What You Need to Know About Tennessee Bid Bonds

You have a great construction business and are ready to prove it by bidding on some new projects in Tennessee. However, bidding on government projects can be risky because you might not get your money back if you lose the bid. A bid bond is a cash deposit that ensures the project owners won't be left with anything if they lose the bid. Read on to learn more about how Tennessee bid bonds work and why they are essential when bidding on contracts with government agencies or third parties. Suppose you want to bid on something in Tennessee, perhaps at their Department of Public Works or another local agency. In that case, there might be additional requirements to access those opportunities. These could include requiring a surety bond or proof of insurance for various risks like liability or workers' compensation. While these things might feel like hoops you have to jump through before getting started, they are in place for good reason and will protect the entity from financial risk from contractors who don't think about these things ahead of time.

What is a Bid Bond in Tennessee?

A bid bond is an amount of money a contractor agrees to pay to an owner of a project. The purpose of a bid bond is to secure the bid price and ensure that the contractor is serious about the project. The bid bond is refundable upon completion of the project. Bid bonds are commonly required on public works projects and are one of the ways that governments ensure fair bidding. Bid bonds are used to ensure that public projects are awarded to contractors with the financial stability to complete the project. Most often, these types of bonds are required for government projects, although contractors on private projects may need to provide a bid bond.

Why Do You Need a Bid Bond in Tennessee?

With an adequate bid bond, the owners of the projects are guaranteed to get the money for their projects even if they don't win. If you win the project, the bond will be released to you as the contractor. They get the money out of the bond if you don't win the project. Because of this risk to the project owners, they may require the bond to be at a higher amount than the bid price to protect themselves. Bid bonds are a type of performance and payment bond that guarantee that if you win the project, you will complete it according to the terms of the contract and that you will be paid for it. Bid bonds are considered the most effective way for contractors to protect themselves from non-payment in the bidding process.

How to Get a Bid Bond in Tennessee?

The first step before you worry about what type of bond you need is to get your contractor's license. You must apply for a general contractor's right to bid on most projects in Tennessee. You can apply online and pay the fee of $100. You will then need to submit your application with your contractor's bond. If you are a sub-contractor, you will also need a license, but you only need to submit a bond for your work. If you are bidding on a project you are sure you will win, you will need to get the glue before submitting your bid. If bidding on less specific tasks, you can submit your request with a certified letter of credit as a bond. Once you have won the project, you need to get the bond issued and posted with the government agency managing the project.

What is a Performance & Payment Bonds in Tennessee?

A performance and payment bond is a type of commercial surety bond that protects the general contractor on a project from non-payment. These bonds are required by the project owner, like a government agency or a contractor managing a project, to ensure that they will be paid for the project. Performance and payment bonds are required in all government projects since bonding is not required. If you work as a subcontractor on a project that a general contractor manages, you will need to get a performance and payment bond.

Other Types of Bonds Being Asked for in Tennessee 

In addition to a bid bond and a performance and payment bond, the project owners or government agencies may require other types of bonds. These could be surety bonds for insurance or a surety bond for paying taxes. You may also need a payment bond if you have a lien against your property. It would help if you were prepared to produce the necessary documentation for whatever bonding requirements the government project owners or private clients have before you submit your bid.

Final Thoughts

Bid bonds are a critical aspect of the bidding process, but they aren't something most contractors think about until they are in the middle of a project. If you are bidding on government or large private sector projects, make sure you know how bid bonds work and what type of documentation you need to get them. This will make your life easier during the bidding process and will also protect you from losing out on a project if you don't have the cash available to pay a bid bond if you lose.