What should each review pass find?
Keep the passes separate so a clean arithmetic check does not hide a scope omission.
| Pass | Check | Typical exception |
|---|---|---|
| Documents | Current drawings, specs and addenda | Superseded schedule used |
| Quantities | Counts and routes across sources | Feeder measured twice |
| Scope | Supply, install, test and handover | Vendor startup excluded |
| Commercial | Rates, quotes, allowances and totals | Quote exclusion not carried |
| Submission | Bid forms and qualifications | Assumption missing from offer |
How should topology be checked?
Trace the electrical path through the actual single line diagram. Uptime Institute's Tier Standard compares topology against capacity and distribution-path criteria, while TIA-942 covers data center infrastructure topics including power. Neither gives the estimator permission to infer an unshown project topology.
Sources: Telecommunications Industry Association: TIA-942 Telecommunications Infrastructure Standard for Data Centers, Uptime Institute: Tier Standard: Topology
What does final sign-off mean?
Final sign-off confirms that authorized reviewers accept the estimate basis and bid position. Engineering sign-off is performed only by the registered engineer responsible for the job.
Common questions
What else should the bid team know?
Should reviewers remeasure everything?
Use risk-based sampling plus full checks on high-value, repeated and topology-critical systems. The customer's review policy decides the depth.
How are vendor quotes checked?
Compare each quote with the requested package, identify exclusions and normalize only with approved adjustments.
What happens after an addendum?
Identify affected documents and reopen quantities, scope rows, quotes and qualifications linked to them.
Primary sources
- MasterFormat 2026Construction Specifications Institute
- NFPA 70, National Electrical CodeNational Fire Protection Association
- TIA-942 Telecommunications Infrastructure Standard for Data CentersTelecommunications Industry Association
- Tier Standard: TopologyUptime Institute