The bidding marketMassachusetts

When bids hit the street

68% of Massachusetts bids are due on a Wednesday or Thursday, most often at 2:00 pm, about 4 weeks after the job first appears. The week, the year and the windows an estimator can plan around.

Snapshot · as of Jun 29, 2026
3,058 records
Massachusetts bid dates, 2019–2026
1 source · method

Bids due on a Wednesday or Thursday

68%

Thursday alone: 37%. Monday: 5%.

Most common due time

2:00 pm

42% of timed bids · 69% at state agencies

Posting to bid day, median

27 days

Middle half of jobs: 20–42 days

Bid dates that move

1 in 5

Usually by about a week (median push 7 days)

Put it on the calendar

Block Wednesday and Thursday afternoons. 68% of bids land on those two days, and 2:00 pm is the deadline for 42% of them.
Staff up for March–May. A typical spring month carries about 1.9× the bids of November or December; May is the peak.
Expect about 4 weeks from posting. Closer to 21 days when trades bid as prime; 36 days on invited GC bids.
Assume the date can move. At least 1 in 5 bid dates are changed by addendum, usually pushed back about a week.

01 · The week

68% of bids land on a Wednesday or Thursday

Bid day is a mid-week ritual. The share falling on Wednesday or Thursday held between 53% and 72% in every year with 100+ bid dates; Mondays and Fridays are the quiet edges, and weekend bid dates essentially never happen (2 in 3,058).

Thursday is bid day: 37% of due dates

Share of Massachusetts bid dates falling on each weekday.

Wednesday + Thursday share, year by year

70%
2019
53%
2020
68%
2021
72%
2022
67%
2023
59%
2024
67%
2025
66%
2026

n = 3,058 bid datesSource: MA public bid resultsCSV

▸ Show the numbers

Weekday	Bids	Share
Monday	146	4.8%
Tuesday	524	17.1%
Wednesday	953	31.2%
Thursday	1,119	36.6%
Friday	314	10.3%

2:00 pm is the default deadline

Share of timed bids due in each half-hour, Eastern time. 33% are due before noon.

Owner: Usual time; Before noon
City / town n=2,236: 2:00 pm (36%); 41%
State agency n=586: 2:00 pm (69%); 12%
County n=79: 1:00 pm (46%); 11%
Private owner n=62: 2:00 pm (40%); 5%
Federal n=29: 1:00 pm (41%); 10%

n = 2,992 timed bids (66 date-only left out)Source: MA public bid resultsCSV

▸ Show the numbers

Half-hour starting	Bids	Share
8:00 am	1	0.0%
8:30 am	0	0.0%
9:00 am	33	1.1%
9:30 am	7	0.2%
10:00 am	383	12.8%
10:30 am	25	0.8%
11:00 am	520	17.4%
11:30 am	28	0.9%
12:00 pm	290	9.7%
12:30 pm	9	0.3%
1:00 pm	250	8.4%
1:30 pm	18	0.6%
2:00 pm	1,262	42.2%
2:30 pm	24	0.8%
3:00 pm	94	3.1%
3:30 pm	1	0.0%
4:00 pm	33	1.1%
4:30 pm	1	0.0%

State agencies are the most regimented — 69% of their bids are due at 2:00 pm. Cities and towns spread out: 41% of municipal bids close before noon, so a morning deadline is most likely a local job.

02 · The year

Spring carries about 1.9× the bids of early winter

Bids build from February, peak in May and fall away through summer, with a smaller October bump before the December lull. Earth-retention bids follow the same shape but flatter: spring is only about 1.3× early winter, so excavation-support packages keep arriving through the rest of the year.

The busiest slots: Wednesdays and Thursdays from March to May

Each cell is one weekday-in-month's share of a typical year's bids, 2021–2025, with every year weighted equally. Those six cells alone hold 23% of the year.

