Prompt Chain: Build a Complete Bid Package in 4 Steps

What This Builds

Instead of writing each bid document separately from scratch, you'll use a 4-step prompt chain where each step builds on the previous output. Start with the project scope, run it through 4 targeted prompts in sequence, and end up with a complete bid package: scope analysis, sub scope letters, bid cover letter, and PM handoff memo, all consistent with each other and ready to use. What usually takes 3-4 hours of writing gets done in 45-60 minutes.

Prerequisites

• Claude Pro subscription ({{tool:Claude.price}}, for long document handling)
• Project invitation-to-bid document or scope description
• Basic list of subcontractor trades you're soliciting

The Concept

A prompt chain is a series of prompts where each one uses the output of the previous as its starting point. Think of it like an assembly line for writing: raw input goes in one end, finished documents come out the other.

In this chain:

• Step 1: Extract and organize the scope from the bid documents
• Step 2: Generate scope letters for each subcontractor trade
• Step 3: Write the bid cover letter using the organized scope
• Step 4: Write the PM handoff memo capturing all key decisions

Each step's output feeds the next, so everything stays consistent. The sub scope letters and the cover letter reference the same inclusions/exclusions, and the PM handoff captures everything that was decided in Steps 2-3.

Build It Step by Step

Part 1: Prepare Your Starting Materials

Gather these items before starting the chain:

• The invitation to bid or project description (key scope items)
• List of trades you're soliciting (e.g., concrete, steel, MEP, drywall, flooring, roofing)
• Any known scope decisions already made (e.g., "we're self-performing concrete")
• Bid deadline and submission requirements

You can have Claude read an uploaded PDF, or you can paste the key information as text. Both work.

Part 2: Step 1 - Scope Analysis and Organization

What this does: Takes the raw project description and organizes it into a clean scope breakdown by trade.

Open a new Claude conversation and paste this prompt (customize the project details):

You are helping me prepare a bid package for a construction project. Here are the project details:

[Project Name]: [name]
[Project Type]: [office building / hospital / warehouse / etc.]
[Project Size]: [SF and number of stories]
[Key Scope]: [paste project description or key scope items from the ITB]
[Known Inclusions]: [anything we've confirmed is in our scope]
[Known Exclusions]: [anything we've confirmed is out of our scope]
[Trades we're soliciting bids from]: [list trades]

Step 1: Organize this into a clean scope breakdown. For each trade, list:
- What's included in their scope
- What's excluded from their scope
- Which spec sections they should reference
- Any project-specific conditions they need to know

Format this as a structured table I can reference in the next steps.

What you should see: A clean table with each trade, their scope, exclusions, and spec sections. Read it carefully. This is the foundation for everything else in the chain. Correct anything that's wrong before proceeding.

Part 3: Step 2 - Generate All Sub Scope Letters

What this does: Uses the scope table from Step 1 to write professional scope letters for each trade in one shot.

In the same conversation (important: Claude needs to see Step 1's output), paste:

Now write a scope solicitation letter for each trade in the table above. For each trade:
1. Professional greeting addressed to "[Trade] Subcontractor"
2. Project name and brief description
3. Scope of work (from the table above)
4. Inclusions and exclusions as numbered bullets
5. Relevant spec sections to review
6. Bid deadline: [date and time]
7. Submission instructions: [email/portal/format requirements]

Write all [number] letters in sequence. I'll copy each one separately.

What you should see: A series of complete scope letters, one per trade, all consistent with each other and with the scope table from Step 1.

Part 4: Step 3 - Write the Bid Cover Letter

What this does: Uses the organized scope and your firm's qualifications to write a bid cover letter that matches what you're actually bidding.

In the same conversation, paste:

Now write a bid cover letter for this project submission. Use:
- The scope organization from Step 1 as the basis for the scope description
- Our firm: [Company Name], a [type of contractor] based in [location] with [X] years of [project type] experience
- Our relevant qualifications: [list 2-3 specific qualifications or past projects]
- Key assumptions from the scope table: [call out 2-3 major assumptions worth highlighting]
- Major exclusions from the scope table: [call out 2-3 important exclusions]

Tone: Professional and confident. 3-4 paragraphs. No filler phrases.

What you should see: A cover letter that accurately reflects the scope, uses the same inclusions/exclusions as your scope letters (because it's based on the same Step 1 output), and is ready to review and submit.

Part 5: Step 4 - Write the PM Handoff Memo

What this does: Captures everything decided in the chain into a PM handoff memo, so nothing gets lost between bid day and project kick-off.

In the same conversation, paste:

Finally, write a PM scope handoff memo using all the decisions made in this conversation. Include:
- Budget basis: [total bid amount and major assumptions]
- Scope boundaries: inclusions and exclusions from the scope table
- Trade-by-trade notes: any notable scope decisions, sub coverage, or gaps
- Known risks: [list any you want to flag]
- Bid-day decisions: [any scope clarifications or last-minute changes]

Format as a formal internal memo: To: Project Manager Team / From: Estimating / Date: [today] / Project: [project name]

What you should see: A comprehensive PM handoff memo that captures everything from the bid process, all in one place, consistent with all the other documents produced in this chain.

Real Example: Healthcare Renovation Bid

Input:

• Project: Northside Hospital, 3rd Floor Nursing Unit Renovation, 18,500 SF
• Occupied facility, phased work, infection control required
• Soliciting: concrete, framing/drywall, flooring, ceiling, painting, MEP

Step 1 output: Clean scope table with ICRA requirements noted for every trade, after-hours work conditions, and phasing requirements called out in each scope.

Step 2 output: 6 scope letters, each tailored to the trade but all referencing the same ICRA, phasing, and after-hours requirements consistently.

Step 3 output: Cover letter highlighting our healthcare experience, referencing ICRA compliance and occupied-facility expertise, with the same key exclusions as the scope letters.

Step 4 output: PM handoff memo that captures the ICRA scope split (who's responsible for ICRA barriers), after-hours cost assumptions in the budget, and the phased sequencing plan discussed on bid day.

Time saved: What would normally be 3 hours of separate document writing → 45 minutes of prompt chain execution and review.

What to Do When It Breaks

• Step 1 scope table has errors → Fix them before proceeding to Step 2. Everything downstream inherits Step 1's mistakes. It's faster to fix the table than to correct 6 scope letters.
• Scope letters are too generic → In Step 2, add "Include project-specific conditions for [trade], notably [specific condition]" to get more tailored output.
• Cover letter doesn't match scope letters → You likely ran Step 3 in a new conversation instead of the same one. Always stay in the same conversation so Claude has context from all previous steps.
• PM handoff memo misses something important → Add it explicitly in Step 4: "Also note that [specific item] was verbally agreed with the owner on [date] but is not in the written scope."

Variations

• Simpler version: Run just Steps 1 and 2 (scope organization + scope letters) and write the cover letter manually. Still saves significant time.
• Extended version: Add a Step 0 where Claude reviews an uploaded project manual PDF and extracts the key scope information automatically, feeding it into Step 1.

What to Do Next

• This week: Run the 4-step chain on your next active bid, even if you still write some documents manually. Compare the time and quality
• This month: Refine your Step 1 scope table template so it captures everything you need downstream
• Advanced: Build a Custom GPT (see Level 4 Custom GPT guide) that has this chain built into its instructions, so you just describe the project and it runs through all 4 steps automatically

Advanced guide for construction cost estimator professionals. These techniques use more sophisticated AI features that may require paid subscriptions.