Free tool

Tender readiness checker.

Eight quick questions. A score out of 100 and the two or three things to fix next. Built for UK SMBs bidding on public sector contracts.

How this is calculated

A weighted score across eight factors that map to how UK public sector buyers actually evaluate suppliers.

  • · Company size and revenue are weighted lightly. Below-threshold contracts have no size requirement at all, and most frameworks have SMB-friendly lots.
  • · Past public sector wins are the highest-weighted factor at up to 28 points. Buyers weight relevant experience heavily in evaluation; the checker mirrors that.
  • · Hours available per week for bid writing is the second-highest factor at up to 16 points. The most common reason UK SMBs lose is missing deadlines, not failing on quality.
  • · Sector-relevant certifications (ISO, Cyber Essentials Plus) add up to 12 points, applied conditionally on the sector: software / professional services / healthcare value Cyber Essentials Plus, construction / facilities value ISO 9001.
  • · Sector-tailored case studies add 6 points. Generic case studies score badly in evaluation; tailored ones are a leading indicator of evaluation performance.
  • · No personal data is stored. Your answers are processed in your browser and the score is computed locally.

Common questions

What does the score actually measure?

Your likelihood of being short-listed on UK public sector tenders today, given your size, sector, certifications, track record and bid-writing capacity. It does not predict whether you will win a specific contract.

Why are past wins weighted so heavily?

Most UK public sector buyers explicitly score "past performance" or "relevant experience" in their evaluation criteria. Two prior wins in your sector typically beat a perfect response without them. The checker reflects how buyers actually score, not how they say they score.

I am a sole trader. Can I still bid?

Yes. Quick Quote on Public Contracts Scotland and below-threshold work on Sell2Wales are routinely awarded to sole traders. Your score will be lower in this tool because most central-government frameworks effectively require a small team, but that is one slice of the market.

Do I need ISO 9001 to win public sector work?

Not always. ISO 9001 is required for most construction, facilities and large-scale services frameworks. It is optional but helpful for software, consulting and creative services. The checker only flags it as a gap when your sector typically requires it.

How does Bidwell change my readiness?

Bidwell does not change your underlying readiness (certifications, size, track record). It does collapse the bid-writing time from roughly thirty hours per response to under one, which moves you from "no capacity" to "bidding regularly" without hiring.