Document quality is the biggest driver of evaluation quality. TruBuild can work with the documents your team already receives, but enterprise teams get the best results when they standardize what bidders submit and where each file is uploaded.Documentation Index
Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.trubuild.io/llms.txt
Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
What to upload by workflow
| Workflow | Required documents | Optional documents | Best formats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial evaluation | Reference BOQ or PTE, contractor priced BOQs | Commercial PTC responses, revised rounds | .xlsx, .xls, .csv, text-based .pdf |
| Technical evaluation | RFP or criteria, contractor technical proposals | Issued technical PTCs, contractor responses | .pdf, .docx, .xlsx |
| Tender queries | Query register or tender documents | RFP context, prior response history, response template | .xlsx, .pdf, .docx, .doc |
| AI chat | Project or package context files | Evaluation artifacts and uploaded documents | Any supported project upload |
Commercial document standards
Reference BOQ or PTE
The reference BOQ or PTE is the commercial baseline. It should be uploaded once and treated as controlled evidence.Preferred Excel structure
Preferred Excel structure
- Keep the BOQ in Excel whenever possible.
- Use clear headers such as item number, description, unit, quantity, rate, and amount.
- Avoid merged header cells, hidden rows, and decorative title blocks above the real table.
- Keep units consistent across the file.
- Keep subtotal and total rows distinct from priced line items.
Package and asset splits
Package and asset splits
- Use a package for the tender package being awarded.
- Use assets when commercial scope needs separate comparisons, such as towers, plots, zones, or workstreams.
- Keep asset naming consistent with the tender strategy and award pack.
Contractor priced submissions
Upload each contractor’s commercial submission against that contractor. TruBuild uses a contractor-specific file layout when running commercial comparisons.Best bidder instruction
Best bidder instruction
Require bidders to return the issued Excel template. This is the single highest-impact instruction for extraction quality and reduces manual alignment review.
What to check before running
What to check before running
- Every expected contractor has at least one priced submission file.
- Currency matches the package currency or the commercial team has noted the mismatch.
- Revised submissions are uploaded to the right round or response stage.
- Scanned-only PDFs have been OCR processed before upload.
Technical document standards
Technical evaluation depends on clear criteria and contractor proposal structure.| Document | Standard |
|---|---|
| RFP | Native PDF or Word with headings, criteria, appendices, and page numbers intact |
| Criteria matrix | Excel or Word with criterion title, description, weight, and scoring guidance |
| Contractor proposal | One or more PDFs/Word files linked to the correct contractor |
| PTC responses | Uploaded as round responses and linked to the affected contractor where possible |
Tender query document standards
Tender queries support enterprise-style registers and controlled response generation.| Field | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Tenderer name | Use the sender or bidder contact name consistently |
| Tenderer organization | Match the package contractor name where possible |
| Query number | Preserve the external query number when importing |
| Category | Use technical, commercial, contractual, or general |
| Status | Keep status current as queries move through assignment, draft, approval, sent, and closed |
| References | Capture RFP section, drawing reference, circular reference, and amendment status where applicable |
File quality checks
Text-based PDF check
Text-based PDF check
Open the PDF and try to select a sentence. If you cannot select text, OCR the file before upload.
Excel quality check
Excel quality check
Open the workbook and confirm the actual table starts near the top, headers are visible, and prices are not hidden behind formulas or merged blocks.
Contractor naming check
Contractor naming check
Use the same contractor name across package setup, file names, tender query imports, and PTC response documents.
Round control check
Round control check
Do not overwrite Round 1 evidence with Round 2 evidence. Upload revisions as round responses or create a new round.
Naming conventions
Enterprise teams should pick a convention before the first large tender. A simple pattern works well:Data handling
Uploaded files are stored as package, asset, contractor, workflow, stage, and round evidence. Access follows the project and package roles configured for your organization.Troubleshooting
Commercial extraction missed prices
Commercial extraction missed prices
Check whether the price columns were hidden, merged, split across multiple sheets, or supplied as scanned PDF. Re-upload a clean Excel file where possible.
A contractor is missing from comparison
A contractor is missing from comparison
Confirm the contractor exists on the package and the file is uploaded against that contractor, not only at package level.
Technical scoring seems thin
Technical scoring seems thin
Check proposal structure and criteria quality. Vague criteria and poorly sectioned proposals produce weaker justifications.
Query duplicates are noisy
Query duplicates are noisy
Normalize tenderer organization names and preserve prior response history. Duplicate detection improves when historical responses are consistently categorized.
Related
Commercial evaluation
Run a commercial comparison after files are ready.
Tender queries
Manage query imports, approvals, and circulars.