Alternatives Guide · 2026

Thornton & Lowe Alternatives: 5 UK Bid Consultancies Worth Shortlisting

Thornton & Lowe is the volume leader in UK bid writing. If you are tendering once or twice a year on a high-stakes framework, or need senior eyes and a fixed fee, these alternatives deserve a look.

Why look at alternatives at all?

Thornton & Lowe describes itself as the largest bid writing consultancy in the UK, with around 40 bid staff and 600+ tender projects a year. For an outsourced, always-on bid function, scale like that is exactly what you want. But scale is not the only buying criterion. If your situation is one critical framework application, a deadline inside two weeks, or a strong preference for senior people doing the writing, a different shape of firm may fit better.

The five alternatives

1. Glaxtons Consulting

Boutique London consultancy specialising in CCS and construction frameworks: RM6320 CWAS3, Pagabo, G-Cloud and NHS procurement routes. Directors lead every flagship engagement. Published 93% success rate across 500+ submissions 2022-2025 and 100% on Pagabo and G-Cloud applications. Fixed fees from £950, urgent 24-72 hour turnaround with 24/7 cover. Best for: high-stakes framework bids and urgent deadlines.

2. Executive Compass

Operating since 2009 with 7,000+ submissions and a published 87.4% success rate. One of the longest track records in the market, across all industries. Best for: buyers who weight institutional longevity and breadth.

3. Kittle Group

Supporting clients since 2014, reporting 46 clients winning £1.6bn in combined contract value in its latest published year. Best for: mid-size organisations wanting an established generalist.

4. Bid Solutions

A bid and proposal specialist covering consultancy, recruitment and training, and a publisher of UK bid industry benchmarks. Best for: building internal bid capability alongside outsourced support.

5. Complete Tenders

Senior tender writing consultants across public and private sectors. Best for: straightforward tender writing support at SME scale.

How to shortlist

  1. Match the firm's shape to your bidding pattern: volume function or single critical bid.
  2. Ask how the success rate is measured: period, sample size, and what counts as a win.
  3. Ask who exactly does the writing and what they have won in your sector.
  4. Get the fee fixed in writing before work starts.

Related comparisons

Talk it through before you decide.

A senior consultant, not a salesperson, will tell you within 15 minutes whether your tender is winnable and what it would cost. If we do not think you should bid, we will say so.

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Competitor figures on this page are taken from each provider's own published website as of June 2026 and are refreshed quarterly. Verify directly before relying on them. Last reviewed: 12 June 2026.