/ RIB Candy Tender Estimating Support
Practical estimating help when the tender matters and the clock is already ticking.
* Graphics are for illustrative purposes only and may differ from the actual software interface.
A tender can quickly become difficult when the Bills of Quantities are complex, rate build-ups lack detail or your estimating team is stretched by competing deadlines.
RIB Candy Assist provides specialist tender estimating support for building and civil contractors using RIB Candy. We can help with complete estimates or clearly defined sections of the work, depending on the tender, information available, deadline and support your team requires.
Our focus is on understanding the labour, materials, plant, subcontractors and other resources behind each rate – not simply filling another column with a hopeful number.
Where do you need help with your estimate?
Tender estimating support can be shaped around a specific problem, part of the estimate or a broader tender requirement.
Resource-based rate build-ups
Build rates from the labour, materials, plant, subcontractors and other resources required to complete the work.
This provides greater visibility into how each rate was developed and makes it easier to review assumptions before the tender is submitted.
Bills of Quantities
Assist with reviewing, structuring and pricing Bills of Quantities in RIB Candy.
Support can focus on selected trades, complex items or a broader portion of the BOQ, depending on the agreed scope.
Resource calculations
Calculate the crews, production rates, material quantities, plant requirements and other resources behind individual activities or bill items.
This helps replace broad allowances with estimating logic that can be examined and adjusted.
Tender review and checking
Review the estimate for incomplete build-ups, unusual rates, inconsistent assumptions or areas that require further attention.
The final commercial review, approval and submission remain the client’s responsibility.
Alternative proposals
Develop or assess alternative construction methods and design approaches where these form part of the tender strategy.
The estimate can then be used to compare the resource, cost and commercial implications of the available options.
Tender management support
Assist with organising the estimating work, clarifying priorities and keeping the relevant tender information together inside a workable RIB Candy process.
The exact support provided will depend on the tender and the responsibilities agreed with your team.
Better estimates begin behind the rate
A rate in a BOQ may look perfectly respectable while hiding assumptions that nobody can explain later.
Resource-based estimating makes the calculation behind the rate visible. It shows what has been allowed for, how the activity is expected to be completed and which assumptions could affect the final cost.
This gives the estimating team a stronger basis for asking practical questions:
- What labour and plant have been allowed for?
- Are the expected production rates realistic?
- Have material quantities, waste and transport been considered?
- Which costs are fixed and which may change?
- Are the same resources or assumptions being used consistently?
- Can the estimate support planning and project control if the tender is awarded?
A well-structured estimate does more than support the tender price. It creates useful information that can contribute to procurement, planning, resource scheduling, forecasting and commercial control during the project.
How tender estimating assistance works
Support for one tender – or a better estimating foundation
Sometimes the immediate priority is simply to get a difficult tender under control. At other times, the tender exposes a wider problem: inconsistent resources, copied rates, outdated Masters or an estimating process that depends too heavily on one person.
Where this happens, we can help identify the next practical step.
Need a more reliable estimating system?
Our RIB Candy Setup & Implementation service can help establish reusable resources, Masters, variables and working processes around your company’s estimating requirements.
Want your team to build its own capability?
Workplace mentoring helps estimators apply RIB Candy while completing genuine estimating work. Formal software training is delivered and administered through Best Training.
Frequently asked questions
Can you help with an urgent tender?
Potentially. We first need to understand the tender scope, current state of the estimate, information available and time remaining. Contact us as early as possible so that we can assess what meaningful assistance is feasible.
Can you prepare the complete tender estimate?
Support can cover a complete estimate or selected sections, depending on the size and complexity of the tender, the agreed scope, available information, deadline and our availability.
Can you help with only the difficult items?
Yes. Assistance can be focused on specific trades, bill items, resource calculations, alternative methods or parts of the estimate that require specialist attention.
Do you work on building and civil tenders?
Yes. RIB Candy Assist can provide estimating assistance for building and civil construction work, subject to the specific tender scope and information available.
Will you submit the tender for us?
The client remains responsible for the final commercial review, approval and submission unless a different responsibility is expressly agreed as part of the engagement.
Can you check an estimate our team has already prepared?
Yes. We can review agreed parts of an existing estimate and identify incomplete build-ups, unusual rates, inconsistent assumptions or areas requiring further attention.
Do you guarantee that the tender will be successful?
No. Tender outcomes depend on pricing, competition, commercial decisions, compliance requirements and factors outside our control. Our role is to provide practical estimating assistance within the agreed scope.
Let’s start with the problem in front of you
Tell us what you are pricing, where you need help and when the tender closes. We’ll assess the available information and let you know what support is practical within the time available.
When contacting us, please include:
- The type of building or civil work.
- The tender closing date.
- Whether an estimate has already been started.
- Whether you currently use RIB Candy.
- The specific areas where you need assistance.