Welcome to BidEngine
Your complete guide to winning more tenders in less time. This documentation covers every feature in detail.
Getting Started
Creating Your Account
Go to app.bidengine.co and click the "Get Started" button in the top right corner.
Fill in your email address and create a secure password. We recommend using your work email to keep bid evidence separate from personal projects.
Check your inbox for a verification email from BidEngine. Click the verification link to activate your account. Check your spam folder if you don't see it within 2 minutes.
Once verified, you'll be automatically signed in and redirected to your dashboard. Your unique client ID is created automatically.
Signing In
Visit app.bidengine.co and click "Sign In" in the top navigation.
Type your registered email address and password, then click "Continue".
After successful authentication, you'll be redirected to your personalised dashboard showing your BidVault, active tenders, and quick actions.
⚠️ Forgot your password? Click "Forgot Password" on the sign-in page to receive a reset link via email.
✅ Quick Start Checklist
Complete these steps in your first session:
- ✓Create your account and verify email
- ✓Upload at least 5 pieces of project evidence to BidVault
- ✓Upload your first tender document
- ✓Generate your first AI response
- ✓Review the score and run The Loop
Dashboard
Your command centre for managing bids. Everything starts here.
Dashboard Layout
When you sign in, you'll see three main navigation modules:
Your evidence library. Click to view all uploaded project evidence organised by category (Financials, Safety, Quality, etc.). Shows total evidence records and categories with data.
Your tender response builder. Click to access all active tenders, view questions, generate AI responses, and manage your bid submissions.
Advanced analytics and scoring insights. This module is currently in development.
Active Tenders Grid
Below the navigation modules, you'll see a grid of your active tenders (up to 9). Each tile shows:
- •Tender Name - The name you gave when uploading
- •Created Date - When the tender was uploaded
- •Average Score - Mean score across all questions (green ≥8, amber ≥6, red <6)
- •Question Count - Total number of extracted questions
- •Status Breakdown - Draft (amber), Review (blue), Final (green) counts
💡 Click any tender tile to open it directly in BidWrite and start working on responses.
Header Navigation
The top header bar contains:
- •BidEngine Logo - Click to return to dashboard from any page
- •About Link - Opens the BidEngine marketing site
- •Docs Link - Opens this documentation
- •Upload Button - Quick access to add evidence or tenders
- •Profile Icon - Manage account, change password, or sign out
BidVault
Your verified evidence library. Every case study, testimonial, and proof point — indexed and ready to deploy.
Evidence Categories
BidVault automatically categorises your uploaded evidence into 12 specialist categories:
Cost savings, budgets, value engineering, ROI data
Management structures, reporting, compliance frameworks
Community impact, apprenticeships, local employment
New methods, technology adoption, process improvements
QA processes, standards achieved, quality outcomes
H&S records, incident rates, safety initiatives
Carbon reduction, environmental initiatives, net zero
Team structures, CVs, qualifications, capacity
Testimonials, references, satisfaction scores
Subcontractor management, procurement, partnerships
Project timelines, milestones, delivery methodology
Issue resolution, lessons learned, corrective actions
Uploading Evidence to BidVault
From the BidVault page, you'll see a drag-and-drop upload zone at the top. Alternatively, use the Upload button in the header.
Drag files onto the upload zone, or click to browse. You can select multiple files at once. Supported formats: PDF, Word (.docx), Excel (.xlsx).
BidEngine extracts text, analyses content, and automatically categorises it. You'll see progress for each file.
Once complete, check the "Latest Uploads" section to verify your new records.
💡 Best Practice: Upload complete project documents with outcome data like costs saved, KPIs achieved, and client testimonials.
What Should I Upload?
Detailed project summaries with client name, scope, value, duration, and outcomes
Reference letters, feedback forms, satisfaction surveys
KPI reports, safety statistics, quality metrics, financial savings
ISO certificates, industry awards, accreditations
Previous successful bid responses (with client permission)
Key personnel qualifications and experience
How Evidence Powers Your Responses
When you generate a response in BidWrite, the AI searches your BidVault for relevant evidence:
- →Sector alignment - Finds projects in similar industries
- →Theme matching - Links safety evidence to safety questions
- →Scale relevance - Prioritises similar contract values and team sizes
- →Recency - Prefers recent projects over older ones
Important: The AI only uses evidence from YOUR BidVault. It never invents statistics or fabricates references.
BidWrite
Upload a tender, get evidence-backed responses in minutes.
BidWrite Interface
Dropdown showing all your tenders. The "+ New Tender" button uploads new tender documents.
Shows: Average Bid Score, Total Questions, Draft count, In Review count, Final count.
Questions grouped by section. Click headers to expand/collapse. Each section shows its average score.
Shows question number, text, current score, and "At Risk" flag if score <7. Click to open Answer Editor.
Downloads all responses as a Word document ready for submission.
Creating a New Tender
From BidWrite, click the blue "+ New Tender" button.
Type a clear name. Example: "NHS Foundation Trust FM Services Q1 2026"
Click the upload area or drag your tender document (PDF or Word).
BidEngine extracts questions (1-3 minutes). You'll see "Processing tender & extracting questions..."
Page refreshes showing your tender with extracted questions organised by section.