Share of a typical year's bids

0%4.7%

Cell values are % of a typical year's bids. Top bars: each month above or below an average month (1.0×). Right bars: each weekday's share of the year.

n = 2,474 bid dates, 2021–2025 (earth retention: 649)Source: MA public bid resultsCSV

▸ Show the numbers

Month	vs avg month	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	ER vs avg
Jan	0.9×	0.3%	1.0%	2.6%	2.7%	0.7%	0.9×
Feb	1.0×	0.3%	1.3%	2.8%	3.1%	1.0%	1.0×
Mar	1.3×	0.2%	1.7%	3.5%	4.3%	1.4%	1.1×
Apr	1.3×	0.4%	1.4%	4.1%	3.4%	1.7%	1.0×
May	1.4×	0.7%	2.1%	4.0%	3.9%	1.4%	1.2×
Jun	1.0×	0.2%	1.1%	2.7%	3.1%	0.9%	1.1×
Jul	0.8×	0.4%	2.0%	1.5%	2.3%	0.6%	0.7×
Aug	0.8×	0.4%	1.5%	1.7%	2.5%	0.6%	0.9×
Sep	0.9×	0.3%	1.3%	1.8%	3.1%	0.9%	1.1×
Oct	1.0×	0.4%	1.9%	3.1%	2.8%	0.5%	1.2×
Nov	0.7×	0.3%	1.7%	2.3%	1.5%	0.6%	1.0×
Dec	0.7×	0.4%	1.4%	1.7%	1.8%	0.7%	0.7×

New Year's, July 4th and Christmas weeks go nearly silent

Bid volume in each week of a typical year against an average week (1.0×), 2021–2025, years weighted equally. Holiday weeks below 0.6× are marked.

n = 2,474 bid datesSource: MA public bid resultsCSV

▸ Show the numbers

ISO week	Week of (2025)	vs avg week	3-week avg
1	Dec 30	0.6×	0.5×
2	Jan 6	0.8×	0.8×
3	Jan 13	0.9×	1.0×
4	Jan 20	1.3×	1.0×
5	Jan 27	0.9×	1.1×
6	Feb 3	1.2×	1.1×
7	Feb 10	1.1×	1.1×
8	Feb 17	0.9×	1.1×
9	Feb 24	1.5×	1.2×
10	Mar 3	1.2×	1.3×
11	Mar 10	1.2×	1.2×
12	Mar 17	1.3×	1.3×
13	Mar 24	1.3×	1.2×
14	Mar 31	1.1×	1.3×
15	Apr 7	1.4×	1.3×
16	Apr 14	1.5×	1.5×
17	Apr 21	1.7×	1.5×
18	Apr 28	1.4×	1.6×
19	May 5	1.7×	1.5×
20	May 12	1.3×	1.4×
21	May 19	1.4×	1.2×
22	May 26	1.1×	1.2×
23	Jun 2	1.0×	1.1×
24	Jun 9	1.1×	1.0×
25	Jun 16	0.8×	0.9×
26	Jun 23	0.9×	0.6×
27	Jun 30	0.3×	0.8×
28	Jul 7	1.4×	0.9×
29	Jul 14	0.9×	1.0×
30	Jul 21	0.7×	0.8×
31	Jul 28	0.7×	0.7×
32	Aug 4	0.7×	0.8×
33	Aug 11	1.0×	0.8×
34	Aug 18	0.8×	0.9×
35	Aug 25	0.9×	0.9×
36	Sep 1	0.9×	0.9×
37	Sep 8	0.8×	0.9×
38	Sep 15	0.8×	0.8×
39	Sep 22	0.8×	1.0×
40	Sep 29	1.3×	0.9×
41	Oct 6	0.7×	1.0×
42	Oct 13	1.1×	1.0×
43	Oct 20	1.1×	1.0×
44	Oct 27	0.9×	0.9×
45	Nov 3	0.8×	0.8×
46	Nov 10	0.8×	0.8×
47	Nov 17	0.7×	0.7×
48	Nov 24	0.7×	0.8×
49	Dec 1	1.0×	0.9×
50	Dec 8	1.1×	0.9×
51	Dec 15	0.7×	0.6×
52	Dec 22	0.1×	0.5×

On the sample. The record over-represents late 2021 and early 2022, so raw counts exaggerate spring (×2.5). Weighting each year equally gives ×1.9; the steadier 2023–2025 years alone give ×2.0. Read the shape, not the exact multiple.

03 · How long you get

A typical job gives you about 4 weeks — fewer as a prime trade

Measured from the day a job first appears in the record to bid day. Only 5% of jobs give less than two weeks — the usual advertising minimum for Massachusetts public work — but 29% give less than three. Invited bids and state and federal owners allow the most time.

Half of jobs give 20–42 days from posting to bid

Jobs by whole weeks between posting and bid day; the last bar collects everything 12 weeks and longer.

