From Quote to Contract: How Tender Writing Services Work for You

For many businesses, winning work through tenders begins with a simple search: “tender writing quote.” It’s the first step towards exploring how expert support can turn a stressful process into a competitive advantage. But tender writing is more than filling in forms. It’s about strategy, compliance, and presenting your business in the best possible way.

This article explains what tender writing is, how professional services work, what to expect when you request a quote, and how the journey ends not with a submission, but with new contracts.

What is Tender Writing?

Tender writing is the process of preparing a response to a public or private sector buyer’s request for a contract. These documents, often called PQQs, SQs, or ITTs, are scored against specific criteria.

Tender writing requires:

• Understanding the buyer’s priorities and scoring system.

• Presenting evidence and examples that demonstrate capability.

• Producing well-structured, persuasive responses.

• Ensuring full compliance with formatting and submission rules.

Businesses that treat tender writing as a box-ticking exercise often find they miss out on contracts. A professional approach, whether in-house or outsourced, ensures that every answer is aligned to what the buyer wants to see.

What are Tender Writing Services?

A tender writing service provides businesses with professional writers who understand procurement and evaluation. The service usually covers:

• Reviewing tender documents and creating a response plan.

• Drafting high-quality responses, drawing out your strengths.

• Managing supporting documents such as policies and case studies.

• Ensuring the submission is compliant and delivered on time.

This type of service is used by companies of all sizes, from SMEs to large organisations, who either don’t have the time or in-house skills to manage the process effectively.

Client Experiences: From Quote to Contract

Thornton & Lowe has supported businesses across the UK with a success rate of over 75%. Here’s what some of our clients have said:

“We were delighted to receive the news that we have successfully secured a place on the framework, scoring 100/100 across the board on quality. We found working with the team at Thornton & Lowe to be excellent - their patience, attention to detail and professionalism throughout the entire process was greatly appreciated.”
- Cantium Business Solutions

Also see our google reviews, testimonials, reviews.io and our case studies.

Where Can You Find Tender Writing Services?

If you are looking for tender writing services in the UK, Thornton & Lowe offers full bid writing services as well as tailored support such as bid mentoring, training, and freelance bid writers.

For those who prefer to build in-house capability, our bid writing ultimate guide and training services provide a solid foundation. Many clients also combine in-house efforts with external support, giving them the best of both worlds.

How Does a Tender Writing Company Work for You?

Working on a single, one-off tender is certainly part of what we do. Many clients request a tender writing quote for one submission, where we scope out the work, draft responses, and ensure a compliant, persuasive bid. This can be a cost-effective way to outsource when an opportunity is too important to risk.

However, for most clients tendering isn’t about just one contract - it’s about building a pipeline of wins to fuel growth. This is where tender writing becomes more than a service; it becomes a solution for lead generation and long-term sales.

That’s why we developed the Bid Success Programme, a 12-month partnership that provides you with a consistent, outsourced bid writing team. Acting as part of your sales function, our writers and bid managers give you both capacity and expertise. With this approach, businesses scale their tendering capability, improve win rates, and embed a long-term bidding strategy.

Here’s how the two models compare:

This ability to scale tendering is what sets apart businesses who only occasionally bid from those who make tenders a core route to market.

Why Choose Professional Bid Writing Services?

Bid writing services don’t just save time. They improve results. Professional writers bring experience across sectors, from construction to healthcare, and know what evaluators are looking for.

They provide:

• A structured and consistent approach.
• Higher quality responses that reflect buyer needs.
• Time savings, allowing your team to stay focused on delivery.
• Long-term benefits, with content that can be reused and improved for future tenders.

When contracts can be worth thousands or even millions, investing in professional support quickly pays for itself.

Bid & Tender Writing Case Studies

Danfo UK - high volume FM bids - working efficiently and maximising ROI

Danfo, specialists in modular public toilet buildings, had been writing their own bids for years but found it increasingly difficult to keep up with changing quality criteria. They explored hiring a bid writer directly but realised this wouldn’t provide flexibility.

Instead, they turned to Thornton & Lowe’s Bid Success Programme - an outsourced model that gave them access to a scalable bid team when needed. With support from Maria and the wider team, Danfo built up a knowledge bank of template responses, speeding up their ability to respond to new opportunities.

They also adopted our Search & Selection service, which tracks and filters opportunities, reducing internal admin. Today, they work on 7–8 bids each year with Thornton & Lowe and have seen a marked improvement in quality, speed, and overall results.

“Thornton & Lowe have always been on hand to deal with our requests quickly and efficiently. Having a large bank of material to reference is also a huge benefit, it allows us to respond to opportunities extremely quickly.”
- Jon Mills, Operations Manager, Danfo UK

Sapphire Utility Solutions - high value and complex bids

Sapphire Utility Solutions (SUS), a leading provider of utility infrastructure services, needed a partner who could match their ambition. After initial project-based work, they adopted a strategic partnership model with Thornton & Lowe, fully outsourcing their bid management team.

This approach went beyond writing; we became an extension of their internal team. Our consultants worked alongside their staff to build templates, redesign documents, and deliver consistent, high-quality bids.

The results speak for themselves: over £100m+ in new projects secured in 2020/21, with further opportunities in the pipeline. By outsourcing bid administration and opportunity tracking to our Search & Selection service, SUS freed their internal team to focus on growth and delivery.

“We have been working with Thornton & Lowe as our strategic Work Winning partner for over 12 months and working in partnership we have secured numerous new contracts, which will see our turnover double. This success would not have been possible without the skills and dedication of the whole Thornton & Lowe team.”
- Ralph Powell, Business Development Director, SUS

FAQs

What is tender writing?
Tender writing is the process of preparing and submitting a formal bid to win a contract. It involves responding to specific buyer questions and providing evidence of capability, experience, and value.

What is tender writing services?
Tender writing services provide expert support in managing and completing tenders. This includes strategy, drafting, reviewing, and submission.

How does a tender writing company work for you?
A tender writing company can support on one-off projects with a simple quote, or scale up through longer-term programmes like our Bid Success Programme. This gives clients a dedicated outsourced bid team, acting as part of their sales function, and driving growth through consistent tender wins.

Where can I find tender writing services in the UK?
Thornton & Lowe is one of the UK’s leading providers of tender and bid writing services, with a proven track record of helping businesses win contracts across sectors.

Do bid writing services really improve win rates?
Yes. Thornton & Lowe has an average success rate of over 75%, reflecting the value of professional writing and bid management expertise.

From Quote to Contract: The Outcome

The journey from requesting a quote to winning a contract shows why expertise matters. A clear proposal sets expectations. The service itself provides structure and compliance. And the result is not simply a submitted bid, but new contracts and long-term growth.

Whether you need one-off support, ongoing bid management, or freelance writers, the right approach to tender writing turns opportunities into results. For more detail, explore our bid writing services or visit Thornton & Lowe to see how we can help.