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How to find construction bids

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Updated November 10, 2026. Facts come from official pages read on that date (listed under Sources). EasBid is an independent bid search service and is not affiliated with any government agency.

Public construction bids are posted by federal agencies on SAM.gov and by states, cities, counties, school districts, transit and water agencies on their own portals, and most of them come with bonding and wage rules you must price in. This guide covers where to look, what federal notices tell you before the bid, the federal thresholds for bonds and prevailing wages in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), and how grant-funded local projects are bid.

Where are public construction bids posted?

Federal construction above $25,000 is synopsized on SAM.gov, which the FAR names as the governmentwide point of entry, under FAR 5.101. State departments of transportation, general services or facilities offices post state work on the state's procurement portal or their own bid pages; see our state bid portals guide. Most building and site work, though, is local: cities, counties, school districts, universities, housing authorities, airports, ports, transit and water and sewer agencies each post their own bids, often on their own website or a hosted bid portal.

EasBid collects open construction bids from many of these sources. Browse construction bids or a trade such as roofing, and save a search to get new matches by email.

What do federal construction notices tell you early?

FAR 36.213-2 requires presolicitation notices for any construction requirement expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold, unless waived, and says they should go out far enough ahead of the invitation for bids to draw the most bidders. The FAR's simplified acquisition threshold is $350,000 under FAR 2.101.

Federal notices also give a price range. FAR 36.204 says advance notices and solicitations must state the magnitude of the project in physical terms and an estimated price range, without revealing the government's estimate, using these bands: less than $25,000; $25,000 to $100,000; $100,000 to $250,000; $250,000 to $500,000; $500,000 to $1,000,000; $1,000,000 to $5,000,000; $5,000,000 to $10,000,000; and more than $10,000,000. That band tells you quickly whether a job fits your bonding and crew size.

When are bonds required?

Under FAR 28.102-1, the federal bonds statute (formerly known as the Miller Act) requires performance and payment bonds for any construction contract over $150,000, with limited waivers. FAR 28.101-1 says a contracting officer may require a bid guarantee only when a performance bond, or performance and payment bonds, is also required, and generally requires one in that case. Under FAR 28.101-2 the bid guarantee must be at least 20 percent of the bid price, capped at $3 million.

States and cities have their own bonding laws, often modeled on the federal one, with their own thresholds. Read the bid's bonding section and talk to your surety before you bid, because your bonding capacity sets the largest job you can take.

Do prevailing wage rules apply?

On federal work they often do. FAR 22.403-1 says the federal construction wage rate statute, formerly known as the Davis-Bacon Act, applies to contracts over $2,000 for construction, alteration or repair, including painting and decorating, of public buildings or public works in the United States. FAR 2.101 also sets a lower micro-purchase threshold of $2,000 for construction covered by that statute. A federal construction solicitation includes the wage determination you must pay; price labor from it, not from your usual rates.

Many states have their own prevailing wage laws for state and local projects, with their own thresholds and rates. The bid documents usually say which rates apply.

How are construction contracts usually awarded?

Much public construction is bid by sealed bid: a complete set of plans and specs, a public bid opening, and award to the lowest responsive, responsible bidder. FAR 14.408-1 describes award to the responsible bidder whose conforming bid is most advantageous considering only price and price-related factors. For local projects paid with federal grant funds, 2 CFR 200.320 says sealed bids are the preferred method for construction and lists the conditions that make sealed bidding feasible, such as a complete specification and at least two willing bidders.

Larger or complex projects may use proposals instead, scored on factors such as approach, schedule, team and past performance as well as price, and some owners prequalify contractors before letting them bid. Read the instructions to bidders to see which method applies; our RFP vs. IFB guide covers the difference.

How do grant-funded local projects work?

A lot of local construction is paid partly with federal grants: roads, transit, water systems, schools and housing. The local owner runs the bid, but federal rules apply. 2 CFR 200.319 requires full and open competition and bars contractors who drafted the specifications from bidding on them; it also names unnecessary experience and excessive bonding requirements as examples of things that can restrict competition. 2 CFR 200.321 asks owners, when possible, to include small, minority, women-owned and veteran-owned businesses on solicitation lists. Highway and transit projects with federal money often carry DBE goals; see our DBE certification guide.

How do subcontractors find construction work?

Specialty trades often bid to the general contractors who are bidding the job. Watch the plan holders list on local bids, attend pre-bid meetings, and look at federal award notices for primes that may need subcontractors. SBA describes SubNet, where large prime contractors post subcontracting opportunities for small businesses, and a directory of prime contractors with subcontracting plans.

A quick checklist before you bid

  1. Is the price range inside your bonding capacity?
  2. Do you hold the licenses the owner and the state require?
  3. Which wage rates apply, and have you priced labor from them?
  4. Is there a mandatory pre-bid meeting or site visit?
  5. Have you received and acknowledged every addendum?
  6. Do you need a bid bond, and is it in the form the owner asked for?
  7. Are there DBE or other participation goals you must meet with subcontractors?

Frequently asked questions

When is a performance bond required on federal construction?

FAR 28.102-1 says performance and payment bonds are required for construction contracts over $150,000, with limited waivers. States and cities set their own thresholds for their projects.

How big is a federal bid bond?

Under FAR 28.101-2 a bid guarantee must be at least 20 percent of the bid price but not more than $3 million. It is required only when a performance bond is also required.

Does Davis-Bacon apply to small jobs?

On federal work it applies to construction contracts over $2,000, under FAR 22.403-1. States often have their own prevailing wage laws for state and local projects.

How do I know the size of a federal construction job before bidding?

FAR 36.204 requires notices and solicitations to state an estimated price range, using set bands from less than $25,000 up to more than $10,000,000.

Where are most construction bids posted?

Most public construction is local. Cities, counties, school districts and utilities post their own bids; federal jobs above $25,000 are on SAM.gov, and state jobs are on state portals.

Sources

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General information, not legal advice. Always follow the instructions in each solicitation.

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