Days from posting to bid day. Highlighted: the weeks holding the middle half of jobs.

n = 2,787 bids (271 outside 1–365 days excluded)Source: MA public bid resultsCSV

▸ Show the numbers

Days	Bids	Share
0–6	15	0.5%
7–13	128	4.6%
14–20	655	23.5%
21–27	624	22.4%
28–34	396	14.2%
35–41	259	9.3%
42–48	131	4.7%
49–55	93	3.3%
56–62	81	2.9%
63–69	34	1.2%
70–76	28	1.0%
77–83	31	1.1%
84+	312	11.2%

Invited bids give the most time: 36 days vs 21 bidding as prime

Days from posting to bid day, by how the job is bid.

MedianMiddle half of jobs10th–90th percentile

n = 2,777 bids; methods with < 10 left outSource: MA public bid results

▸ Show the numbers

Method	n	25th	Median	75th
Trade bid as prime	367	16	21	28
Open GC bid	1,727	20	27	41
Open sub bid	279	20	27	48
Invited GC (pre-qual)	317	22	36	64
Invited sub (pre-qual)	76	26	36	80
CM-at-risk to subs	11	23	42	121

Federal jobs post earliest — 86 days, vs 26 for cities

Days from posting to bid day, by owner type. Federal is a small group (n=23).

MedianMiddle half of jobs10th–90th percentile

n = 2,787 bidsSource: MA public bid results

▸ Show the numbers

Owner	n	25th	Median	75th
County	75	19	21	31
Private owner	83	13	26	77
City / town	2,052	20	26	36
State agency	554	26	35	54
Federal	23	38	86	166

Plan a bid: when will it be due?

Pick how the job is being bid and the day it posted. The window is the middle half of past Massachusetts jobs of that type.

How is it being bid?Date it posted

Windows are the middle half of past Massachusetts jobs of this type (25th–75th percentile), not a forecast for any one job.

Typical bid day

20–42 days after posting

20–42 days after posting · median 27 days

Owner’s scheduled start (often a 30- or 60-day placeholder): 30–61 days after bid day.

5% of these jobs gave less than two weeks from posting to bid day.

n = 2,787 bids with a posting and bid dateSource: MA public bid resultsCSV

Bid dates changed by addendum

19%+

596 of 3,058 bids note a new date; where the old date is given (n=419), the median push is 7 days, the middle half 6–14.

Pre-bid meeting, median lead

16 days before

44% of jobs list a pre-bid meeting; the middle half fall 13–27 days before bid day (n=1,322).

Look up a window

Posting-to-bid days by contracting method and owner, with the share of jobs that gave under two weeks and the median scheduled start after bid day.

13 of 13 rows

Posting-to-bid windows by contracting method and owner

All Massachusetts bids	All	2,787	20	27	42	5%	44
City / town	Owner	2,052	20	26	36	5%	33
Open GC bid	Contracting method	1,727	20	27	41	4%	37
Earth-retention jobs	Scope	755	21	29	48	3%	53
State agency	Owner	554	26	35	54	3%	61
Trade bid as prime	Contracting method	367	16	21	28	9%	31
Invited GC (pre-qual)	Contracting method	317	22	36	64	6%	60
Open sub bid	Contracting method	279	20	27	48	9%	60
Private owner	Owner	83	13	26	77	28%	50
Invited sub (pre-qual)	Contracting method	76	26	36	80	1%	51
County	Owner	75	19	21	31	1%	41
Federal	Owner	23	38	86	166	9%	42
CM-at-risk to subs	Contracting method	11	23	42	121	9%	63

Download CSV · groups with fewer than 10 bids are not shown

04 · After the bid

Owners schedule starts one to two months out

The median scheduled start is 44 days after bid day. But 66% of those dates sit exactly one or two months later — a placeholder, not a plan. Jobs that have actually mobilized took longer: a median of 58 days.

Two spikes, 30 and 60 days, are rule-of-thumb dates

Scheduled start, in whole weeks after bid day. Grey: dates exactly 29–32 or 59–62 days out (placeholder estimates).

Specific date
Rounded 1- or 2-month estimate

Days after bid day.

n = 3,030 bids with a scheduled start within a yearSource: MA public bid resultsCSV

▸ Show the numbers

Days after bid	Specific date	Rounded estimate	Share
0–6	32	0	1.1%
7–13	62	0	2.0%
14–20	65	0	2.1%
21–27	123	0	4.1%
28–34	92	1,036	37.2%
35–41	81	0	2.7%
42–48	87	0	2.9%
49–55	110	0	3.6%
56–62	44	972	33.5%
63–69	41	0	1.4%
70–76	52	0	1.7%
77–83	27	0	0.9%
84–90	20	0	0.7%
91–97	13	0	0.4%
98–104	13	0	0.4%
105–111	13	0	0.4%
112+	147	0	4.9%

The practical read for a shoring or foundation sub: plan crews for a start about 8 weeks after bid day, the median for jobs that went ahead, rather than the 30-day date on the listing.