⚠️ Tip: For best extraction, upload the actual ITT or Method Statement document, not a summary.
Question Status Workflow
Each question has one of three statuses:
You manually update status in the Answer Editor as you work through your review process.
Answer Editor
The heart of BidWrite. Generate, edit, score, and perfect your responses.
Opening the Answer Editor
Click any question row in BidWrite to open the Answer Editor as a slide-out panel. The panel shows:
- •The full question text at the top
- •Word count guidance (if specified)
- •The response text area (editable)
- •Action buttons: Generate, Score, Loop, Save
- •Evaluation panel showing score breakdown
Generating an AI Response
BidEngine searches your BidVault for relevant evidence and crafts a response.
Takes 10-30 seconds. The AI analyses the question, searches evidence, and structures a response.
Generated response includes specific project references, statistics, and evidence from your BidVault.
Response is fully editable. Add your personal touch, correct inaccuracies, adjust tone.
Scoring Your Response
Evaluates response quality against procurement criteria.
Score out of 10 with colour coding: Green (8-10), Amber (6-7.9), Red (<6).
Includes: Compliance Check, Evidence Quality, Gap Analysis, and Top Improvements.
🔄 The Loop - Auto-Improvement
The Loop automatically improves your response through multiple iterations:
Triggers automatic improvement based on gap analysis.
BidEngine finds additional evidence, strengthens weak sections, regenerates (20-40 seconds).
Typically see 1-2 point improvement per iteration.
Run 2-3 times for maximum improvement. Most reach 8.5-9.5 after 2-3 iterations.
Saving Your Work
- •Click Save to store your response and close the editor
- •Responses persist across sessions
- •Update Status dropdown to move through workflow (Draft → Review → Final)
- •Click X to close without saving latest changes
BidScore
Evaluator-grade scoring. Understand exactly where your responses stand.
Understanding the Score Scale
Missing key elements, no evidence, off-topic
Basic answer but lacks evidence or specificity
Good answer with evidence, minor gaps
Excellent answer with verified proof and differentiation
What Gets Evaluated
Does it answer the question? Address all parts? Stay within word limits?
Specific project references? Named clients, dates, values? Verifiable statistics?
Structured approach? Clear processes, monitoring, continuous improvement?
What makes you better? Unique selling points, innovations, added value?
Gap Analysis
BidScore identifies specific gaps prioritised by impact:
Critical gaps that significantly hurt your score.
Important improvements that would strengthen the response.
Nice-to-have enhancements.
Upload Centre
Central hub for adding evidence and tender documents.
Upload Options
🏛️ BidVault Upload
For project evidence, case studies, testimonials. Files are categorised automatically.
✍️ BidWrite Upload
For tender documents. Questions extracted automatically. Requires tender name.
Supported File Formats
⚠️ Note: Scanned PDFs (image-based) may not extract text correctly. Use native PDF or Word.
Exporting
Download completed responses ready for submission.
Exporting to Word
Select the tender you want to export.
Click the Export button in the toolbar.
Choose which questions to include (All, Final only, etc.).
Word document (.docx) generated with question numbers, text, and responses.
Pro Tips
Build Your Vault First
Upload at least 20 pieces of evidence before your first tender.
Use Real Project Names
"Derbyshire County Council LED Programme" beats "Large lighting project".
Always Run The Loop
Run at least 2 Loop iterations on every response.
Check Gap Analysis
Review every MUST FIX flag before submitting.
Update After Wins
Won a contract? Upload the project details.
Review AI Outputs
Always verify facts and adjust tone before submission.
Target 8.5+ Scores
Responses scoring 8.5+ consistently win.
Include Testimonials
Client quotes add credibility.
Troubleshooting
Questions not extracting from tender
- • Ensure document is native PDF or Word (not scanned image)
- • Check questions are clearly numbered in document
- • Try uploading just the questions section
- • Contact support if issue persists
Evidence not appearing in responses
- • Wait 2-3 minutes after upload for processing
- • Check BidVault to confirm evidence was categorised
- • Ensure documents contain relevant text (not just images)
- • Re-generate response after confirming evidence is in vault
Slow response generation
- • Normal for complex questions with large libraries
- • Check internet connection
- • If fails, wait a moment and try again
- • Peak usage may cause slight delays
Cannot sign in
- • Use "Forgot Password" to reset credentials
- • Clear browser cache and cookies
- • Try different browser or incognito mode
- • Contact support@proofworks.co.uk
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to process a tender?▼
Most tenders process in 1-3 minutes. A 50-question tender takes about 2 minutes for extraction.
Can I edit AI-generated responses?▼
Yes, all responses are fully editable. We recommend reviewing and adding your personal touch.
Is my data secure?▼
Yes. All data encrypted at rest and in transit. Your evidence library is private to your account.
How accurate are AI responses?▼
BidEngine only uses YOUR evidence - never invents statistics. Always verify facts before submission.
What score should I aim for?▼
Target 8.5+ on all responses. Use The Loop to improve until reaching this threshold.
What types of tenders work best?▼
UK public sector, framework call-offs, method statement-based assessments. Optimised for FM, construction, highways, energy.
What if I need help?▼
Email support@proofworks.co.uk. We respond within 4 hours during UK business hours.