Subcontractor compliance built for real GCs, not the Fortune 500.

Subcontractor compliance software helps a general contractor collect and check the documents that prove a sub is qualified to work on a project. The main documents are insurance certificates (COIs), W-9s, trade licenses, safety records (EMR rating, OSHA training), and any extra paperwork the project needs. Instead of chasing documents by email and tracking them in a spreadsheet, the software gives you one portal where subs upload, rules that check the documents automatically, and alerts before anything expires.

Prequalification happens once, before a sub is hired. It checks their financial stability, safety history, capacity, and insurance. Compliance is the ongoing part: making sure those qualifications stay valid for the whole project. A sub can pass prequalification in January with a current COI and an EMR of 0.85, then be out of compliance in March because the COI lapsed. Good software handles both stages in one record.

Pricing depends heavily on who pays. Network-based platforms charge the subcontractors: Avetta is $450–$900 per sub per year, ISNetworld is $875+ per sub per year. The hiring GC typically pays a separate enterprise subscription on top. Self-service SaaS like ExpiryEdge takes a different model: the GC pays a flat monthly subscription, subs upload documents free, and there are no per-vendor fees. For a GC with 100 subcontractors, the network model can total $50K–$100K per year in subcontractor fees alone (paid by the subs but driving up bid prices); the SaaS model is typically a few thousand dollars per year regardless of sub count.

Spreadsheets work up to roughly 20 active subcontractors per project, or about 50 total subs across the company. Past that, three things break: (1) renewal alerts get missed when one person owns the spreadsheet and is out of office; (2) document version control fails - subs send updated COIs by email and the spreadsheet stays out of date; (3) audit prep takes weeks instead of hours. The trigger for software is usually the second insurance-claim near-miss, not the headcount.

Avetta and ISNetworld are subcontractor networks. Subs pay an annual fee to be visible to multiple hiring clients, GCs pay an enterprise subscription on top, and verification is done by the network. They are well-suited for very large industrial buyers in oil & gas, utilities, and chemicals. ExpiryEdge is a self-service compliance platform: the GC owns the program, sets the rules, invites subs directly, and pays a flat subscription. There are no per-sub fees, no separate network for the sub to register on, and no requirement that the sub be on a paid platform to do business with you. For most GCs under 500 active subs, ExpiryEdge is significantly cheaper at the same compliance bar.

The minimum baseline most GCs enforce: (1) Certificate of Insurance with general liability ($1M/$2M), workers' comp, and auto coverage; (2) GC named additional insured on GL and auto via endorsement, not just the cert page; (3) IRS Form W-9; (4) state contractor license proof; (5) safety records including current EMR rate; (6) signed master subcontract agreement; (7) OSHA 10 or OSHA 30 training cards for everyone on site. Higher-risk trades or larger projects add umbrella coverage, JHAs, and pre-task plans.

Pre-mobilization compliance means a sub cannot show up to the job site until every required document has been verified and is current. In ExpiryEdge, this is enforced as a gate: the sub stays in "pending" status until COI passes validation, license is verified, and any project-specific docs are signed. Once cleared, the sub becomes "mobilized" and shows on the site superintendent's daily report. If anything expires mid-project, the status reverts and the project manager is alerted on Slack or Teams.

Yes - and this is one of the most important compliance gaps in the market. A Certificate of Insurance only shows that coverage existed when the cert was issued. Additional insured status is conveyed by a separate endorsement (typically CG 20 10 for ongoing operations and CG 20 37 for completed operations). Without the endorsement, a tendered claim can be denied even if the cert listed your entity. ExpiryEdge stores both the certificate page and the endorsement as separate document records so claims can be defended with full evidence.

Yes. Each subcontractor receives a unique upload link. They submit COIs, W-9s, and licenses through a simple form - no login, no account, no platform fee. The subcontractor pays nothing. Only the GC pays for the platform. This is the fundamental difference from network-based tools where the sub pays an annual fee to be listed.

Reminders fire to both the subcontractor and the GC project manager at 90, 60, 30, and 7 days before any document expires. The sub clicks a link, uploads the renewed cert, and ExpiryEdge re-runs validation automatically. If validation passes, status stays current with zero action from the GC. If something is short - lower limit, missing endorsement - the GC is notified and the sub is asked to fix it before the existing document lapses.