Dear Subscribers,
When I started Mass Trades Weekly, the idea was pretty simple: make it easier for small Massachusetts contractors to find opportunities that might otherwise be difficult to discover.
What started as an idea grew into a community of more than 600 subscribers, and I’m incredibly grateful to every one of you who opened the newsletter, clicked on a project, shared it with someone, sent me feedback, or simply followed along each week.
After a lot of thought, I’ve decided that this week’s issue will be the final edition of Mass Trades Weekly.
I hope that somewhere along the way, Mass Trades Weekly made that job a little easier. If one project led to an estimate, one connection led to new work, or one contractor discovered an opportunity they otherwise wouldn't have known about, then this project did something worthwhile.
One Last Resource
If you'd like to continue searching for public projects on your own, I want to leave you with one of the main resources I used every week to find opportunities for Mass Trades Weekly: the Massachusetts Central Register. From there, click on “Log in or subscribe to a publication.”
The Central Register publishes a new batch of public construction opportunities every Wednesday morning. An electronic subscription costs a little over $100 per year.
Once you're subscribed, click on General Contract and search the latest publication date. You'll find projects advertised by cities, towns, housing authorities, state agencies and other public entities across Massachusetts.
Just know that you'll have to do some sifting—that's a big part of what I was doing behind the scenes each week.
If you're a small contractor interested in trying public work, I recommend starting with projects under $50,000. Look closely at each listing before pursuing it. Check the estimated cost, contractor qualification requirements, bid deadline and where the plans and specifications are available. In particular, watch for DCAMM certification requirements and other qualifications that may make a project unsuitable for your business.
Not every project will be a good fit. Run the numbers and make sure the job makes sense for your business before you bid.
Thank you for trusting me with a little space in your inbox every Friday morning and for helping turn a small experiment into a community of tradespeople across the state.
It has been a privilege to collaborate with you!
Thank you for being part of Mass Trades Weekly.
— Christie
Small Public Jobs you can Bid this Week that Don’t Require DCAMM
A Few Notes on Small Public Projects:
Consult the bid documents: Always check the official project documents for full details including scope, requirements, and deadlines.
Bonding: Public projects in Massachusetts frequently require bonding. If you don’t already have it in place, consider reaching out to a surety broker to line it up prior to bidding on a project.
Prevailing wage: Assume prevailing wage for public work at all price points.
• Town Bid Document Request Email Template (printable).
• Small Public Job Listings (spreadsheet)
Large public projects getting underway across Massachusetts
Why should small contractors care about large public projects? Large projects
show who the active primes worth knowing are. You’re not here for the
contract, you’re here for the contacts.
Why should local suppliers and equipment rental companies watch large public projects? Big awards show where projects are starting and who may need tools, materials, equipment, machines, labor, and support. You’re not just tracking projects. You’re tracking future purchase orders.
• Contractor Outreach Guide (printable)
• Large Public Projects (spreadsheet)