How do local government 'bid openings' typically work for public works projects?

For local government public works projects, bid openings are usually public events where the submitted prices are announced. You can often attend these in person, but it depends on the city or county's specific procurement rules. We primarily do county and school work, and they almost always do a public opening for an IFB.

At a bid opening, the staff will typically read aloud the names of the bidders and their total proposed prices. Sometimes, they will also read unit prices if it's a unit price contract. What you want to look for is the spread of the bids. Are they all close together, or is there a wide range? This gives you a quick idea of how competitive the pricing was.

After the opening, the bids still need to be evaluated for compliance with all the solicitation number requirements. The lowest bidder doesn't automatically win if they aren't responsive or responsible. You should ask if they have a bid tabulation available, either at the event or shortly after. This document lists all the bidders and their prices, which is useful for your own market research.