Are electronic signatures legally binding?

Yes. Electronic signatures are generally enforceable under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. §7001) and UETA where adopted; intent, consent, attribution, and retention are required to establish validity.

When is notarization required?

Notarization is typically required for real property instruments and some contract acknowledgements; requirements vary by state and document type and should be verified before submission.

Who must sign the variation document?

Only authorized signatories with delegated authority may bind an entity; include printed name and title, and confirm authority in corporate resolutions if needed.

What if a bid arrives late?

Late bids are commonly rejected per published solicitation rules; retain proof of submission and consult procurement terms for any exception or extension provisions.

Can I submit variations electronically?

Yes, when the procurement rules permit eSubmission and the platform captures an audit trail; ensure the issuer accepts the chosen eSignature method and any notarization needs.

How do I correct a submitted document?

Withdraw or submit a replacement per the solicitation terms; track version control and retain both versions with timestamps for audit purposes.

Electronic Signature
Templates
Real estate
Real Estate Variation and Bidding Document

Real Estate Variation and Bidding Document

This template is fully customizable. Edit the text, fill out the fields, and send it for signature. Give it a try!

REAL ESTATE VARIATION AND BIDDING DOCUMENT

This Real Estate Variation and Bidding Document (the "Document") records a proposed variation to work, services or terms related to the property identified below and sets forth the terms and procedures for submission, evaluation and acceptance of bids for that variation. The parties acknowledge that this Document supplements any existing underlying agreement between Owner and Contractor and that acceptance of a Bid as provided herein shall constitute authorization to proceed with the Variation only upon execution of any required contract amendment or change order.

PARTIES

Owner (Property Owner) Owner Contact Address

Bidder (Contractor / Proposer) Bidder Contact Address

PROPERTY IDENTIFICATION

Property Address Parcel / APN Number Legal Description

VARIATION / SCOPE

Variation Title:

Detailed Scope of Variation Technical Specifications / Reference Documents

BID SUBMISSION TERMS

Bid Amount (total proposed price for the Variation): $

Breakdown of Costs (labor, materials, allowances)

Bid Due (date) Bid Validity Period (days)

Required Bid Deposit (if any): $ — Deposit due upon submission:

Payment Terms for Approved Variation:

Schedule / Time to Complete Variation

REQUIREMENTS, WARRANTIES & INSURANCE

Licenses and Permits: Bidder warrants it holds all necessary licenses and permits to perform the Variation and shall maintain them in good standing for the duration of the work.

Insurance Requirements and Limits

Warranty Period for Work:

DISCLOSURES

Lead-based Paint Present? Yes No

Known Mold or Water Damage? Yes No

Prior Structural Damage or Repairs Relevant to this Variation? Yes No

If yes, describe

EVALUATION, ACCEPTANCE & AMENDMENT

Owner reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids, to negotiate changes to any Bid, and to require supplementary information. Acceptance of a Bid shall be effective only when Owner delivers a written notice of acceptance and, where applicable, a fully executed change order or amendment to the underlying contract.

Acceptance Deadline: — Bidder acknowledges Bid shall remain irrevocable for the Bid Validity Period specified above.

DEFAULT, REMEDIES & INDEMNITY

Default: If Bidder fails to commence or complete the Variation in accordance with accepted terms, Owner may pursue any remedy available at law or in equity, including completion by others and recovery of costs and damages. Owner shall provide written notice of default and a reasonable opportunity to cure where the underlying contract so requires.

Indemnity: Bidder shall indemnify and hold Owner harmless from claims, liabilities, losses and expenses arising from Bidder's performance of the Variation, except to the extent caused by Owner's negligence or willful misconduct.

MISCELLANEOUS

Governing Law: The laws of the state identified below govern this Document.

Entire Agreement: This Document, together with any incorporated reference documents and the underlying agreement, constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the Variation and supersedes prior negotiations and understandings.

Notice Recipient for Owner Notice Recipient for Bidder

Amendments and Change Orders: No amendment or modification to an accepted Bid or to this Document shall be effective unless in writing and executed by authorized representatives of both parties. Any change order shall state changes to price, schedule and other terms.

Owner (Printed Name):

By:

Date:

Bidder (Printed Name):

By:

Date:

What the Real Estate Variation and Bidding Document Is

A Real Estate Variation and Bidding Document formalizes proposed changes to scope, price, or schedule within a real estate procurement or project bidding process. It combines a clear description of the variation, cost or credit adjustments, supporting drawings or exhibits, and explicit bid instructions. Typical uses include change orders to construction contracts, alternate bid submissions for property development, and buyer or seller variations during negotiation. The document records proposer identity, submission date, response deadlines, and the criteria the issuer will use to evaluate and accept or reject variations or bids.

Why this document matters for project clarity and legal certainty

Use the Real Estate Variation and Bidding Document to record changes, preserve competitive fairness, and reduce disputes by setting clear pricing, scope, and acceptance criteria in writing.

Who typically completes and reviews these documents

The document is completed by proposers (contractors, bidders) and reviewed by owners, property managers, or procurement teams.

Contractors and subcontractors who submit variation pricing and revised schedules for specific work packages.
Owners, developers, and asset managers who evaluate bids, compare alternatives, and confirm scope changes.
Procurement officers and project managers who enforce submission rules, deadlines, and awarding criteria.

Stakeholders include legal counsel and project administrators; signature and approval roles are defined in the document to limit ambiguity.

Step-by-step: completing and submitting a variation or bid

Follow these sequential steps to prepare, review, and submit a compliant variation or bid.

