The Bid Specialist plays a critical role in driving ArborWorks’ growth by managing the full lifecycle of competitive proposals within the utility vegetation management (UVM) industry. This position ensures that all bids are strategically positioned, compliant, and aligned with operational capabilities, safety requirements, and client expectations. The role directly contributes to revenue generation by identifying viable opportunities, developing high-quality submissions, and improving win rates through disciplined execution and continuous refinement of proposal strategies.
This position serves as the central coordinator of the bid process, partnering closely with operations, safety, finance, and leadership, to translate field capabilities into compelling, accurate, and executable proposals. Success in this role requires strong industry awareness, critical evaluation of opportunities, and the ability to balance speed with precision in a deadline-driven, high-volume bidding environment.
Bid Strategy & Opportunity Evaluation:
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Evaluate RFPs, RFQs, and bid opportunities within the utility and vegetation management sector to determine strategic fit, operational feasibility, and profitability.
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Analyze scope requirements, contract terms, geographic considerations, and resource demands to support go/no-go decisions.
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Prioritize high-value opportunities aligned with ArborWorks’ capabilities and growth strategy.
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Track contract renewal cycles, utility bid calendars, and market activity to proactively position the company for upcoming work.
Proposal Development & Submission:
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Lead end-to-end proposal development, ensuring all submissions are complete, compliant, and aligned with client requirements and evaluation criteria.
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Develop clear, concise, and technically accurate proposals that reflect ArborWorks’ safety culture, operational strengths, and field execution capabilities.
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Collaborate with operations, safety, finance, and leadership to obtain accurate pricing, production assumptions, staffing plans, and technical content.
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Ensure all bids are submitted accurately and on time across multiple platforms and procurement portals.
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Adapt proposal content to reflect regional requirements, union environments, utility standards, and vegetation management specifications where applicable.
Cross-Functional Coordination:
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Serve as the central point of contact for all bid-related activities, coordinating timelines, deliverables, and internal contributions.
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Assign and track responsibilities for technical narratives, safety documentation, compliance materials, and pricing inputs.
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Proactively identify risks, missing information, or delays and escalate appropriately to maintain submission timelines.
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Facilitate alignment between estimating, field operations, and leadership to ensure proposals are executable post-award.
Pipeline Development & Market Research:
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Identify and source bid opportunities through utility procurement sites, government portals, and industry networks.
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Maintain and continuously refine a structured pipeline of active and upcoming bids.
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Conduct market research on competitors, incumbent contractors, and contract structures to strengthen positioning.
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Filter opportunities efficiently to focus effort on realistic, winnable bids (quality over volume).
Bid Tracking & Performance Analytics:
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Maintain accurate records of all bids in CRM systems (e.g., Pipedrive), tracking lifecycle stages from opportunity identification through award.
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Monitor key performance indicators (e.g., win rate, turnaround time, hit rate by client/region).
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Analyze wins and losses to identify trends, gaps, and areas for improvement in strategy, pricing, or execution.
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Provide regular reporting and strategic insights to leadership to improve future bid performance.
Content & Process Standardization:
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Develop and maintain standardized templates, boilerplate content, and proposal libraries tailored to UVM work.
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Ensure consistency in messaging, branding, and technical accuracy across all submissions.
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Continuously improve internal bid processes to increase efficiency, reduce rework, and improve quality.
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Maintain documentation aligned with safety standards, regulatory requirements, and utility expectations.
Education:
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High school diploma or equivalent required.
Experience:
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Minimum 3+ years of experience in bid coordination, estimating support, proposals, or business development in utility, construction, vegetation management, or similar field services industry.
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Experience working with RFP/RFQ-based contract environments, preferably with utilities or government agencies.
Skills & Abilities:
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Strong analytical ability to assess bid viability, risk, and alignment with operational capacity.
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Advanced organizational and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple high-priority deadlines.
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Excellent written communication skills with the ability to develop clear, structured, and professional proposals.
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Strong collaboration skills across cross-functional teams including operations, safety, and finance.
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High attention to detail with a focus on compliance, accuracy, and completeness.
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Ability to work in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment without sacrificing quality.
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Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
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Experience working with CRM systems, procurement platforms, and document management tools.
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Self-directed, proactive, and able to make sound decisions with limited oversight.
Licenses / Certifications:
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Valid driver’s license preferred.
Required Training:
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Company safety and compliance training upon hire.
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Training on internal CRM systems, bid platforms, and proposal processes.
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Ongoing training related to utility standards, contract compliance, and vegetation management practices.
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Direct experience in utility vegetation management (UVM), forestry, line clearance, or utility contracting.
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Familiarity with utility contract structures, service-level agreements (SLAs), and unit-based or production-based pricing models.
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Experience supporting estimating or pricing development for field-based service work.
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Knowledge of utility safety standards (e.g., OSHA, ANSI Z133, client-specific requirements).
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Experience working with union environments or multi-state utility contracts.
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Bachelor’s degree in Business, Forestry, Environmental Science, or related field.
ArborWorks, LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing an inclusive workplace and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.
