
September 2026Fictional business · Worked exampleForecast at completion · Open contracts
Where the margin moved
Compare the bid with the latest forecast while there is still time to act.
- Warehouse bid
- 15.0%Original gross margin
- Latest forecast
- 11.2%Expected gross margin
- Profit movement
- −$22,800On a $600,000 contract
| Contract | At bid | Forecast | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical office | 18.0% | 16.4% | −1.6 pts |
| School addition | 22.0% | 22.8% | +0.8 pts |
| Warehouse | 15.0% | 11.2% | −3.8 pts |
| Cost movement | Amount |
|---|---|
| Original estimated cost | $510,000 |
| Additional labor forecast | $16,800 |
| Additional materials forecast | $6,000 |
| Latest estimated total cost | $532,800 |
Forecast profit is $67,200 versus $90,000 at bid. These are fictional forecasts, not realized client results. Contract margin reporting requires job costing.
A recurring view of where you stand
Your position.
Every month.
Bring the moving parts together in the Contractor Position Page. Use the quarterly conversation to work through what changed and what needs attention.
By the eighth business day
Monthly delivery. Quarterly review.
Contractor Position Page
- 01Percent complete and over/under billings
- 02Retainage position by contract
- 03Contract margin against estimateRequires job costing in your scope.
- 04Cash against profit
Delivered by the eighth business day, walked on a quarterly call.
Built around your work
Start with the foundation.
Define what goes on top.
Your contracts, reporting requirements and goals determine the scope. We agree the work and fee after reviewing your books.
See how the engagement is priced- 01
Core
The foundation
Bookkeeping and the record of every transaction. Common to all construction, always on at every level. Job costing when the jobs justify it.
- 02
Compliance
Built to code
Everything somebody else requires of you, whether that is the government or the people you work for.
- 03
Growth
The finish out
Elective, and standardized. What an owner buys to grow rather than to satisfy anyone.
- 04
Add-ons
Bolted on
Separately scoped work such as payroll processing, bill pay, collections follow-up and tax planning implementation.
Go deeper
The work behind the reporting.
Explore the services that can form part of your engagement.
01
WIP & bonding support
Current schedules and the detail behind a submission.
02CFO advisory
Cash forecasts, job margin and decisions about the work ahead.
03Subcontractor compliance
Certified payroll and the documentation your contracts require.
04Workers comp audit support
Payroll records, classifications and subcontractor certificates.
05Construction tax
Preparation and planning shaped around your contract work.
Before either side commits
Start with a clear picture
of the books you have.
The Financial Risk Assessment is free and required before an ongoing engagement. You keep the findings and the plan whether or not you go further.
See what the assessment coversBefore you make a move
A few practical questions.
Do we need to be bonded already?
This work is for commercial specialty subcontractors carrying bonded work or actively preparing for it. The first conversation looks at what your contracts require and what your current reporting can support.
Does better reporting mean a higher bond limit?
Your surety makes the capacity decision. Our role is to produce current financial records and supporting schedules, so you and your agent can work from a clearer picture of the business.
What if our WIP schedule is out of date?
Bring what you have. The assessment reviews the records behind the schedule and identifies the work needed. Any cleanup and ongoing reporting are defined in the written scope.
Is every service included?
No. Core is the foundation. Required reporting and compliance depend on your contracts, filings and other obligations. Forecasting and other elective services are added to the agreed scope. Job costing is required for contract-margin reporting.
What happens before we commit?
An initial call is followed by the free Financial Risk Assessment when there is a fit. The assessment is required before either side commits. You keep the findings and the plan whether or not you continue.