Three places to check
ESBD for $25k+, Bonfire for online bids, CMBL emails that only fire if your commodity codes are perfect.
Texas contractors · TDCJ & ESBD focused
TDCJ bid opportunities,
matched to your trade.
ESBD is a haystack. Bonfire is another tab. UnitBid is the desk that watches TDCJ solicitations, scores them for your yard, and keeps deadlines where you actually see them — HVAC to fencing, electrical to food service, and every trade in between.
- All trades welcome
- Public data only
- Not affiliated with TDCJ
Built around the sources contractors already juggle
ESBD (Agency 696)
TDCJ Bonfire / Euna
Public award postings
Unit-level geography
The system isn’t broken. It’s fragmented.
Generic statewide noise
Big bid boards drown TDCJ unit work in every other Texas agency. You don’t need more lists — you need a filter that knows your trades.
Deadlines slip
Addenda, due times, and “closing this week” work dies in inboxes. One miss burns an estimate week.
How UnitBid works
From public posting → bid / no-bid in minutes
-
1
Tell us your yard
Trades, service regions or preferred units, job size range, HUB/bonding notes. Takes a few minutes.
-
2
We watch TDCJ for you
Solicitations are pulled from public TDCJ / ESBD sources, cleaned up, and tagged by trade and unit when possible.
-
3
Get scored matches + deadlines
Fit scores, due-date desk, optional SMS on close approaches, and a simple pipeline so your team knows what’s in play.
-
4
You bid on the source
Every card links back to the official posting. UnitBid is your radar and desk — not a bid broker.
All trades
If TDCJ buys it, we want you to see it
Founding product covers every trade category — not a single niche wedge.
- HVAC & mechanical
- Electrical
- Plumbing
- General construction
- Roofing & envelope
- Fencing & gates
- Low voltage / security
- Food service equipment
- Kitchen & laundry
- Medical & dental supply
- Janitorial & chemicals
- Fleet & grounds
- IT & telecom
- Furniture & fixtures
- Professional services
- Your specialty → tell us
Why this isn’t “just alerts”
A desk you keep open all year
Smart match
Profile-based fit scoring so a statewide office-supply buy doesn’t wake up your HVAC crew.
Deadline desk
Closing-soon views, reminders, and addenda/status change watches when the source updates.
Bid pipeline
New → reviewing → bidding → submitted → won/lost. Notes and checklists for CMBL, HUB HSP, site walks.
Unit-aware
Built around TDCJ unit geography — not a generic “State of Texas” firehose.
Official links only
We surface public opportunities and send you to the source of truth to respond.
Playbooks included
CMBL/HUB quick-start and first-bid checklists so new public bidders aren’t guessing alone.
Founding pricing
Lock contractor rates before public launch
Billing opens after the app ships. Founding members get locked-in pricing and priority onboarding. No charge to join the list.
Scout
$49/mo
or $470/yr
- 1 user
- TDCJ-focused radar
- Trade & region filters
- Daily email digest
- Basic fit scores
Most popular
Desk
$99/mo
or $950/yr
- Everything in Scout
- SMS on urgent closes
- Addenda / status watch
- Bid pipeline + calendar
- 2 seats
Yard
$199/mo
or $1,990/yr
- Everything in Desk
- 5 seats
- Doc scope summaries
- Award pattern briefs
- Priority onboarding
Prices shown are founding targets and may be confirmed at billing launch. Cancel anytime once subscribed — no annual lock unless you choose annual.
Founding access
Get early access. Help shape the desk.
We’re onboarding Texas contractors across all trades while the product is built. Join the founding list for launch notice, locked pricing, and a short profile survey so your trades are first-class on day one.
- No payment required to join the list
- Founding rate reserved for early members
- Built in Texas, for yards that work unit jobs
FAQ
Is UnitBid affiliated with TDCJ?
No. UnitBid is an independent tool for contractors. We use public procurement information and always point you back to official sources to respond.
Do you submit bids for me?
No. You (or your estimator) submit through the official channel. We help you find, prioritize, and track opportunities.
Is this only for one trade?
No. All trades are in scope from day one — mechanical, electrical, GC, supply, services, and specialty categories TDCJ purchases.
How is this different from free ESBD or CMBL email?
Those are necessary and free. UnitBid adds trade/region matching, fit scoring, deadline management, pipeline, and TDCJ-unit focus so you’re not manually hunting every morning.
When do you charge?
Not while you’re only on the founding list. Billing starts when the product is ready and you choose a plan. Stripe checkout will be offered at launch.
Can out-of-area contractors join?
Yes — if you can legally perform work for TDCJ locations you select. Many vendors serve multiple regions statewide.