In most access control projects, the door frame becomes the meeting point for multiple trades: architects, electricians, integrators, and hardware suppliers. Yet despite all the coordination that happens around it, one critical element still slips through the cracks: the wiring pathway.
It’s rarely defined clearly in bid documents, which means every trade approaches it differently. Electricians assume it’s the integrator’s problem. Integrators expect the frame to arrive prepped. Frame suppliers don’t include conduit unless it’s spelled out. And by the time anyone realizes the oversight, walls are up and change orders are flying.
Standardizing the wiring pathway before bid time closes that gap. It removes uncertainty, reduces finger-pointing, and gives every bidder a fair, consistent scope to work from.
The Hidden Problem in Bidding Access-Controlled Openings
When access control is included in a project, wiring for locks, readers, sensors, and power transfers must be routed cleanly through the frame. But unless the bid set specifically defines how that wiring will be handled, it becomes an undefined responsibility.
A single line in the drawings that reads “provide conduit as required” might seem harmless, but it invites inconsistency. Every bidder will price it differently, and every trade will make their own assumptions. Some might include conduit prep in their number. Others might not. By the time the project reaches installation, it’s no longer clear who owns what, and that’s when costs and delays start to pile up.
What Happens When Pathways Aren’t Defined Early
Without a defined wiring pathway, jobsites quickly fall into reactive mode. Frames show up without conduit, electricians start drilling to find routes, and low-voltage installers are left improvising ways to get their wires through. What should have been a straightforward task becomes a multi-day coordination effort.
These last-minute fixes often compromise more than just efficiency. Drilling into rated frames can void UL fire listings and create code compliance issues. Improvised conduit runs may not align with hardware locations or may block critical mounting points. Every patch or workaround introduces new risks from failed inspections to delayed occupancy certificates.
What starts as a vague spec note turns into a chain reaction of RFIs, change orders, and rework. For general contractors, that means lost time, added cost, and a hit to project margins.
The Benefits of Standardizing at Bid Time
When wiring pathways are defined before bids go out, everyone starts from the same playbook. Each subcontractor can price the same scope of work, creating transparency and eliminating the “we didn’t carry that” or even more aggravating “not my job” argument.
Early standardization also keeps schedules intact. Factory-prepped frames can be ordered earlier because routing details are already decided. Electricians and integrators know what to expect when they arrive on site, which minimizes coordination meetings and last-minute design changes.
Most importantly, it prevents the kind of field improvisation that leads to change orders, damaged frames, and failed inspections. With a clear standard in place, the entire process becomes more predictable, from bidding and fabrication through installation and final inspection.
Frame Frog as the Standard That Simplifies Everything
Frame Frog gives project teams a simple, reliable way to standardize wiring pathways right at bid time. Each system includes a consistent set of ports, short for internal routing within the frame, and long for external conduit connections to nearby power or control systems.
Because the design is UL fire-rated and code-compliant, specifiers can easily include it in project documents with full confidence that it will pass inspection. Whether installed at the factory or in the field, Frame Frog eliminates the uncertainty that usually surrounds access control wiring.
When it’s in the spec, every bidder knows what’s included. Every installer knows what’s expected. Every inspector knows what to look for. It’s a clean, documented standard that turns one of the most common gray areas in construction into a solved problem. Because in construction, uncertainty is always expensive. Defining the pathway early ensures it never has to be.