Tender Pricing and Bid Support
Tender pricing and bid support
From the drawing pack to the submitted bill
A priced bill, the preliminaries, the qualifications and the query register.
Checked against the specification before it goes out.
Priced to your bill - your rates or ours, in your own format
Twenty years pricing tenders - UK, Australia and Poland
Assumptions listed, not buried - every qualification written down
Where subcontract tenders come unstuck
Before anyone looks at your price
A return can be set aside before the price is opened at all. The usual causes are the dull ones: a missing form, a qualification that reads as a departure from the specification, a rate against an item the bill did not ask for, or a quantity that does not tie back to the drawing revision the main contractor issued.
None of that is about how sharp your rates are. It is about whether the return is complete and internally consistent on the day it lands.
Quantities are measured to the drawings and the specification you send. Where the information is incomplete we list the assumption rather than absorb it.
Price is not the only thing being scored
Public frameworks and most main contractor selection panels weight quality alongside price - methodology, programme, resource and risk all carry marks. The exact split is set out in the tender documents for every job, and it is worth reading before you decide where to spend your effort.
What that means for the return
The parts of a bid that are easiest to skip - the method statement, the programme, the schedule of qualifications - are often the parts carrying marks. A bill that is priced but unqualified leaves those marks on the table, and leaves you carrying scope you never agreed.
What tender pricing covers
Unlike ad-hoc bid support, we provide a systematic approach that addresses every factor affecting your win rate - from opportunity selection through to final account recovery.
Intelligence
Pre-Bid Strategy
Stop wasting time on unwinnable jobs. Our Go/No-Go framework helps you focus resources on the 5 tenders you can win, not the 20 you’ll lose.
- Opportunity analysis
- Competitor assessment
- Win probability scoring
- Strategic bid selection
Documentation
Winning Submissions
Professional tender packages that stand out from generic submissions. We bring UK/Australian standards to every bid - methodology, risk management, and compelling narratives.
- Accurate cost estimation
- Technical methodology
- 4D/5D BIM visualizations
- Compliance management
Protection
Contract Safeguards
Don’t sign away your profit. We identify onerous clauses, protect variation rights, and ensure your contract terms support margin retention.
- Contract review
- Risk clause identification
- Negotiation support
- Terms optimisation
Recovery
Project Value
Get paid for all your work. Systematic variation documentation and final account management typically recovers 20-30% additional revenue.
- Variation management
- Claims preparation
- Final account support
- Dispute resolution
Complete end-to-end support from opportunity identification through final payment.
Working from the model where there is one
Where the job comes with a federated model, we take quantities from it and check them against the drawings. Where it does not - which is still most subcontract packages - we measure from the 2D set. Either way the bill you get back is in your format and the assumptions are listed.
What We Bring to Your Tenders
Depending on what the job needs and what information the main contractor has issued, a submission can include:
5D cost models - measured quantities linked to the rates you price at
4D construction sequences - the method statement shown against the programme
Clash detection reports - coordination problems raised as tender queries, not absorbed
BIM execution plans - deliverables structured to ISO 19650
BREEAM and ESG cost lines - where the specification calls for them
Why this matters
Most subcontract packages still go out as a 2D set with a written specification. If you can show a main contractor how you intend to sequence and coordinate the work, and price it against quantities that tie back to their drawing revision, you are answering a question the other returns often leave open.
Methodology carries marks
The weighting given to technical methodology is set out in the tender documents for each job, and it is rarely nothing. A drawn sequence says more about how you will run the work than a paragraph does - how you phase it, how you get materials in, and where you need the preceding trade finished.
Who We Work With
We price tenders for contractors and subcontractors in the UK, Australia and Poland.
Mid-Tier Contractors
£5M-£100M turnover seeking to compete with major contractors on technical merit rather than just price.
Specialist Trade Contractors
Drylining, facades, fire protection, steelwork, MEP - trades where methodology and specialist knowledge matter.
International Contractors
Entering UK, EU, or Australian markets and needing local expertise, standards compliance, and market understanding.
Growth-Focused Firms
Currently winning less than 20% of bids and seeking to improve to 30-40%+ through systematic improvement.
Framework Aspirants
Seeking first entry to major frameworks where professional applications are essential for success.
Private Sector Specialists
Targeting logistics developers, data center operators, and blue-chip clients requiring BREEAM credentials.
David vs Goliath Specialists
Helping smaller contractors beat Tier 1 competitors through superior tender strategy, not lower prices.
Service Packages
Tender Rescue
For Critical Submissions
When you have a must-win tender that needs professional review and improvement before deadline.
48-hour compliance audit
Pricing verification
Methodology improvement
Evidence strengthening
Turnaround: 5-7 days
Complete Tender Service
Full Tender Management
End-to-end support from tender receipt to submission - our most popular service for major opportunities.
Intelligence & strategy
Full documentation
BIM-integrated pricing
4D methodology visuals
Negotiation support
Fee: priced per package, quoted before we start
Success Partnership
Ongoing Support
For contractors seeking consistent tender support across multiple opportunities throughout the year.
5 tenders/month capacity
Priority response
Team training included
Strategic planning support
Fee: agreed per package, quoted before we start
What it costs
Priced per package, quoted before we start. No hourly billing and no fee for scope we did not agree.
The fee depends on the size of the drawing set, the number of trade bills, and how much of the pricing you want us to carry. We read the pack first and quote a fixed figure before any work starts, so you know the cost against the value of the tender before you commit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How is this different from traditional bid writing services?
A: Most bid writers focus on documents. We provide a complete system: strategic bid selection, BIM-integrated cost accuracy, methodology development, contract protection, and variation recovery. We’re not just helping you submit - we’re helping you win and profit.
Q: What win rate improvement can I realistically expect?
A: We do not publish a win rate. The outcome of a tender turns on your price, your programme and your relationship with the client, not on who typed the bill. What we can tell you is what leaves here: a bill priced against the specification, with the qualifications and the tender queries written down rather than buried.
Q: Do you work with smaller contractors and SMEs?
A: Absolutely. Many small/medium contractors lack in-house bid teams but need professional submissions to compete. We scale our services to match needs and budget. We’re experienced at making smaller firms appear as professional as major contractors.
Q: How quickly can you turn around a tender?
A: Ideally 3-4 weeks for comprehensive tender. For urgent opportunities, we handle 10-14 day deadlines. For extremely tight deadlines (7 days or less), we provide targeted support on specific elements. See our full bid process →
Q: What markets do you cover?
A: The UK, Australia and Poland. We measure to NRM2 or SMM7 in the UK, AS 4000 and AS 3700 in Australia, and KNR/KNNR for a Polish kosztorys. Tell us which your bill is written to.
Q: Can you help with framework applications?
A: Yes - frameworks require different approaches, demonstrating consistent capability and capacity rather than project-specific solutions. We’ve successfully supported applications to major frameworks. See framework services →
Send us the drawings for your next tender
Send us the drawings for your next tender
Send the pack and your return date. We come back within one working day with the scope we would measure, a fixed fee and a delivery date.
Send the pack
Drawings, specification, tender bill and your return date
Scope, fee and date
Back within one working day, fixed before we start
Priced bill in your format
With the qualifications and tender queries listed
Priced to your bill format, not ours
Qualifications and tender queries written down
20 Years International Experience
Need Bid Writing Support Now?
For immediate tender support, see our complete Bid Writing & Management Services.
Contact: info@bimtakeoff.com | +44 (0) 20 3239 9967