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Public Sector Estimating Services
ACON Engineering prepares cost estimates for public construction projects. We work on government buildings and public infrastructure, and we price every job to the rules public work runs on. That comes from over 15 years in construction estimating. Send us your plans to get started.
★★★★★ 4.9 from 312 reviews
● 9,800 plans estimated
● Reply within 4 business hours
● Built for GCs, subs, developers
Get a free, no obligation estimate
Your plans stay private. We sign NDAs on request. No sales spam, ever.
Trusted by 400 plus contractors and developers across the United States
What Makes Public Sector Estimating Different
Public projects follow rules that private jobs do not, and those rules change how you bid. The biggest one is prevailing wage. The government sets a wage rate for each trade in each county, and your bid has to match it, so the same work often costs more on a public job than a private one. The bid also has to be bonded and laid out in the agency's pay-item format. And because the money is public, the numbers have to hold up to an audit. We build all of this into your estimate.
Public Sector Scopes We Estimate
Each estimate below is based on your plans and priced according to the rules public works operates under. Together, they cover the full project, from the building to the bid paperwork. You get one number you can submit.
Government Building Estimating
Public buildings have their own standards, and the bid must meet them. We estimate courthouses, schools, fire stations, and city halls, with the materials and labor priced to prevailing wage. The scope is built to pass a public review.
Public Infrastructure Estimating
Infrastructure is the other half of public work. We estimate roads, bridges, water systems and transit, and we tie the takeoff to your local DOT and agency specs. The deeper trade detail links to our road and bridge pages.
Quantity Takeoff and Bid Estimating
A public bid is scored on the pay items. We measure every quantity from your drawings and lay them out in the bid format the agency uses. That keeps your numbers lined up with how the bid is reviewed.
Prevailing Wage Estimating
Labor is where public jobs differ most. We price each trade to the prevailing wage set for your county, and we account for the certified payroll the job will need. So the labor line reflects what the work actually costs.
Budget and Feasibility Estimating
Public projects get funded in stages. We prepare early-stage budgets and feasibility numbers before the design is final, which helps you plan the funding and support a grant or bid. The estimate sharpens as the plans firm up.
Value Engineering and Cost Review
Sometimes the first number comes in over budget. We review the scope and suggest where to cut costs without losing what the project needs. That keeps a public job moving when the funds are fixed.
What We Deliver With Your Public Sector Estimate
We list the quantities by pay item, with materials, labor, equipment, permits, and contingencies in an editable Excel. Every file is audit-ready, with the addenda folded in and a clear list of inclusions and exclusions.
Want the full PDF in your inbox?
Get 3 redacted full sample sets covering takeoff, estimate, and schedule. No call required.
Our 4 Step Public Sector Estimating Process
The process is simple, and you stay in the loop at each step. You work with estimators who know public bids.
01
Send Your Plans
You upload your drawings, specs, and any addenda. Our team reviews the scope and sends you a quote.
02
Takeoff and Addendum Review
We measure each quantity by pay item. We also check the addenda, so the latest changes are in the estimate.
03
Price to Prevailing Wage
We price materials and labor using local rates and prevailing wage. Bonding and contingencies apply as needed.
04
Review and Delivery
A senior estimator checks the numbers, then we deliver an audit-ready estimate in Excel within 24 to 72 hours.
Industry Standard Public Sector Estimating Software
We run your takeoffs in PlanSwift and Bluebeam, and we work from your AutoCAD drawings. Each quantity is priced with RSMeans and the prevailing wage rates for your area.
Why ACON Engineering is the #1 Choice
Public work rewards the estimator who knows its rules. A team that prices to prevailing wage and bids in the agency's format gets you numbers that hold up.
Public Bid Specialists
We focus on public work, so we know how the bids are scored. Your numbers come laid out in the pay-item format that the agency reviews, which keeps the bid clean.
Prevailing Wage Accuracy
We price each trade to the prevailing wage set for your county. The labor line matches what the law requires, so your bid reflects what the job actually costs.
Full Compliance Built In
Public bids carry rules, private jobs skip. We account for the bonding, the certified payroll, and the DBE goals, so your bid meets the requirements before it reaches the agency.
