Procurement

What to include in an RFP for glazing work

A glazing RFP should state the system type, elevations and opening schedule, required assembly performance (U-factor, SHGC, air and water infiltration, structural design pressure), glass makeup, finish, hardware schedule, access and site constraints, schedule milestones and testing requirements. Missing performance criteria and access constraints are the two omissions that make bids non-comparable.

What information does a glazing contractor need to price a commercial scope? For GCs, owners' reps and facility managers issuing a bid package.

The package that produces comparable numbers

Most bid spread on glazing scopes is not competitive pricing — it is different assumptions. Bidders fill gaps with their own defaults, and the cheapest number is usually the one that assumed the least. The fix is to remove the gaps.

Drawings and elevations: Marked elevations, an opening or window schedule with sizes, and details at head, jamb, sill and any transition condition.
System type and basis of design: Storefront, stick-built curtain wall or unitized, with a named basis-of-design system and whether equals are acceptable.
Performance criteria: Assembly U-factor, SHGC, visible light transmittance, air infiltration, water penetration resistance, structural design pressure and, where relevant, frame condensation resistance and acoustic rating.
Glass makeup: Thickness, insulating configuration, low-E type and surface, tempering and laminating requirements, spacer type and any safety-glazing locations.
Finish: Anodized or painted, class or specification, color, and whether a finish match to existing work is required.
Hardware schedule: Every door opening with closer, exit device, operator, lockset, threshold, weatherstripping and access-control interface listed by opening.

The constraints that move price more than the glass

On remediation and retrofit scopes, the cost drivers are usually access and sequencing rather than materials. Stating them makes bids honest.

Access: Swing stage, lift, scaffold or crane; roof rigging capacity; street or lane closure permitting; and who supplies each.
Occupancy and working hours: Occupied building, night or weekend restrictions, noise windows, tenant notification requirements.
Sequencing: Bay-by-bay, floor-by-floor or full elevation; whether temporary closure is required at the end of each shift.
Staging and hoisting: Laydown area, hoist availability, elevator use and delivery restrictions.
Existing conditions: Known substrate condition, prior repairs, hazardous material survey status and whether a field survey is permitted before bid.

Schedule, submittals and testing

Glazing lead times are driven by shop drawing approval and glass fabrication, and both sit ahead of any field work. An RFP that names milestone dates without an approval turnaround expectation is asking for a schedule that cannot be held.

Milestones: Submittal due, approval turnaround, fabrication release, delivery, mobilization, substantial completion.
Submittals: Shop drawings, structural calculations where required, finish samples, glass and sealant product data, and warranty forms.
Testing: Mockup requirements, field water testing standard and frequency, sealant adhesion testing, and who pays for retesting.
Warranty: Separate expectations for glass, finish, sealant and installation workmanship — they are not the same duration.

A short pre-bid checklist

If the package answers these, the bids will be comparable: What system? What performance numbers? Which openings, at what sizes? What hardware, opening by opening? How does the crew reach the work? When does each milestone land? Who tests, and against what standard?

What is the most commonly missing item in a glazing RFP?

Access. On retrofit and remediation work, rigging and equipment often exceed material cost, and a package that does not state the access method invites two bidders to price two entirely different jobs.

Should the RFP name a specific manufacturer?

Naming a basis-of-design system with an 'or approved equal' clause is usually the most productive approach — it sets the performance and sightline expectation while leaving room for availability and lead-time realities.

Is a field survey needed before bidding a retrofit?

For anything beyond a straightforward like-for-like replacement, yes. Existing openings rarely match the original drawings, and survey access before bid is the cheapest way to avoid change orders after award.

Where this applies