Bid set printing & distribution
Twelve sets of a thirty-sheet drawing package plus twelve project manuals, banded, labeled, and on the way to twelve addresses by tomorrow morning. That's a Tuesday for us.
What we handle
The full "Issued for Bid" drawing set at the issued size, the project manual at letter size, and addenda sheets as they come.
- Any set count — 8 bidders plus owner, architect, CM, and spares is typical; public bids of 30–50 sets are routine
- Banded and labeled per set so a GC can hand them out at a pre-bid without sorting
- Full-size for scaling trades, half-size (11 × 17) for non-scaling trades — cuts the bill by a third; we label half-size sets "NOT TO SCALE"
- Project manuals letter-size, coil-bound, clear cover, tabbed on request
- Ship to every bidder with individual tracking, or everything to one address for the meeting
- Addenda as sheets — reprint only what changed, from your saved file, to every holder
What a distribution costs
A 30-sheet ARCH D set × 12 copies: 360 sheets at $2.00 less the 10% volume discount = $648, plus $6 for stapling and about $168 for twelve 80-page coil-bound manuals. Shipping to one address is free over $100. Call it $822. The same drawings at a big-box counter run about $2,500. Full bid-set guide with the math →
Timing
Order three business days before the issue date and you have margin for a last-minute sheet swap. Order by noon ET and we ship that day; next business day to NJ, NY, PA, DE, and most of MD.
Pricing for this service
| Sheet | B&W 20# bond | Full color |
|---|---|---|
| ARCH D (24″ × 36″) | $2.00 | $6.00 |
| ARCH E (36″ × 48″) | $3.50 | $9.00 |
| Ledger / 11×17 (11″ × 17″) | $0.35 | $0.50 |
Per sheet. 10% off at 25+ sheets of one size. $15 flat UPS Ground, free over $100. Order by noon ET, ships same day. Full pricing →
Frequently asked questions
Can you ship to a list of addresses?
Yes. Put the breakdown in the order notes ("3 sets to the office, 1 set each to the following 9 addresses…") or email the list to info@ecblueprints.com with your order number. One shipping charge per address beyond the first.
Should bid sets be on heavier paper?
No. Bid sets live for the bid period and get tossed. 20# bond is the right call — and it's what we stock. Heavier stock is a quote-based specialty run for the rare job that needs it.
How do addenda work?
Send the revised sheets. We print just those, one per set holder, and ship them with an addendum label. No need to re-upload the whole set — your original file is saved to your account.
Can you print the project manual too?
Yes — letter or ledger, B&W or color pages mixed, coil-bound with a clear cover. Upload it as a separate item and pick "Coil bound" as finishing.
Related
- Guide: bid set printing & distribution
- Guide: 2026 blueprint printing costs
- Spec book & submittal printing
- vs FedEx Office on a 12-set distribution
Ready to print?
Order by noon ET, ships same day. ARCH D from $2.00/sheet. Free UPS Ground over $100.
Start an order Pricing questions answered Request a quote