THE PROBLEM
Public money has rules. Most contractors aren’t ready.
Bond contracts require clean books, certified payroll, and documented subs — before a single brick is laid.
100%
required
No clean books, no bond
Surety companies require 2-3 years of auditable financials. Shoebox receipts don't count. No bond means no bid.
24%
penalty
One missing 1099 costs you
Every sub you paid $600+ needs a 1099. Miss one and the IRS hits you with 24% backup withholding. That's money straight out of your pocket.
$0
visibility
Bidding blind
Without job costing, you don't know if a project made or lost money until it's done. You can win the contract and lose the profit.
3→30
employees
Payroll chaos
Crews grow fast on bond work. From 3 to 30 in weeks. One late 941 filing means IRS penalties — fast.
What’s at stake for RGV contractors:
Bond Amount
Construction Phases
Campus Projects
Contractor Opportunities
THE SOLUTION
SmartBook Contractor.
Everything your books need to win and survive public contracts. We handle the numbers. You handle the jobsite.
Job Costing by Project
Know exactly what each contract costs you — labor, materials, subs — in real time. No more guessing if a job made money.
Payroll That Scales
From 3 guys to 30. Weekly payroll, 941 filings, W-2s — all handled. You grow the crew, we handle the paperwork.
1099 & Sub Tracking
Every subcontractor documented, filed, and compliant. Zero surprise withholding at year-end.
Bond-Ready Financials
Clean books formatted the way surety companies want to see them. Get bonded. Bid bigger.
P&L by Project
Monthly profit & loss broken down per job. See which contracts are making money and which ones are bleeding.
Tax Coordination
CPA-ready package at year-end. No scrambling, no extensions. Your tax preparer gets everything they need, organized.
REAL RESULTS
What happens when your books are ready.
21 days
Books cleaned before bank review
From shoebox receipts to financials the bank actually respected.
60 days
Funding unlocked after cleanup
Clean financials unlocked funding that was previously denied.
100%
Zero penalties across all contractor clients
Every sub documented. Every 941 filed on time. Zero IRS penalties.
They took my shoebox of receipts and turned it into financials my bank actually respected. Got approved for my first equipment loan within 60 days.
— RGV Contractor, NBC Client Since 2023
SmartBook Contractor Plans
Bookkeeping & Payroll.
Built for Contractors.
We handle your books, payroll, tax filings, and job costing every month — so you can focus on the jobsite, not the paperwork.
All plans are month-to-month · No contracts · Cancel anytime
Essential
For solo contractors and small crews who need clean books and compliant payroll to start bidding on bond work.
Bookkeeping
- Monthly bookkeeping & reconciliation
- Basic job costing (single project)
Payroll & Compliance
- Payroll processing (up to 10 employees)
- 941 quarterly filings + W-2s
- 1099 tracking & filing for every sub
Growth
For general contractors running multiple projects who need a dedicated bookkeeper, job costing per project, and full payroll management.
Bookkeeping
- Everything in Essential
- Multi-project job costing & tracking
- Progress billing reconciliation
- Monthly P&L by project
Payroll & Compliance
- Certified payroll reports
- Sales tax compliance
Your Team
- Dedicated bookkeeper assigned to you
Premium
For established contractors managing 7-figure public contracts who need unlimited payroll, tax coordination with their CPA, and priority support.
Bookkeeping
- Everything in Growth
- Cash flow forecasting by project
- Bond compliance document prep
Payroll & Compliance
- Unlimited employees & subcontractors
- Tax coordination with your CPA
Your Team
- Priority response + quarterly strategy call
- Year-end CPA-ready package
Need a books cleanup first? One-time setup starts at $1,500.
SmartBook Growth costs less than 1% of a single school contract.
Without clean books, your surety won’t bond you. Without a bond, you can’t bid. Without a bid, you get nothing from the $335M pipeline.
The question isn’t whether you can afford a bookkeeper — it’s whether you can afford to lose the biggest opportunity in 20 years.
COMMON QUESTIONS
What contractors ask us.
FREE RGV CONTRACTOR KIT
Get bond-ready before bids open.
The free local kit with key dates, a surety checklist, common bond-application mistakes to avoid, and an optional 15-minute readiness call.
- Bond timeline — so you know what needs to happen before bids open
- Surety checklist — what bonding companies look for
- 6 mistakes that can slow or kill your application
- Optional 15-minute call if you want help with your next step
Get the kit by text
Fast, free, and built for RGV contractors.
Instant link by text. No spam. No obligation.
Your books need to be ready before the bids go out.
One call. 15 minutes. We’ll tell you exactly where you stand.
Every consultation includes your free Bond Contractor Kit — timeline, surety checklist, and compliance guide.
About SmartBook Contractor
SmartBook Contractor is a bookkeeping and payroll service by National Bookkeeping Company, located at 315 W Nolana Ave, Suite G, McAllen, Texas 78504. We specialize in construction bookkeeping, job costing, 1099 subcontractor tracking, certified payroll, and surety-ready financial reports for contractors in McAllen, Edinburg, Mission, Pharr, Weslaco, and across the Rio Grande Valley. Our services help RGV contractors prepare for public construction contracts, including McAllen ISD bond projects, by delivering clean, auditable financial statements that surety companies require for performance and payment bonds. We work with QuickBooks Online and Sage 50, serve clients in English and Spanish, and offer month-to-month plans with no contracts. Plans start at $850 per month for solo contractors and small crews, with dedicated bookkeeper options starting at $1,200 per month.