It varies depending on the product or service and whether you're dealing with the public or private sector. The bid process can consist of many steps including bid announcement, a pre-bid hearing, a bid opening meeting, bid evaluation, bid award, contract negotiation and in some cases, many more steps in the process depending upon the company or agency and their policies and procedures. The bid process can take up to a year before all the necessary purchasing, legal, accounting and project management paperwork is complete and the project work begins. You should be clear about your reason for bidding on every contract and know what benefit any contract will offer you and your company. You don't need to be incorporated to do business or to bid.
Incorporation is a business organization structure decision.
Your attorney and accountant can help you make the decision regarding incorporation as a business form. A bid and corresponding contract document may have additional legal or accounting requirements that would make incorporation a better form of business for you. Understanding your target market, its bid process and requirements will also help you to decide if it is better for you to be incorporated.