BuildPoint Joins Forces with construction.com to Offer Extended Marketplace Programs.

Business Editors

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 31, 2000

BuildPoint Corporation, the leading e-commerce company for the construction industry, announced today a joint sales initiative with construction.com, the most comprehensive online marketplace for construction professionals and part of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE:MHP). As part of the sales campaign for Sweet's, where the industry goes to specify and purchase, construction.com and BuildPoint will leverage each other's sales forces. Together, the companies will offer building product manufacturers an enhanced Sweet's Product Marketplace sales program, featuring the construction industry's most comprehensive database of building product information, with the addition of BuildPoint's marketplace programs. Today's announcement is the first result of a strategic partnership announced by construction.com and BuildPoint in August.

To date, BuildPoint has focused on providing its specialized marketplace programs to the electrical, mechanical and ready mix concrete industries. As part of this agreement, BuildPoint will offer the Sweet's sales program to the BuildPoint base of supplier customers.

The BuildPoint marketplace programs target the BuildPoint.com community of more than 30,000 contractors and are designed for manufacturers interested in positioning directly to contractors with a critical role in the supply chain. Architects, engineers and specifiers are responsible for specifying products, while general contractors and subcontractors price materials to complete project bids, as well as purchase materials prior to breaking ground on a project.

"The combined effort integrates Sweet's rich history in providing unparalleled content on building products through Sweet's Product Marketplace, with BuildPoint's marketplace programs developed around the BuildPoint community of contractors," said Rich Banholzer, vice president of sales for Sweet's. "Extending construction.com's industry-leading community of construction professionals with an additional base of 30,000 contractors that are already using BuildPoint.com offers tremendous value to building product manufacturers."

"Working together on this sales initiative provides a direct avenue for Sweet's customers to reach the BuildPoint community of contractors and for BuildPoint's supplier customers to leverage the Sweet's Product Marketplace," said Steve Smith, vice president of sales, BuildPoint. "The Sweet's sales force, with its strong manufacturer relationships and years of experience in working with the building product manufacturer community, enhances our ability to strengthen the ties between contractors and manufacturers."

About Construction.com

Construction.com is the industry marketplace that enables construction professionals to do their job faster, better and cheaper. Building on The McGraw-Hill Companies' heritage as the world's premier information provider to the $1.7 trillion commercial construction industry, construction.com uses the Internet to help its customers to get the latest industry intelligence and interactive solutions that help professional decision-makers do their jobs successfully. By leveraging the powerful content of The McGraw-Hill Companies' leading editorial brands, including F.W. Dodge, Sweet's, Engineering News-Record, Architectural Record, and Design-Build, construction.com integrates unmatched market intelligence, unique project management tools, and end-to-end access to the construction community. Construction.com employs more than 1,700 professionals around the world.

About The McGraw-Hill Companies

Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE:MHP) is a global information services provider serving the financial services, education and business information markets through leading brands such as Standard & Poor's, Business Week and McGraw- Hill Education. The corporation has more than 400 offices in 32 countries. Sales in 1999 were $4.0 billion. Additional information is available at www.mcgraw-hill.com.

About BuildPoint

BuildPoint Corporation, the leading e-commerce company for the $3.2 trillion construction industry, provides fast, reliable and secure e-commerce applications for the industry's largest community of contractors. BuildPoint.com(SM) is a leading contractor's marketplace that allows buyers and sellers to negotiate for and procure construction products and services online; provides online bid solicitation management and lead generation; and offers financial services including insurance and lending.

More than 35,000 member companies transact business over BuildPoint.com, including more than 75 of the Engineering News Record's Top 400 general contractors.

BuildPoint is venture backed by construction.com, part of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Chase Capital Partners, RMC Group, SAP Ventures, Techfund Capital, Thomas Weisel Partners, and Vortex Partners. The company is headquartered in Redwood City, Calif., with sales offices nationwide. For more information on BuildPoint, visit www.buildpoint.com or send e-mail to [e-mail].