How to read a BOQ and price your bid without losing money
Avoid the No.1 reason MSMEs lose tenders: wrong pricing.
5 min read · Free guide from Bidrove
- The BOQ (Bill of Quantities) lists every item of work with its quantity. You quote a rate against each.
- Cost every line honestly: material + labour + equipment + transport + overheads.
- Add a sensible margin (8–16% is common on civil work). Don't quote below cost to win.
- Watch units carefully — per metre, per km, per unit, per sqm. A unit mistake can wipe out profit.
- Use the profit estimate on each tender page as a sanity check before you finalise.
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