I may have this wrong but let me try to explain the "backfill" or secondary awards. When they publish the snapshots if enough pilots bid out of a BES and it falls below the published "Min" for that BES the snapshot will show awards that bring the number to the "Min". On the final award the company must fill awards to the Min level just like the snapshot. They can not award above the Max either. So the company has flexibility between the min and max published numbers. Also consider the numbers are of active pilots only. So example would be EWR 737 FO on 14-11v, they added two pilots yet one does not count because they are on leave.

Also for new hires they can only go to unfilled vacancies. With no unfilled vacancies on this bid they will need to put out a new bid to create slots for new hires.