Estimate Scenarios
An Estimate Scenario is a what-if analysis built on top of an existing estimate. It lets the team substitute specific modules, suppliers, or cost assumptions without modifying the base estimate, then compare the resulting cost impact alongside the baseline.
Scenario Types
Section titled “Scenario Types”| Type | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Bid Leveling | Scenario used during bid comparison (tied to a bid package) |
| Value Engineering | Cost-reduction or alternative-method analysis |
| Supplier Substitution | Replace a supplier in the cost model |
| Design Alternate | Evaluate a design alternative |
| Self-Perform vs. Subcontract | Compare self-perform vs. subcontract cost |
Scenario Lifecycle
Section titled “Scenario Lifecycle”Open scenarios under Bid Leveling in the estimation workspace. Supplier alternatives must be approved for scenario use before becoming linked substitutions.
- Draft — define substitutions.
- Generated — a copy of the base estimate has been created and linked to the scenario.
- Recommended / Rejected — record the recommendation or rejection with scope and risk explanations.
Current limitation: generation copies the base lines without applying substitutions to that copy. Comparison uses recorded substitution costs; it is not a recalculation of an already-substituted estimate. Inspect and edit the generated revision before using it for a decision.
Under review and Approved also exist as statuses, but should not be treated as dedicated action steps in this flow. Recommending or approving a scenario does not approve the estimate or create a Cost Control baseline.
Substitutions
Section titled “Substitutions”A scenario is built from one or more substitutions. Each substitution replaces a single estimation module with an alternative:
| Field | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Replacement Module | The catalog module you propose to use |
| Supplier | Optional supplier for the replacement |
| Replacement Type | How the replacement was sourced (contractor alternative, existing module, new project module, price only, scope adjustment) |
| Cost Delta | Automatically computed: replacement cost minus original cost |
| Scope Delta Summary | Human description of scope differences |
| Risk Delta Summary | Human description of risk differences |
Comparison
Section titled “Comparison”Comparison computes these amounts from base cost and the recorded substitution costs:
- Base estimate total — total of the base estimation
- Scenario estimate total — base total minus original costs plus replacement costs
- Delta amount and percent — the net change
Comparisons for a bid package can be retrieved in bulk, enabling side-by-side evaluation of multiple scenario alternatives.
Original and replacement costs are recorded when the substitution is added. Later price changes do not update those values on their own. Inspect their assumptions, quantities, and scope before treating a difference as a saving.
Relationship to Bid Management
Section titled “Relationship to Bid Management”Estimate scenarios are an optional analysis layer. They are not required for bid management — bid packages can be issued and leveling can proceed with or without scenarios. Scenarios add rigor when the team wants to formalize what-if evaluations and track which alternatives were considered before award decisions.