FAQ
Questions about TenderSeal, answered
What people ask us before they join, in their words. Each answer starts with the short version. Something missing? Ask us.
What is TenderSeal?
TenderSeal is AI bid writing software for small businesses that bid for public sector contracts. It reads a tender, tells you whether it's worth bidding, answers your questions about it in plain English, and drafts your response around how it's scored. It was built with bid writer Dr Simon Raybould.
Can I just use ChatGPT to write my tender?
You can, but general AI isn't built for tenders. ChatGPT fills gaps with things that sound right, and doesn't know how a tender is put together or scored. TenderSeal works from your tender and your documents, shows the page behind each answer, writes to the scorecard, and keeps to the word limits and format.
What's the difference from Claude or my own AI agent?
TenderSeal comes set up for tenders, so there's nothing to build or prompt. You upload the tender and your company documents; it reads the whole pack, checks eligibility, cites its sources and drafts to the scoring. Our advisor had been training his own AI assistant for a long time, and said TenderSeal was “as good as” it.
How does TenderSeal know if a tender is worth bidding for?
It compares the tender's requirements with your company profile and documents. You get a go/no-go recommendation, the must-haves you already meet, and the gaps to close. It only knows what you upload, so add your certificates and policies. Our advisor tested it on four past tenders: every time, it came within “a gnat's whisker” of his own call.
Does Go/No-Go know about my company?
Only what you upload. Go/No-Go reads your company profile and the documents you give it, such as certificates, policies, accounts and past bids. If something isn't in them, it can't count it, so a certificate you hold may show as a gap until you add it. Tell it about your business once, and every tender after that starts from it.
Is it accurate?
It shows its sources, so you can check. Answers and key facts carry a chip that opens the page they came from. AI can make mistakes, so check anything that matters before you submit. On one tender, a tester found it had missed a turnover requirement; when she asked, Ask found it straight away and pointed her to the page.
Will TenderSeal write the whole bid for me?
It writes the first draft, and you finish it. TenderSeal does the reading and the heavy writing, based on the tender and your company profile. You add what only you know, check it, and submit. Dr Simon Raybould got to a first draft in about an hour instead of days, then edited it for style.
Does it look AI-written?
It reads as a structured first draft, and you should make it sound like you. Its strengths are structure and completeness: it follows the scoring and flags what's missing. Our advisor still edits drafts into his own voice. Select any passage and ask the assistant to rewrite, shorten or strengthen it, then accept or reject each change.
Can I use AI to write a tender?
Usually, but check each tender's rules first. Some contracts now ask whether AI was used to write any part of the bid, and you should answer honestly. With TenderSeal you stay the author: it drafts, and you review, edit and decide what goes in. If a tender doesn't allow AI-written content, write that bid yourself.
How much does it cost, and does it renew?
During the beta, TenderSeal costs £99 for 3 months, with unlimited tenders. It renews every 3 months until you cancel. Cancel any time from the Billing page; your plan runs to the end of the period you've paid for. There are 10 beta places left, and every place includes an onboarding call with our team.
Is it safe to upload my tender documents?
Yes. Your files are encrypted and stored in the UK and the Netherlands. The AI models that draft your response run in the US under a data processing agreement and never train on your documents. Our privacy policy sets out who handles your data, where and why.
How long does it take to set up?
About half an hour of your time. Applying takes 2 minutes, and the onboarding call takes 15–30 minutes: we show you TenderSeal on a sample tender and set up your account. Then you upload your company documents once, add your first tender, and start.
Which languages and countries does TenderSeal work for?
TenderSeal works in 11 languages: English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Polish, Romanian, Dutch, Greek, Hungarian and Portuguese. It's built for small businesses bidding for UK and EU public sector tenders, including Ireland, and testers have used it in the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands.
Who is TenderSeal for?
Small businesses in any sector, from freelancers to teams of around 100 people, that bid without a dedicated bid team. Our beta users bid in every sector, for example engineering, construction, leadership training and development, consultancy and software. Whether it's your first tender or your fifth this year, you don't need bidding experience.
Can TenderSeal find tenders for me?
Not yet. Tender finding is coming soon. For now, TenderSeal works on tenders you've already found, for example on Find a Tender, Contracts Finder or eTenders. Upload the tender's documents and it does the reading, the go/no-go and the first draft from there.
Do I need a call before I join?
Yes, during the beta. Every new user has a 15–30 minute onboarding call, where we show you TenderSeal on a sample tender and set up your account. Then you upload your own tender and start. You book the call when you apply.
Still wondering?
See how it works, how it compares and what it costs, or book a call and email jim@tenderseal.com.