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HARD DOLLAR® AND VERTIGRAPH® PARTNER TO HELP CONTRACTORS STREAMLINE THE TAKEOFF AND ESTIMATING PROCESSES, INCREASE ACCURACY AND BID FASTER

Ability to Link Hard Dollar Estimates to Vertigraph Electronic Takeoff Tool Dramatically Reduces Takeoff Time and Reduces Potential for Costly Errors

TEMPE, AZ and DALLAS, TX – Hard Dollar Corporation, and Vertigraph, Inc. today announced a technology partnership that will allow customers to radically simplify the takeoff and estimating processes by incorporating Vertigraph’s BidScreen XL on-screen measurement tool with Hard Dollar’s estimating software. This technology allows contractors to complete project bids in a fraction of the time, with a clear and concise audit trail. This approach results in winning more business while lowering costs.

The companies’ software integration will be featured as a part of the ConExpo tradeshow, at the Las Vegas Convention Center March 11 – 15. Demonstrations can be seen at the Hard Dollar booth S-10607 and the Vertigraph booth S-10606 on level one of the South Hall.

The Hard Dollar/Vertigraph partnership is part of a shared commitment to improve the interoperability of technology systems in use within the construction industry. The integration of Vertigraph’s BidScreen XL tool with Hard Dollar’s Estimating module will allow project teams to:

Eliminate hours of manual takeoff on each bid. Quantity takeoff is one of the most time-consuming tasks in the estimating process, often requiring hours of time to measure items and materials that will be required for a project. Using Vertigraph’s BidScreen XL tool, estimators can electronically takeoff materials directly from TIF, PDF, AutoCAD DWG, JPEG and many other file formats.

Stop manual entry of material costs into project estimates. Vertigraph’s BidScreen XL takeoffs are automatically stored in Excel, and those values are read directly into Hard Dollar estimates with no need to import/export or copy and paste. Users can simply click on a spreadsheet cell to electronically measure and identify areas, lengths and counts from electronic drawings. The measurements and digitized drawings are saved within the Excel workbook – which in turn is saved as part of the Hard Dollar estimate – where they can be edited and printed with ease.

Make more money and stay on schedule for each job awarded. Since the takeoff quantities are tied directly to project plans, users will reduce redundant work and significantly minimize errors or omissions in project estimates, resulting in a higher return on each project.

“To remain competitive, our customers have to leverage every opportunity to streamline the quantity takeoff and estimating processes,” said Erich Schoenkopf, President, Vertigraph, Inc. “Partnering with Hard Dollar will help customers become preferred contractors with their clients, and deliver project estimates quickly without losing profits due to inaccurate bids.”

“Hard Dollar is excited to work with Vertigraph to deliver more efficient processes to our customers,” said Alistair Johnson Clague, Hard Dollar President. “At the end of the day, the professional with the reputation for more accurate bids and the speed to respond quickly to opportunities will be more successful. Integrating with Vertigraph is one more way we intend to make our customers more nimble and competitive.”

It has been estimated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology that the lack of systems interoperability currently costs the construction industry $15.8 billion per year. Contributing to these losses, cost engineers and estimators often are required to start from scratch each time a project goes from the design stage into the estimating and budgeting stage. By combining Vertigraph’s BidScreen XL with Hard Dollar, takeoff data can be gathered and leveraged in project estimates with just a few mouse clicks. The result is less redundant effort, more timely and accurate information flow, and faster overall project throughput.