The new service provides an online system for contractors to tender subcontracts on a secure web-based platform with all tender documents prepared electronically.

The system is managed by the Building Cost Information Service and it will cost contractors £500 to issue up to 10 electronic subcontractor tenders on a single project. A charge of £35 will be levied for each additional sub-contractor tender.

Andrew Thompson, BCIS Director said: “With electronic information and tendering now the norm across the industry and government procurement, the extension of our offering to subcontract tenders was a natural next step.

“This new pay per use subscription service is tailored to contractors of all sizes and has clear benefits to businesses in terms of dramatically reducing the monetary and time commitments associated with subcontract tenders”

The system has been running for some years for clients and consultants for use in letting main contracts.

Peter Sell, Partner at Davis Langdon said: “This RICS initiative is forward thinking as it allows consultants and other organisations to deliver best practice tendering in an electronic environment without the need to undertake significant investment.”

Alistair Howden, Project Surveyor at Davis Langdon added: “eTendering is a positive move for the construction industry as a whole.

“It provides many benefits with regards to time, cost and quality as well as green issues and can be applied to all projects large or small. It results in the tendering process improving for clients and contractors alike and should become the preferred tendering procurement option.”