Introducing Riffle Early Access: A Smarter Way to Manage ITBs and Bids
Riffle Early Access brings order to subcontractor bidding with smarter ITB management, clear ownership, bid tracking, and real performance insight.
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Introducing Riffle Early Access: A Smarter Way to Manage ITBs and Bids
If you’re a subcontractor, bid invites don’t arrive neatly organized.
They show up across inboxes. They get forwarded. They pile up.
And somewhere between tracking deadlines, assigning owners, and figuring out who’s actually bidding what, opportunities slip through the cracks.
That’s the problem Riffle was built to solve.
Today, we’re opening Early Access to the next phase of Riffle: designed specifically around how subcontractors actually work.
The Problem: Bidding Is Still Too Manual
Most subs aren’t losing bids because they lack skill or pricing discipline. They’re losing time.
- ITBs arrive constantly… many irrelevant, many duplicates
- Teams waste hours sorting, forwarding, and clarifying ownership
- Bid status lives in spreadsheets, inboxes, or someone’s head
- Leadership has no clean view of win rate or bid value
The result? Missed deadlines, misalignment, and reactive bidding.
The Why: Bidding Should Feel Controlled, Not Chaotic
Riffle Early Access is about bringing order to the front end of your bid process before estimating even begins.
“Subcontractors don’t need more software. They need fewer places to look and fewer things to remember,”
— Dan Olson, CEO, RiffleCM
Instead of managing ITBs, ownership, and bid status in separate tools, Riffle brings it together in one system built for real subcontracting workflows.
Built AI-Native for Real-Time Pipeline Visibility
Riffle is built as an AI-native platform, not a traditional system with automation layered on later. From the moment bid invites arrive, Riffle uses AI to identify relevant ITBs, organize opportunities, and surface what matters most, without manual sorting or spreadsheet cleanup.
That’s what makes it possible for teams to get a clear, accurate view of their bid pipeline in minutes, not hours. Instead of hunting for information, subcontractors can see what’s in play, who owns it, and where to focus... fast.
What’s New in Early Access
In addition to automatically identifying and adding your team’s ITBs, Riffle now includes:
Smarter ITB Management
- Accept or decline ITBs in bulk to save time
- Labels in your personal Gmail or Outlook inbox that clearly flag what Riffle has found and added for you
- Option to filter or hide projects you don’t want to see
Clear Ownership & Team Alignment
- Assign a project owner (lead) and unlimited contributors
- Automatically notify team members when they’re added or removed
- Quickly find projects where you’re an owner or contributor
Bid Tracking Built for Subcontractors
- A bid board designed around common subcontracting workflows
- Track bid status, deadlines, and outcomes in one place
- Customize the board to match how your organization works
Flexible Views for Different Roles
- List view for checklist-driven estimators
- Board view for project-management-style workflows
- Personalized filters you can save and reuse
Real Visibility Into Performance
- Win rate tracking across accepted opportunities
- Submission value metrics to understand where effort is going
- Filter by office location if you operate across multiple branches
- Find projects tied to specific general contractors
“Our first users told us they want clarity: What are we bidding? Who owns it? And how are we actually performing?”
— Jen Gadus, Chief Product Officer, RiffleCM
Who Early Access Is For
Riffle Early Access is ideal for:
- Subcontractors overwhelmed by ITBs
- Teams juggling bids across multiple offices
- Estimators tired of inbox-driven workflows
- Owners who want visibility without micromanaging
Get Early Access
Early Access is limited and designed for teams who want to help shape where Riffle goes next.
See fewer distractions, clearer ownership, and a bid process that finally works the way subcontractors do.
Eliminating Manual Errors in Construction Bids
Common questions about reducing errors and improving accuracy
What causes most manual errors in subcontractor bids?
Manual errors usually come from disconnected workflows — things like outdated spreadsheets, inconsistent templates, or rekeying the same data multiple times. When project info lives across emails, texts, and PDFs, small mistakes add up fast.
How can software help reduce bidding mistakes?
Purpose-built estimating software automates repetitive tasks like data entry, quantity takeoffs, and revision tracking. Instead of chasing down the latest drawings or retyping costs, your team works from one centralized, accurate system — cutting errors before they happen.
Is automation complicated to set up for small subcontractors?
Not with modern tools like Riffle. You can connect your email or ITB inbox in minutes, and automation starts working behind the scenes — identifying bid invites, tracking updates, and helping you prioritize the right opportunities. No IT department required.
How much time can automation actually save?
Most subcontractors save 6–10 hours per week just by eliminating manual re-entry and version confusion. That’s more time for estimating the next job, reviewing margins, or simply getting home on time.
Does automating bids mean losing control over pricing?
Not at all. Automation handles the busywork — you keep full control over pricing, scope, and judgment calls. Think of it as an assistant that gets the numbers right so you can focus on strategy.
How do I know if my team is underspending or overspending on software?
A good rule of thumb: most subcontractors invest 1–3% of annual revenue in digital tools. If you’re still running bids manually or using outdated systems, the real cost might be hidden in lost time and missed opportunities.
Why does accuracy matter so much in bidding?
Every error compounds — one missed line item or miscalculated rate can erase your entire profit margin. Accuracy doesn’t just win jobs; it protects your business from losses you don’t see coming.
How does Riffle help subcontractors eliminate manual work?
Riffle automates your bidding and project workflows from start to finish. It finds ITBs in your inbox, organizes bid invites, fills in estimating data, and tracks updates — helping subcontractors bid smarter, reduce errors, and grow revenue.
We Understand the Bottlenecks for Subs
My biggest weakness has always been follow-ups—I’m just not great at it. If I had a built-in reminder feature to follow up on projects automatically, that would be a game-changer. I’ve gotten better, but I could still use that extra nudge.
Quoting can be chaotic. You have five different contractors sending out the same bid invite, each named differently. We end up with duplicate bids on the board or miss one entirely because it was labeled another way. There is no clear procedure when invites come in from multiple people.
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