This tutorial explains how to use Subcontracting in OneCrew to manage subcontractors, request and compare quotes, award work, and coordinate subcontracted services throughout a project.

Subcontracting helps you streamline the RFQ process while keeping estimates, subcontractor pricing, documents, messaging, and scheduling connected in OneCrew. You can also use the subcontractor portal to give your subcontractors a simple way to review RFQs, submit quotes, and communicate with your team.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Manage Subcontractors & Documents

Before inviting a subcontractor to an RFQ, you can manage your vendors, subcontractors, and required documents.

1. Navigate to Vendors & Subs.

2. Select an existing vendor.

3. Convert the vendor to a Subcontractor.

   • Converting a vendor allows them to appear in the subcontractor row of the project schedule.

4. Upload any required subcontractor documents.

5. Review document expiration dates and update documents as needed.

OneCrew can notify you when subcontractor documents expire, helping ensure you have the required documentation before work begins.

2. Add Services to an RFQ (Request for Quote)

You can create your RFQ directly from the project's estimate.

1. Open the project and begin building an estimate.

2. Add the services you want to include in the project.

3. Build and price the estimate for self-performance as needed.

4. For any service you want to subcontract, click Add to RFQ.

5. Repeat this process for each service you want to include.

6. Save the estimate.

7. Navigate to the project's RFQ section.

The services you selected are automatically added to the RFQ.

This workflow allows you to build your estimate first and manage the subcontracting process after your estimate is complete.

3. Build the RFQ

The RFQ allows you to provide subcontractors with the project information they need to accurately quote the work.

1. Open the RFQ.

2. Click Edit.

3. Add a project description or introduction.

4. Review the bid items that were added from the estimate.

5. Add additional estimate services if needed.

6. Review or update the service descriptions.

   • Service descriptions are populated from the estimate by default.

   • You can override them with descriptions specifically written for your subcontractors.

7. Choose whether to include measurements for each bid item.

8. Attach relevant documents.

   • Attach documents to individual bid items when they only apply to a specific service.

   • Attach documents to the entire RFQ when they apply to the project as a whole.

9. Click Save.

For example, you can attach a site map or striping diagram to a specific service, while standard subcontractor terms and conditions can be attached to the entire RFQ.

4. Invite Subcontractors to Bid

Once your RFQ is ready, you can invite subcontractors to bid on individual services.

1. Open the RFQ.

2. Select the Subcontractors tab.

3. Review the services included in the RFQ.

4. Click Manage Subs.

5. Select the subcontractors you want to invite.

6. Choose which services each subcontractor should bid on.

7. Review any document expiration warnings.

8. Choose an existing email template or draft a new invitation.

9. Send the invitations.

Each subcontractor receives an email containing a link to the Subcontractor Portal, where they can review the RFQ and submit their pricing.

5. Receive & Compare Quotes

As subcontractors submit their quotes, their pricing appears within the RFQ.

1. Open the RFQ and review submitted quotes.

2. Compare subcontractor pricing for each service.

3. Review which services each subcontractor has quoted.

4. Use the submitted pricing to determine which quote works best for your estimate.

You can also record an External Bid when a subcontractor provides pricing outside of OneCrew.

To record an external bid:

1. Select External Bid.

2. Select the subcontractor.

3. Select the applicable service.

4. Enter the price provided by the subcontractor.

5. Save the bid.

This allows you to keep subcontractor pricing centralized in OneCrew even when the original quote was provided through another communication channel.

6. Use a Subcontractor Quote in Your Estimate

Once you receive a quote, you can pull the subcontractor's pricing directly into your estimate.

1. Open the subcontractor's quote.

2. Click Use in Estimate.

3. Review the subcontractor's quoted price alongside the current estimate amount.

4. Pull the subcontractor's price into the estimate if you want to use it.

5. Review your customer-facing price and resulting margin.

6. Save your changes.

When a subcontractor's pricing is used, the applicable self-performed costs are replaced with the subcontractor cost.

The subcontractor price is locked in the estimate to indicate that it is tied to the selected quote. You can still modify the price presented to your end customer.

