How Much Does Bid Writing Cost in the UK?

1. Typical UK bid writing prices in 2026

As a broad guide, a professional bid review starts from around £950, a single tender response typically runs from £2,000 to £8,000 depending on complexity, and a major framework application such as CWAS3 starts from around £10,000. Retained and programme arrangements are priced against the volume and cadence of work.

These are indicative ranges. The right number for your tender depends on the factors below, which is why a fixed fee should be quoted against your specific opportunity, not a generic day rate.

• Bid review or QA: from around £950
• Single tender response: typically £2,000 to £8,000
• Framework application (e.g. CWAS3): from around £10,000
• Retained or programme support: priced to volume and cadence

2. What drives the fee

• The number and word count of quality questions
• Whether pricing, method statements and social value are in scope
• The complexity of the framework or contract and its lot structure
• How much usable material you already have versus writing from scratch
• The deadline, and whether urgent, out-of-hours mobilisation is needed
• Portal management and submission on your behalf

3. Fixed fee versus day rate

Day rates make the final cost unpredictable and can penalise you if the work takes longer than expected. A fixed fee quoted against a defined scope protects you: the price is agreed before work starts, and the risk of overrun sits with the consultancy, not you. Always ask for a fixed fee and a clear scope.

4. Judging return on investment

The right way to judge a bid writing fee is against the value of the contract and your probability of winning. A £4,000 fee on a £400,000 contract is one per cent of first-year value, and if expert support lifts your win probability materially, the expected return is straightforward to justify.

For example, if a strong bid moves your win chance from 15 per cent to 60 per cent on that contract, the expected value of the improvement is far larger than the fee. That is the calculation to run, not the fee in isolation.

5. What good value looks like

• Transparent, fixed pricing quoted up front against your tender
• A defined scope so you know exactly what is included
• Experienced writers, ideally named, working to the scoring criteria
• A track record and win rate the consultancy can evidence
• Honest advice on whether a bid is worth pursuing at all