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contractor-bid (open source)

contractor-bid is the free, open-source engine the suite is built on: a local-first Python CLI and MCP server that turns a folder of bid documents into an organized, AI-ready workspace. It is MIT licensed and runs entirely on your machine.

Terminal window
pipx install "contractor-bid[mcp]"

What it does

Section titled “What it does”
  • Profile-based scope rules for CSI divisions and specific trades
  • PDF triage: finds scope and spec pages and pulls them into page packets
  • Takeoff workbook (.xlsx) generation from your measurement JSON
  • Scope validation and source-backed alerts
  • Supplier and internal-review sendoff packaging
  • An MCP server so Claude Code, Codex, or Cursor can drive it

Where its docs live

Section titled “Where its docs live”

The engine keeps its own full documentation site, maintained alongside the code:

contractorkeith.github.io/contractor-bid

Head there for install details, the quickstart, the first-bid walkthrough, command reference, CSI division starters, MCP setup, and troubleshooting. These suite docs will not duplicate it.

How it relates to the paid products

Section titled “How it relates to the paid products”

Contractor Takeoff runs this engine’s logic behind a hosted team workspace. If you want to see how the suite thinks before joining the pilot, install the engine and run a real bid folder through it. That is the point of keeping it free: you can verify how it works, on your own machine, before trusting anything hosted.