Trunk Tools Enters Preconstruction with the Launch of TrunkBid
We are excited to introduce TrunkBid, Trunk Tools‘ first purpose-built agent for preconstruction. TrunkBid automates one of the most painful, time-consuming manual workflows in the construction procurement cycle: analyzing and leveling subcontractor bids. Starting today, TrunkBid will be available for beta testing with a select group of customers.
Bid leveling is the type of workflow perfect for AI assistance: repetitive, time-intensive, and document heavy. When bids come in under tight deadlines, estimators are left manually cross-referencing each subcontractor’s proposal against a scope of work document, populating hand-built spreadsheets, and hunting for gaps across dozens of line items for dozens of trade packages. A single missed exclusion or scope silence can mean defaulting to the lowest bidder for the wrong reasons, with real consequences downstream on project cost.
It’s not a failure of skill. It’s the fault of an unwieldy process exacerbated by looming deadlines and estimators stretched thin across multiple projects.
Why existing tools haven't solved this
Legacy bid leveling software gave contractors digital templates to manually enter bid details and compare proposals side by side. An improvement over raw Excel, sure — but not by much. The hours required to do the work correctly stayed almost exactly the same. Until now, preconstruction teams haven’t had access to AI-native solutions to harness the power of modern technological advancements and meaningfully reduce the time estimators spend on this critical workflow.
TrunkBid changes that.
How TrunkBid works
Once subcontractor proposals have been received, the leveling process begins. Traditionally, this means 4 to 8 hours per trade package of manual cross-referencing, screen-switching, and spreadsheet-building — multiplied by dozens of trade packages and 3–5 bids per scope of work on the project.
TrunkBid brings the speed of AI trained specifically for this workflow into the equation. The estimator uploads their bid documents and any relevant scope of work documents. The agent then:
- Extracts all relevant data from each subcontractor’s bid and the scope of work document
- Maps line items in the bid to project requirements
- Identifies what each subcontractor covers, excludes, prices as an alternate, or is silent on entirely
- Surfaces gaps, risks, and inconsistencies across bids with follow-up questions for each subcontractor bid to get needed clarity before awarding a subcontract
- Exports a structured, ready-to-use leveling sheet to Excel to meet preconstruction experts where they usually work
The result: the estimator’s job shifts from data entry to strategic decision-making — exactly where their expertise belongs.
Built for estimators who can't afford to miss a scope gap
TrunkBid is designed for anyone and everyone responsible for subcontractor selection and buyout. On a large project involving dozens of trade packages, the risk of scope gaps isn’t just a time problem; it’s a financial one. TrunkBid gives teams a massive head start so the comparison process that once took multiple weeks can happen in a fraction of that time, with greater confidence and consistency.
What's next
TrunkBid marks Trunk Tools’ entry into preconstruction — a major expansion of where our AI agents operate across the project lifecycle. Combined with our existing agents for submittals, RFIs, and drawing review, Trunk Tools is building toward a future where autonomous AI handles the repetitive, time-intensive work at every phase of a construction project.
This is another step toward our mission to #LetBuildersBuild.
TrunkBid is now available for beta testing with a select group of customers. To learn more or express interest in access, schedule a conversation with our team.