Contractor Pricing Platform for Faster Multi-Supplier Bidding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Construction contractors face challenges in efficiently preparing competitive bids due to the manual and time-consuming process of determining material prices from multiple suppliers, managing job-related items, and coordinating deliveries and labor schedules, which are often location-dependent and vary based on factors like geographic location, date, quantity, and supplier-specific discounts.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that includes a front-end user interface for contractors to access a back-end pricing system connected to multiple supplier systems, facilitating real-time, contractor-specific pricing, automated design review, cost estimation, bid creation, and job management, with features like design configuration, material selection, and project tracking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual pricing from multiple suppliers is used, then contractor-specific pricing accuracy is improved, but time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an automated pricing system that acts as an intermediary between contractors and multiple supplier systems. This system automatically queries, compares, and consolidates pricing data from numerous suppliers, delivering accurate contractor-specific pricing without requiring manual intervention. The intermediary system handles the time-consuming coordination and data aggregation, while maintaining pricing accuracy through systematic multi-supplier comparison.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical process of obtaining pricing with an automated electronic system. Instead of contractors manually contacting suppliers, the system uses automated electronic queries and data exchange protocols to retrieve, compare, and present pricing information. This substitution eliminates manual labor while preserving the accuracy benefits of multi-supplier pricing research.
2Productivity
If automated pricing system is implemented, then time efficiency is improved, but ability to handle contractor-specific factors deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by customizing the automated pricing system to account for specific contractor characteristics such as location, company size, and purchasing history. The system retrieves and applies contractor-specific discount rates, geographic pricing adjustments, and supplier relationship factors tailored to each contractor's profile, ensuring the automated system adapts to individual needs while maintaining efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts pricing calculations based on real-time contractor-specific factors. It incorporates variable discount rates, location-based pricing adjustments, and quantity-based modifications that change according to each contractor's specific situation. This dynamic approach allows the automated system to handle diverse contractor requirements without sacrificing speed or efficiency.
3Manufacturing precision
If comprehensive job management is provided, then job completion accuracy is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments comprehensive job management into distinct functional modules: pricing management, material ordering, delivery coordination, labor scheduling, and inspection tracking. Each module handles a specific aspect of job management independently, improving accuracy through specialized processing while reducing overall system complexity through modular design. The segmented approach allows contractors to access only the functions they need for each specific job.
Data Source
AI summary
In one or more arrangements, a system is provided for provision of contractor support services. In one or more arrangements, the system includes a front end system providing a user interface for a contractor to access a backend system having a pricing system. In response to the contractor selecting a list of materials, the pricing system is configured to determine contractor-specific pricing for the list of materials from a plurality of supplier systems. In one or more arrangements, the backend system includes one or more contractor support systems communicatively connected to the pricing system to facilitate, for example: review of designs and specifications for a job; input, review, editing of information for configuration of parameters for job completion; determination of materials for the job; estimation of costs based on the contractor-specific pricing data; generation of bid proposals; tracking and/or management of bids, among other services.