Expected Outcome: Your estimate now reflects the subcontractor's quoted cost without requiring you to manually replace the previous self-performed cost.

7. Award Work to a Subcontractor

After the customer accepts the proposal, you can award the accepted services to the subcontractor.

1. Return to the project's RFQ.

2. Review the services associated with the accepted estimate.

3. Review the subcontractor pricing that was used in the estimate.

4. Select the subcontractor.

5. Award the applicable services.

6. Confirm the award.

When the work is awarded, the subcontractor receives a notification letting them know they won the job.

The quote status is also updated within OneCrew so you can track the awarded services.

The award process creates a double-sided agreement that locks in the subcontractor's quoted price.

8. Communicate with Subcontractors

OneCrew includes messaging to help centralize communication with subcontractors.

1. Open the Subcontracting area.

2. Select the subcontractor you want to communicate with.

3. Use the messaging feature to send and receive project-related messages.

4. Switch between subcontractors as needed.

Messaging can be used for clarification questions, project coordination, and final details before work begins.

9. Schedule Subcontracted Work

Once a service has been accepted and subcontracted, you can manage it from the project schedule.

1. Open the project Schedule.

2. Locate the accepted subcontracted service.

3. Hover over the service to identify the subcontractor it was awarded to.

4. Open the calendar view.

5. Locate the dedicated Subcontractors row.

6. Drag the subcontracted service into the appropriate position.

7. Schedule the service.

Subcontracted services are scheduled separately from your internal crews, making it easier to distinguish work performed by your team from work performed by subcontractors.

Subcontractor Portal

The Subcontractor Portal provides subcontractors with a simple way to review and respond to RFQs.

1. Open an RFQ Invitation

When a subcontractor is invited to an RFQ, they receive an email containing a link.

They can:

• Open the invitation in the subcontractor portal.

• Open the invitation directly in OneCrew if they are already a OneCrew user.

2. Review the RFQ

Within the portal, subcontractors can view their RFQs and review the project information.

They can:

• Review the RFQ introduction.

• Review available services.

• Enter pricing for individual services.

• Choose whether to accept individual awards or require all quoted services to be awarded together.

3. Submit a Quote

The subcontractor can enter their bid amount for the services they want to quote.

Before submitting, they can also use messaging to ask the prime contractor questions or request clarification.

Once their quote is complete, they can submit and pre-sign it.

The pre-signature allows the final award process to create a double-sided agreement when the prime contractor awards the work.

4. Review an Award

After the prime contractor awards the work, the subcontractor receives a notification.

The subcontractor can return to the portal to:

• Review the updated RFQ status.

• See which services were awarded.

• Continue communicating with the prime contractor.

• Coordinate final project details before work begins.

Troubleshooting

Issue: A subcontractor isn't appearing in the schedule.

Solution: Verify that the vendor has been converted to a Subcontractor in the Vendors & Subs section. Only subcontractors can appear in the dedicated subcontractor schedule row.

Issue: A subcontractor has an expired document.

Solution: Review the subcontractor's documents in Vendors & Subs and upload updated documentation. OneCrew can identify expired documents during the invitation process.

Issue: A service isn't appearing in the RFQ.

Solution: Return to the project's estimate and make sure the service was added using Add to RFQ. Services must be added to the RFQ before they can be included in the subcontracting workflow.

Issue: I need to add another service to an existing RFQ.

Solution: Open the RFQ and edit the bid items. Additional services from the estimate can be added to the RFQ.

Issue: A subcontractor provided pricing outside of OneCrew.

Solution: Use External Bid to record the subcontractor's pricing on their behalf. This keeps the quote information centralized within the RFQ.

Issue: I want to use a subcontractor's quote in my estimate.

Solution: Open the quote and click Use in Estimate. OneCrew will show the subcontractor's price alongside the current estimate cost so you can review the impact before applying the quote.

Issue: I need to communicate with a subcontractor.

Solution: Use the Messages feature within the subcontracting area to centralize communication with the subcontractor in OneCrew.

Issue: Subcontracted work isn't scheduled correctly.

Solution: Confirm that the service has been awarded to the subcontractor, then drag the service into the dedicated Subcontractors row in the calendar view.