Washington bid bonds.
Free. Yes, actually.
Most Washington public solicitations require bid security — commonly 5% of your bid — before they'll open your envelope. Ours costs nothing: we give you the bid bond so we're already your surety when you win.
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How much does a Washington bid bond cost?
Nothing: no premium and no fee.
Free bond now. Fast bond when you win.
A bid bond is the front door to the bonds that matter. Here's how the whole sequence works:
Apply + send bid documents
One application — your business, your track record, the project. This is the same underwriting file that backs your performance bond later, which is exactly why we do it free now.
Bid bond + consent of surety
You get the executed bid bond on the form the solicitation requires, plus the consent of surety many WA agencies want — proof the final bonds will be there if you win.
P&P bond, already underwritten
The ten-day clock between award and contract is where unprepared bidders lose deals. You're already in our book — your performance & payment bond issues at the flat 3% without re-underwriting.
What it is and who needs it.
What a bid bond guarantees — and why it costs nothing
A bid bond tells the project owner your number is real: if you're awarded the contract, you'll sign it and furnish the required performance & payment bonds. Owners require bid security precisely to screen out bids that were never achievable — if the low bidder walks away, the owner can claim the difference between that bid and the next one, up to the bond's penal sum, commonly 5% of the bid on Washington public works.
So why free? Because the real underwriting in a bid bond is the question "would we write this contractor's performance bond?" Sureties issue bid bonds at no charge to win the relationship before the award. That's the whole industry's model — most brokers just don't say it out loud.
We say it out loud: the bid bond is our audition. You owe us nothing if you lose the bid, and nothing obligates you to use us when you win — but your file will already be approved, and the 3% will already be posted.
You need this bond if you're
Claims, renewal, filing, and what sets the price.
If a claim is made
A bid bond answers for your bid: if you win and do not sign the contract or post the performance and payment bond, the owner can claim the difference between your bid and the next one, up to the bond amount.
The surety pays a valid claim, and you repay the surety. Nothing is claimed if you sign; a bid bond is released at award.
Renewal and term
A bid bond runs to the award: there is nothing to renew.
The performance and payment bond you post if you win runs with the contract.
How to file it
Bid bond + consent of surety. You get the executed bid bond on the form the solicitation requires, plus the consent of surety many WA agencies want — proof the final bonds will be there if you win.
What sets the price
The bid bond and the consent of surety are free; the performance and payment bond when you win is a flat 3% of the contract.
Applying now saves the ten-day scramble later.
The application is the same underwriting file as the performance bond — which is why winning bidders who started here close so fast. Free, no obligation, and your bid bond arrives within 48 hours.
Start the application →Common questions.
Other Washington bonds.
The same bond in nearby states.
Requirements checked on the carrier’s application, . Page updated .
Bid security, free, by Thursday.
$0 out of pocket — bid bond and consent of surety within 48 hours. When you win, the performance bond is already half done.