05 · The pipeline

92% of the record is already past bid day

Where each record stood on the day the data was pulled. The early stages are few by count but heavy by value: 270 jobs still in concept, design or final planning carry $22.6B of estimated construction — the work that will hit the calendar next.

Few jobs are out to bid on any given day; many more are coming

Records by project stage on the pull date, with total estimated construction value.

Records
Estimated construction value

StageRecordsEst. construction value

01Conceptual
Records
148 · 4%
Value
$7.1B
02Design
Records
80 · 2%
Value
$13.6B
03Final planning
Records
42 · 1%
Value
$2B
04Out to bid
Records
17 · <1%
Value
$122.5M
05Negotiated / pre-construction
Records
37 · <1%
Value
$2.6B
06Bids opened / results
Records
1,699 · 43%
Value
$8.5B
07Awarded
Records
1,356 · 34%
Value
$10.9B
08Under construction
Records
415 · 10%
Value
$19.2B
09Occupancy
Records
177 · 4%
Value
$6.4B

n = 3,972 project records (1 in stages under 10 left out)Source: MA public bid resultsCSV

▸ Show the numbers

Stage	Records	Share	Est. value
Conceptual	148	3.7%	$7.1B
Design	80	2.0%	$13.6B
Final planning	42	1.1%	$2B
Out to bid	17	0.4%	$122.5M
Negotiated / pre-construction	37	0.9%	$2.6B
Bids opened / results	1,699	42.8%	$8.5B
Awarded	1,356	34.1%	$10.9B
Under construction	415	10.4%	$19.2B
Occupancy	177	4.5%	$6.4B

Snapshot, not conversion. This is one day’s snapshot of a sample built mostly from past bids, so late stages dominate. It says where the record sits, not what share of designed jobs reach bid or construction. Values are listed estimates for whole projects.

Where these numbers come from

Method, sources & caveats

Every bid date in ESC’s Massachusetts public-bid records (3,058 of 3,972 project records carry one). Weekday and time come from the bid-date timestamp in Eastern time. Seasonal figures weight each year from 2021–2025 equally so no single year dominates. Windows are days between calendar dates; percentiles are reported rather than averages because the tails are long.

Only counts and percentiles are published. No project, owner, bidder or document is named, and any group with fewer than 10 bids is left out.

Massachusetts only. Public project records in ESC's database, pulled 2026-06-26…29. The pull favoured jobs with site, foundation and earth-work scope, so it is a large sample of the public-bid market, not a census.
Years are uneven (2022 alone is 1,160 of 3,058 bid dates). Seasonality uses the full years 2021–2025 and weights each year equally, so one busy year cannot set the pattern. Nothing here is a year-over-year market trend.
Due times are the bid-date timestamps converted from UTC to Eastern time (daylight saving applied). Records stamped at midnight carry a date but no time and are left out of the due-time chart only.
“Posting” is the date the project record was first created — a proxy for when a job is first advertised. Records created at the planning stage show long windows; windows under 1 day or over 365 days are excluded as record artefacts.
Construction start is the listed scheduled or estimated start. About two-thirds sit exactly 29–32 or 59–62 days after bid day — a rule-of-thumb estimate, not an observed mobilization. The chart flags those; jobs already under construction are shown separately.
Earth-retention jobs are records a language-model classifier flagged as needing excavation support, shoring, underpinning or retaining walls from the project description; expect some misclassification.
Bid-date changes are counted from the free-text bid notes (“bid date changed/extended/postponed…”), so the share is a floor: not every addendum is noted.
The stage funnel is a snapshot of each record's status on the pull date across all records; it shows where the sample sits, not conversion rates.

Groups with fewer than 10 records are suppressed so no single project or firm can be singled out.

Data as of: Jun 29, 2026
Generated: Sep 11, 2026
Records: 3,058
Refresh: Frozen snapshot

Massachusetts public bid results and project recordsPublic recordCounts and percentiles only; no project, owner or bidder records are published.

Published by Earth Support Corp as a public resource. Regional statistics for planning and curiosity. They are not an engineering report, a bid recommendation or a statement about any particular site, firm or project. Spot an error? Tell us and we will correct it. Full method: methodology.