# How to Trace Bid Leveling Results to the Source Proposal

> Every number on a leveled bid tab should trace to the exact place in the subcontractor's proposal. How estimators verify AI-extracted bids before award.

- URL: https://consight.ai/articles/trace-bid-leveling-results-to-source
- Published: 2026-10-06
- Topic: [Bid Leveling](https://consight.ai/articles/topics/bid-leveling)
- Author: Chris Toubia

**Short answer:** Every number on a leveled bid tab should link back to the exact place it came from in the subcontractor’s proposal. In Consight, each extracted price, inclusion, exclusion and qualification is tied to its source, and View in Bid jumps to the spot in the proposal where it appears. Estimators verify a match in seconds, correct it if needed, and award knowing where every number came from.

## Key takeaways

- A bid tab nobody can trace is a bid tab nobody can defend.
- AI extraction is only trustworthy when every result links to its source text.
- Check high-value lines and exclusions against the source before you award.

## Why does traceability matter in bid leveling?

When an estimator retypes a proposal into a spreadsheet, the link between the number and the page it came from is lost. Weeks later, during buyout or a change order dispute, nobody can say whether a subcontractor excluded controls or whether someone missed a line. Traceability keeps that evidence attached to the number.

It matters even more with AI. Software that reads proposals will occasionally misread one. If every result shows its source, an estimator can verify it in seconds. If it doesn’t, the team either trusts it blindly or rereads every proposal, which defeats the purpose.

## How do you trace a leveled number back to the proposal in Consight?

1. Open the scope sheet for the bid package. Each bidder has a column and each scope item a row.
2. Pick the cell you want to check, such as a price, an exclusion or an alternate.
3. Use View in Bid to jump to the exact spot in the proposal the value came from.
4. If the match is right, give it a thumbs up. If not, move it to the right scope item, tab or package, or add a plug.
5. Before you soft award, do a final pass on high-value lines and every exclusion.

![A leveled line in Consight linked to the matching text in the subcontractor proposal](https://consight.ai/_astro/line-item-source.D1ppSC-9.png)

## What should you verify against the source before award?

- The base bid and any breakouts, exactly as written on the proposal.
- Every exclusion and qualification, and the scope line it affects.
- Alternates and allowances, kept separate from the base bid.
- Items Consight was not sure about, waiting in the Suggested Items tray.
- The gap between Base Bid and Leveled Price, which shows what you added or fixed.

Read more about [finding scope gaps before award](https://consight.ai/articles/how-to-find-scope-gaps-in-subcontractor-bids) and [what AI bid leveling is](https://consight.ai/articles/what-is-ai-bid-leveling).

## How does traceability connect to the plans and specs?

Consight keeps the plans, specifications and addenda in the same project, and Connie, Consight’s AI assistant, answers questions from your bid packages, bids and scope sheets first, then your uploaded plans, specs and addenda. When a bidder qualifies their scope, you can check it against the spec section that requires the work. See [how to generate a scope of work from plans and specs](https://consight.ai/articles/generate-scope-of-work-from-plans-and-specs).

## Frequently asked questions

### Can I see where an AI-extracted bid number came from?

Yes. In Consight, View in Bid jumps to the exact spot in the subcontractor proposal that a value came from.

### What happens when Consight matches a line wrong?

Check the source with View in Bid, then move the item to the right scope item, tab or bid package, or add a plug. A thumbs down on the match improves future results.

### Does Consight replace the estimator’s review?

No. It does the reading and matching so the estimator can spend review time on the lines that matter. Every adjustment stays editable.