Free tool

Cost-to-respond estimator.

What does a single tender response actually cost your business? Most teams underestimate by 3x because they forget the SME review time and the opportunity cost.

How this is calculated

Three cost lines, multiplied by your inputs, then re-run with a Bidwell tooling multiplier.

  • · Bid-writer time = number of questions × hours per question × hourly rate. Multiplied by 1.0 if writing from scratch, 0.7 if using a boilerplate library, 0.15 with Bidwell.
  • · External writer cost = ceil(questions × hours / 8) × day rate, when "use external bid writer" is set.
  • · SME / leadership review = SME hours × SME rate. Stays the same in both scenarios because a human still has to sign off.
  • · Expected return = tender value × win probability. This is a directional figure, not a guarantee. The "return per £1 of effort" ratio is the more useful number for go / no-go decisions.
  • · No personal data is stored. Your inputs are processed in your browser and the result is computed locally.

Common questions

What does the average UK tender response cost an SMB to produce?

For a typical 30-question response with five SME-review hours, an internal cost of £4,000 to £8,000 is the most common range we see. External bid-writer engagements add another £3,000 to £10,000 on top. The biggest hidden cost is leadership review time, which is regularly the single most expensive line.

Why does the tool ask for an SME / leadership hourly rate?

SME review (subject-matter expert review by your delivery leads, security lead, finance lead) is usually the highest hourly rate involved and the most underestimated. Most teams budget bid-writer hours and forget the £120-an-hour director who reviews every response for a full afternoon.

What win rate should I assume?

For SMBs new to public sector tendering, expect 5-10% on open competitions and 20-40% on framework call-offs where you are already accredited. Mature suppliers with a clear niche routinely hit 30-50% on call-offs.

How does Bidwell change the maths?

Bidwell drafts each answer from your past wins, so bid-writer hours drop to roughly 15% of what they are today. SME review hours stay the same (a human still has to check every response). The maths flips because the writer time is usually the biggest line.

Is the calculation conservative or optimistic?

Deliberately conservative on the Bidwell-cost side. We assume a flat £30 of subscription cost amortised per tender response, even though most teams put multiple responses through a single £30 monthly plan. We also keep your SME review hours unchanged because we do not want to claim time savings that depend on Bidwell catching things humans would have caught.