The verdict in three sentences
For a fit-out and finishing SME bidding for 60 tenders a year, the technical proposal takes 1 to 3 days of writing each time, up to 180 days of the director's or project manager's time. A custom AI tool, fed with your project references, product data sheets and past bids, costs 10,000 to 25,000 EUR plus 30 to 200 EUR a month and cuts that time by 40 to 60%. Human review remains mandatory: the AI produces a first draft aligned with the tender documents, you bring the site knowledge that wins the marks.
Where the hours of a technical proposal go
In UK public works procurement under the Procurement Act 2023, quality often weighs 40 to 60% of the final score. The proposal must answer each question in the invitation to tender and the specification. The figures below are a 2026 order of magnitude for a drylining, joinery or decorating package.
| Proposal step | Time without AI | Time with a custom AI tool | Human role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Analysing the ITT and specification | 2 to 4 h | 30 to 45 min (summary and criteria grid) | Check criteria and weightings |
| Company profile and resources | 1 to 2 h | 10 to 15 min (reused and updated block) | Update headcount and plant |
| Method statement for the package | 4 to 8 h | 1.5 to 3 h | Adapt to the site, phasing, constraints |
| Similar project references | 1 to 2 h | 15 to 20 min (automatic selection) | Pick the 3 most relevant |
| Product data sheets | 1 to 3 h | 20 to 30 min | Check product references |
| Programme, health and safety, environment | 2 to 4 h | 45 min to 1.5 h | Validate the real programme |
| Layout and final review | 1 to 2 h | 1 h | Full review mandatory |
On average, a proposal that took 16 hours now takes 7 to 9 with the tool, and quality becomes more consistent from one bid to the next.
Generic tool or custom AI tool: 2026 costs
| Option | Upfront cost | Recurring cost | What it can do | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer AI assistant | 0 EUR | 20 to 30 EUR per user per month | Write generic text | Knows neither your projects nor your references |
| Bid management SaaS | 0 to 2,000 EUR | 150 to 600 EUR a month | Tender alerts, submission, content library | AI rarely grounded in your documents |
| Custom AI tool (London agency) | 10,000 to 25,000 EUR | 30 to 200 EUR a month in usage | First draft grounded in your internal references | Needs a clean document base |
| Kolonell, medium to complex application | 6,100 to 22,870 EUR (4,000,000 to 15,000,000 FCFA) | 30 to 200 EUR usage and 50 to 180 EUR monthly maintenance | Same scope, code ownership | Meetings by video call |
| Freelance bid writer | 0 EUR | 450 to 1,000 EUR per proposal | Full writing | Expensive at 60 bids a year |
The value of a custom tool comes from its document base: 20 to 40 past proposals, completion certificates and client references, product sheets and safety procedures. Scoping is mostly about sorting and structuring these documents.
Rules that make the tool reliable
- Cited sources: each generated paragraph shows the internal document it used.
- No invention: the tool flags points without a source instead of filling them in.
- Confidential data: UK or EU hosting, no reuse to train a public model.
- Human sign-off: editable Word export, never automatic submission.
Mini case study
Illustrative persona: Daniel, director of a drylining and interior joinery company in London, 25 staff, 60 tenders a year, 16 hours per proposal on average. The tool brings that down to 8 hours: 480 hours saved a year. At 55 EUR per loaded hour, that is 26,400 EUR. For an 18,000 EUR project and 100 EUR of monthly usage, payback comes in under 9 months. If the freed time lets the firm answer 15 more tenders and win 2 worth 90,000 EUR at 12% margin, the extra gain reaches 21,600 EUR.
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FAQ
Can a public buyer reject a proposal written with AI?
The Procurement Act 2023 does not ban AI use, but a generic proposal scores poorly, and some buyers now ask suppliers to declare AI use. What counts is fit with the site, which only your team's review of 100% of the document guarantees.
How long until the tool is live?
Plan 8 to 12 weeks: 3 weeks of collecting and sorting documents, 4 to 6 weeks of development, then 2 to 3 weeks of testing on live tenders.
Are our references and prices protected?
Yes if the tool uses a business API with no data reuse and UK or EU hosting. Access is named and logged, in line with UK GDPR.
What minimum volume makes it profitable?
From 25 to 30 bids a year with proposals over 10 hours each, the investment usually pays back in under 2 years.
Can the tool be used for private sector bids?
Yes, the same base feeds technical submissions for developers and main contractors, with an adapted template for 2 to 4 extra days of development.
Let's scope your project. Send us 3 past proposals, your annual bid volume and your main packages: we will price the AI tool with scope, indicative budget and go-live in 8 to 12 weeks. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