Post Estimate Support
We stay available after the estimate is delivered. Our team walks you through the numbers, answers the agency's questions, and adjusts the estimate as your bid moves forward.
Certified Estimators
Our estimators hold AACE credentials and have 15 years behind them. That experience shows in the scope, the pricing, and the calls that keep a public bid clean.
Up to 60% Savings
You get a full estimating team for less than an in-house hire. You pay per project, with no salary, software, or overhead to carry between bids.
Calculate Your Public Sector Takeoff Cost in 30 Seconds
Use our quick tool to get an estimated price for your public sector estimating services. This gives you a fast baseline before you request an official quote from our team.
Step 1 · Choose Your Project Type
Pick the work you want to bid on. We cover government buildings, schools, infrastructure, and municipal projects, so the price fits the kind of public job you have.
Step 2 · Set Your Project Size
Enter the square footage or the project length. Public jobs run from a single building to a full corridor, so this sets the scale of the estimate.
Step 3 · Select Your Required Scope
Pick the scopes you need quantified. We cover the takeoff, the prevailing wage labor, the bid format, and the value engineering your project calls for.
Estimated fee
$1,250
Turnaround · 3 business days
Final fee depends on plan complexity. No charge until you approve.
Public Sector Estimating Services Pricing
Our rates match how you work. You pay a flat fee per project, or set up ongoing support, with no hidden costs. Get a single public sector takeoff, or keep an estimator on call for your whole pipeline.
Single Project
For contractors who need one public sector estimate for a specific bid.
From $750
- One complete public sector takeoff
- 3 business day turnaround
- One round of revisions
- PDF and Excel deliverables
Bid partner
Firms that bid on several projects a month and need steady support.
$2,495 / mo
- Up to 6 projects per month
- 24 hour rush option included
- Two rounds of revisions
- Dedicated project lead
- Procore and Dropbox sync
Enterprise
For large teams that bid heavy volume and need a dedicated estimator.
Custom
- Unlimited projects
- SLA backed turnaround
- Custom format and templates
- Quarterly business reviews
Zero risk start. Not happy with your first deliverable? You pay nothing, full stop.
Trusted by Contractors and Developers Nationwide
Builders, developers, and subs across the United States.
ACON Engineering is great to work with. The team is hardworking, professional, and takes pride in their work. They respond quickly, communicate clearly, and keep every project moving smoothly from start to finish.
Acon Engineering is a trustworthy and professional firm. They consistently deliver on time and are excellent to work with throughout the process. Their estimates are clear, organized, and supported by detailed documentation.
It was a pleasure working with them. The team was professional, responsive, and easy to communicate with throughout the project. Their service was reliable, efficient, and delivered exactly what was promised.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Prevailing wage is the labor rate the government sets for each trade in each county. Your public bid has to pay for it, so the labor line runs higher than a private job. We price every trade to the current rate for your area.
Yes. We build each estimate to the public bid format and account for the bonding, certified payroll, and DBE goals the contract calls for. The numbers line up with what the agency expects to see.
Every estimate is taken from your drawings, priced to current local and prevailing wage rates, then checked by a senior estimator before it goes out. We also fold in the addenda, so nothing is missed when the scope changes.
We account for certified payroll in the labor pricing, so the estimate reflects the wage determinations the job will report against. That keeps your bid in line with Davis-Bacon rules.
We estimate government buildings like schools, courthouses, and fire stations, plus public infrastructure like roads, bridges, and water systems. We cover both the building and the bid paperwork.
We work with public works and general contractors, subcontractors, and the agencies behind the projects. That includes federal, state, municipal, and county bodies, along with school districts.
You get an audit-ready estimate in editable Excel, with the quantities by pay item. Most estimates are ready within 24 to 72 hours, with a rush option for tight bid deadlines.
Get Your Public Sector Estimate
A public bid lives or dies on the labor rate and the fine print. We price your job to the right prevailing wage, catch the changes that get missed, and give you a number you can submit and stand behind.
Insights
Field tested guides for builders who bid.
Long form playbooks our clients use to sharpen pricing, win more jobs, and protect margin.
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