Steel mill order and detailing lead times can outrun a project schedule, and a fabricator that does not read the schedule against the lead time carries unpriced risk.
What lead time sets on a steel bid
A steel package carries a fabrication and erection schedule, and the mill order for the raw steel, the detailing and shop drawing approval, and the shop fabrication each consume time. The required erection dates and the lead times together set the procurement and scheduling risk the fabricator must plan for.
Why lead time risk is easy to miss
The required erection schedule sits in the project schedule and the specifications, and the mill and detailing lead times depend on the market, not the title. A fabricator that prices the steel without checking the schedule against the lead time carries unpriced delay risk.
How an AI bid agent reads lead time risk
An AI bid agent reads each steel package, identifies the erection schedule and the tonnage, and surfaces the lead time risk against the schedule that drives the procurement plan. The fabricator bids with the risk in view.
You can see how the agent reads a steel package in our AI bid agent demo for specialty trade contractors. It surfaces the erection schedule and the mill and detailing lead time risk so the bid carries the schedule risk.