01

Gather documents: Collect contract, drawings, and prior change orders for reference.
02

Draft variation: Describe scope, attach exhibits, and calculate price changes.
03

Internal review: Route to project manager and legal counsel for approval.
04

Submit by deadline: Send per instructions and retain proof of delivery and timestamp.

Digital workflow settings for online use

Configure these fields to match procurement rules and automate routing.

Field	Configuration
Submission Deadline	Enforceable cutoff; set auto-lock after deadline.
Required Attachments	Specify mandatory exhibits (drawings, schedules, bonds).
Approval Order	Define signer sequence and roles for conditional routing.
Authentication	Choose email, SMS code, or stronger signer verification.

Typical signing and review flow

A standard flow shows submission, verification, review, and final acceptance or rejection.

Upload: Sender uploads the variation or bid and attaches exhibits.
Assign signers: Place signature fields and name each required signer role.
Notify reviewers: Route to internal reviewers such as PM and counsel.
Complete and archive: Capture audit trail, finalize acceptance, and store the executed document.

Technical requirements and integrations for eSubmission

Choose a platform that supports required formats, signer authentication, and integrations with your systems.

File formats: PDF, DOCX, and Excel supported
Common integrations: Salesforce | NetSuite | Google Workspace
Authentication: Email, SMS, KBA, or SSO

Key sections to include in a professional variation and bidding document

Include consistent sections to ensure completeness, comparability between bids, and enforceable acceptance criteria.

Identification

Project name and proposer identity so records tie variations and bids to specific contracts and responsible parties.

Detailed Scope

Clear narrative and referenced exhibits describing the exact change in work, materials, or schedule to avoid interpretation disputes.

Pricing and Basis

Itemized cost adjustments, unit pricing, allowances, and stated assumptions that clarify how totals were calculated.

Submission Rules

Deadlines, delivery methods, and formatting requirements that preserve fairness and enable automated processing.

Acceptance Criteria

How the issuer evaluates bids, scoring methodology, and conditions under which a variation will be accepted or negotiated.

Signatures

Designated signature blocks for authorized signers, date fields, and notary or witness areas if required.

Security and compliance elements to protect the record

Encryption: TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit; AES-256 at rest

Audit Trail: IP, timestamp, and signer actions logged

ESIGN / UETA: Meets US electronic signature legal tests

HIPAA BAA: BAA available where PHI is present

21 CFR Part 11: Support for FDA-regulated record controls

Certifications: SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001

Common legal and financial risks from incorrect documents

Contract Invalidity: Missing signature may void the variation

Bid Bond Forfeiture: Noncompliant bids risk losing bond

Tax Reporting Errors: Incorrect payer details can trigger penalties

Delay Costs: Unclear effective date may shift liability

Dispute Exposure: Vague scope increases litigation risk

Notary Rejection: Improper notarization can invalidate record

Preparation pitfalls to avoid

Submitting after the stated deadline or using the wrong delivery method, which commonly leads to disqualification or rejection.
Failing to attach required exhibits, such as updated drawings or cost breakdowns, that are mandatory for evaluation.
Using ambiguous scope language that creates room for interpretation and later disputes over work and payment.
Listing a signer without signing authority, causing delays while approvals are reissued and verified.

Common deadlines and timing expectations

Establish and communicate deadlines clearly to ensure fair competition and timely contract administration.

Bid Submission Deadline:

Date and time proposals must be received; late submissions typically rejected

Clarification Period:

Window for questions and addenda issuance before final bids are due

Evaluation Window:

Timeframe for scoring and shortlisting bidders

Award Notification:

Issuer communicates accepted bid and next steps

Contract Execution:

Deadline for signing the final contract after award

Key milestones from solicitation to contract

This milestone sequence shows the end-to-end process for managing variations and bids in an organized timeline.

01

Solicitation Published

Issuer releases the RFP or variation request and supporting documents

02

Proposal Preparation

Bidders prepare pricing, scope, and required attachments

03

Submission and Receipt

Bids are delivered and time-stamped by the method specified

04

Evaluation and Award

Issuer evaluates submissions and issues award or notice to proceed

eSignature solution pricing and feature snapshot

Basic pricing and feature differences among common eSignature providers to inform platform selection for eSubmission workflows.

	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	PandaDoc	HelloSign
Starting Price	$8/user/mo	$15/user/mo	$14/user/mo	$19/user/mo	$15/user/mo
Free Trial	7-day free trial, no credit card	No	No	Yes, limited	Yes, limited
Bulk Send	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Envelope Cap	No cap	100 envelopes/user/year	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan

FAQs and troubleshooting for common issues

Answers to frequent questions about validity, signatures, notarization, and electronic submission for variations and bids.

Need help? Contact support

Are electronic signatures legally binding?
Yes. Electronic signatures are generally enforceable under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. §7001) and UETA where adopted; intent, consent, attribution, and retention are required to establish validity.
When is notarization required?
Notarization is typically required for real property instruments and some contract acknowledgements; requirements vary by state and document type and should be verified before submission.
Who must sign the variation document?
Only authorized signatories with delegated authority may bind an entity; include printed name and title, and confirm authority in corporate resolutions if needed.
What if a bid arrives late?
Late bids are commonly rejected per published solicitation rules; retain proof of submission and consult procurement terms for any exception or extension provisions.
Can I submit variations electronically?
Yes, when the procurement rules permit eSubmission and the platform captures an audit trail; ensure the issuer accepts the chosen eSignature method and any notarization needs.
How do I correct a submitted document?
Withdraw or submit a replacement per the solicitation terms; track version control and retain both versions with timestamps for audit purposes.

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