# How to research state and local contract pricing before you bid

Use G2X SLED to find relevant work, then read the buyer's bid records in context. A real municipal cleaning contract shows what a price comparison needs.

Canonical article: https://g2x.com/blog/research-state-local-contract-pricing

Complete article, source links and data tables: https://g2x.com/blog/research-state-local-contract-pricing/article.md

The article is public. Linked G2X tools and records retain their account and plan requirements.

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## For agents

Research comparable state and local bid prices in their original scope and period before preparing a new estimate.

- The user's target market or requirement and authorized company evidence.

- A G2X account for the supported free manual research path; separately authorized Lumen access for the suggested document-analysis prompt.

1. **Define the comparison** Ask for the new requirement or service, delivery geography and the estimating question. Identify which scope, quantity, schedule and contract-period facts are known. Do not assume state or local buyers follow the federal fiscal calendar. [Open in G2X](https://g2x.com/app/opportunities/sled)

2. **Find relevant work in G2X SLED** Use service keywords and relevant State or Jurisdiction Type filters. Read candidate records and their available documents, preserving actual G2X and original buyer URLs. Follow the original source to related historical records. Do not claim comprehensive pricing coverage or invent a G2X record for the article's Lynchburg example. [Open in G2X](https://g2x.com/docs/find-work/find-state-and-local-work)

3. **Read the original pricing package** Collect the solicitation, addenda, bid tabulation and available award notice from the buyer. Record bidder identity, line item, currency, pricing unit, quantity, term and service conditions. Distinguish preliminary information, submitted prices, award decisions and payments. Check arithmetic with decimal calculations; do not treat optional renewals as committed spending or infer contractor margins. The historical example source is https://www.lynchburgva.gov/bids.aspx?bidID=203. [Open in G2X](https://g2x.com/docs/find-work/find-state-and-local-work)

4. **Compare documents with Lumen** With authorized Lumen access, upload approved historical documents and the new requirement, then confirm availability. Suggested prompt: Explain what these bid prices cover. Reconcile their units and periods, cite service frequencies and exclusions, and compare the scope with our new requirement. Identify differences that need an estimator's judgment. Do not invent missing prices or recommend copying a competitor's bid. Follow up: What additional scope or cost facts do we need before pricing? Reading the same source documents manually is the free path. [Open in G2X](https://g2x.com/docs/lumen/ask-lumen)

5. **Return the estimating questions** Return a cited comparison with exact dates, amounts, units, source status and reasons each historical price is or is not useful. Identify missing documents and proposed estimating or buyer-clarification questions. Propose a CRM next action for the account; save only on instruction and verify. Do not claim SLED Watch or Add to pipeline support, contact bidders or submit a price without authorization. [Open in G2X](https://g2x.com/docs/run-a-pipeline/track-an-account)

Expected result: A sourced historical-price comparison with scope differences and the questions an estimator must resolve for the new bid.

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