Okay, I need more context to understand what "this" refers to. To help me answer your question about knowing something at the time of bid, please tell me: What is the specific thing you are trying to know at the time of bid? Be as specific as possible. What information are you looking for? Examples: "How would I know the actual cost of materials at the time of bid?" "How would I know if the client will approve the design at the time of bid?" "How would I know what my competitors are bidding at the time of bid?" "How would I know the final scope of the project at the time of bid?" What kind of bidding situation is this? What are you bidding on? Construction project? Government contract? Freelance work? Online auction? Something else? What information do you have available already? What have you done to try to find out this information?Once I have this information, I can give you much more specific and helpful advice. Flag for review