Reprographers, if you are offering
web-based planroom services (and most reprographers are), how does your service
stack up against the services offered by companies (like SmartBidNet) who offer
online planroom services as a part of
an extensive offering of other construction-project bid management services?
Evidently, SmartBidNet did not
develop the web-based planroom service it offers with a SmartBidNet
subscription; evidently, SmartBidNet uses the web-based planroom service
developed the “Virtual Plan Room Network.”
Evidently, the Virtual Plan Room Network is widely used by Builders
Exchanges in many parts of the U.S.
Here’s some information about
SmartBidNet:
“ONLINE CONSTRUCTION BID SOFTWARE
FOR COMMERCIAL GENERAL CONTRACTORS”
Annual Standard License Includes:
✔ Subcontractor Database Management.
✔ Prequalification with ConsensusDocs®
721.
✔ Online Plan Room with Unlimited
Projects, Invitations to Bid, Files, Email Communications, and Custom Reports.
✔ Subcontractor and Supplier Search
via the SmartInsight Contractor Network and Public Agency Database Integration.
✔ Bid Solicitation Tracking for
Identifying which Subcontractors are Viewing and Downloading Plans.
✔ Custom Form Builder for Requesting
Prequal, Financial and Other Sub Information.
✔ BidTabs for Comparing Subcontractor
Bid Submissions Side by Side.
✔ Integration with Company Website for
Subcontractor Registration and Public Project Lists.
✔ Full API Access to Integrate Your
System Data with Your Other Software.
✔ Mobile App for iOS and Android.
✔ Personalized User Interface with
Customizable Dashboard.
An excerpt from the “Case Study” interview of
Seth Cheever of Stiles Construction:
How has your company’s use of technology evolved since you
first started working there?
In the last 12 years, we have gone from manual takeoffs
with rulers and a digitizer to using computer based on-screen takeoffs that are
able to be collaborated on by the entire department. We have also changed our
bid solicitation system from isolated components (i.e. fax machines, a
complicated subcontractor database directory, and untraceable paper plan
deliveries) to SmartBid, which simplifies all of those individual processes and
components into a unified platform. Of course BIM has moved to the front of the
line of construction technology evolution. We’ve gone from blueprints, to plotted drawings, to on-screen 2D
images to 3D models. We’re now getting into 4D simulations and 5D model-based
cost estimating.
Link
to full Stiles Interview:
A couple of excerpts from the “Case Study”
interview of David Green of Swinerton Builders:
How has your company’s use of software solutions evolved since you first started working there?
Swinerton has always been ahead of the curve on adoption of technology. When I first started with Swinerton 16 years ago we were using a Swinerton developed construction management and accounting software that was accessible to the field via modem, P3 scheduling software and Lotus 123 customized spreadsheet solutions for estimating. This evolution has continued with early adoption of web-based invitation to bid systems and web-based document distribution.
Currently, Swinerton is a leader in the adoption of BIM 3D, 4D and 5D solutions. Our most recent push is to bring these technologies into the field with paperless offices, using tablet-based project management/monitoring tools. We are again an early adopter of cloud-based BIM software and collaboration as well.
Over the next decade, in what ways do you hope to see construction technology evolve?
We would like to see integrated applications that can freely exchange data. We would like the ability to delete all paper and migrate pricing/bidding online as well.
Link
to full Swinerton Builders Interview:
Link
to SmartBidNet web-site:
SmartBidNet Enters Partnership With Virtual Planroom Network
Link to the
announcement above that was published in May 2016:
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