6 Best Thornton & Lowe Alternatives (2026 Top Picks)

The best Thornton & Lowe alternatives in 2026 are Executive Compass for outsourced bid writing with training, a soft FM specialist at #2 for cleaning and security contractors, and AI Tender Writer as an AI alternative to hiring for SMEs in any sector. Bid Solutions, Hudson Succeed and Complete Tenders complete the list. Frankly, if you bid more than a few times a month, try the AI option before you sign another agency quote.

Thornton & Lowe is one of the better-known UK bid writing firms, and plenty of clients stay with it. People look for Thornton & Lowe alternatives for practical reasons: they want a second quote, they want a specialist in their sector, or their budget doesn't stretch to an agency for every bid.

Thornton & Lowe at a glance¶

Thornton & Lowe offers outsourced bid writing, bid management, bid reviews, training, a Bid Mentor service and a Bid Success Programme for SMEs. Its writers are directly employed rather than drawn from a freelance pool, and it works across sectors from construction to healthcare. On its website it states an 81% win rate and client retention above 90%. Those are its own figures, not independently audited ones.

Pricing for full bid writing isn't published. You get a quote based on the tender and the support you need, although its site lists bid reviews from £450. Thornton & Lowe is now part of the Procurement Growth Group alongside Executive Compass. It suits firms bidding for mid to high-value contracts and frameworks who want a managed service.

The common reasons buyers compare Thornton & Lowe with other options are:

• A genuine second quote. Executive Compass is now in the same group, so some buyers look further for an independent comparison.
• Budget. Agency fees make sense on large contracts but are hard to justify on a £50,000 council tender.
• Sector depth. Specialist contractors sometimes want a writer who already knows their trade standards.
• Speed. Short clarification windows and tight deadlines don't always leave time to brief an agency.
• Building in-house skill. Some firms would rather write their own bids with better tools than outsource every time.

How we picked these Thornton & Lowe alternatives¶

We compared each option as a replacement for Thornton & Lowe from the point of view of a UK SME bidding for public-sector work. Our criteria were:

• Quality of written responses against published evaluation criteria.
• Range of support: full writing, reviews, bid management and training.
• Experience with the Procurement Act 2023, the Central Digital Platform and PPN 002 social value.
• Cost relative to the value of the contracts you bid for.
• Speed and availability when a deadline is close.
• Independence from Thornton & Lowe, so you get a real comparison.

We haven't used review-site star ratings, and we don't repeat any firm's win-rate claims as fact. Where fees aren't published, we say so.

1. Executive Compass: Best for bid writing plus training¶

Executive Compass pricing

When to choose Executive Compass

• You want a fixed-fee quote before committing.
• You want your own staff trained alongside outsourcing.
• You bid across several public-sector service areas.

Where Executive Compass falls short

• Now in the same group as Thornton & Lowe, so it's less of an independent quote.
• Fees aren't published.
• Agency lead times still apply on urgent bids.

2. CleanTender: Best for soft FM contractors bidding without an agency¶

CleanTender pricing

When to choose CleanTender

• You bid for cleaning, security, grounds, waste or catering contracts.
• You submit more bids than you could afford to outsource.
• Someone in-house can review and finish the drafts.

Where CleanTender falls short

• Not built for works, IT or professional services tenders.
• No human strategy, interviews or presentation coaching.
• Drafts need your real evidence to score well.

3. AI Tender Writer: Best for SMEs that want an AI alternative to hiring¶

AI Tender Writer pricing

When to choose AI Tender Writer

• You bid on several tenders a month and fees are adding up.
• You have someone who can review drafts but not write from scratch.
• You want tender finding and writing in one place.

Where AI Tender Writer falls short

• No human strategy calls, clarification handling or presentation coaching.
• Large multi-lot frameworks still benefit from an experienced bid manager.
• UK public sector only.

4. Bid Solutions: Best for strategic bid consultancy and training¶

Bid Solutions pricing

When to choose Bid Solutions

• You're building an in-house bid team.
• You want help with capture planning well before the tender.
• You want a quote from outside the Procurement Growth Group.

Where Bid Solutions falls short

• Fees aren't published.
• Heavier than a small firm needs for one bid.
• No software for finding tenders.

5. Hudson Succeed: Best for larger and complex bids¶

Hudson Succeed pricing

When to choose Hudson Succeed

• You're bidding for a large or multi-stage contract.
• You want a team to run the whole bid.
• You need private and public sector experience.

Where Hudson Succeed falls short

• Fees aren't published.
• Overkill for short, low-value quotes.
• No tender finding tool.

6. Complete Tenders: Best for small firms with no in-house bid team¶

Complete Tenders pricing

When to choose Complete Tenders

• You're a small firm with nobody in-house who writes bids.
• You want help finding tenders as well as writing them.
• You want a quote from outside the Procurement Growth Group.

Where Complete Tenders falls short

• Fees aren't published.
• Agency lead times apply on tight deadlines.
• No software for scoring tenders yourself.

Agency or AI: which Thornton & Lowe alternative do you need?¶

Use an agency when the contract is big enough that a few extra quality marks change your year. Use AI software when you bid often, the contracts are smaller, and you have someone in-house who can check a draft. Most growing SMEs end up doing both: an agency for the one framework that matters, and software for everything else.

What most people get wrong here is the maths. They compare one agency fee with one month of software. Compare a year of bidding instead. Count your bids, multiply by the typical quote, then set that against £1,490 a year for AI Tender Writer Pro, or the soft FM tool's Pro plan if you're a cleaning or security firm (see the pricing table). If the agency still wins on value for your big bids, keep it for those.

Be honest about quality, too. A good human writer brings judgement an AI draft won't: reading between the lines of a specification, knowing a buyer's history, coaching you for a presentation. AI brings speed and consistency, and it never runs out of capacity in a busy tender month. Pick the one that fixes your actual bottleneck.

Thornton & Lowe alternatives pricing compared¶

How to choose a Thornton & Lowe alternative¶

What to look for in a Thornton & Lowe alternative¶

• Evidence of your sector. Ask for anonymised examples in your trade, not only general win rates.
• Current procurement knowledge. The Procurement Act 2023 has been in force since 24 February 2025, and responses should reflect the Central Digital Platform and most advantageous tender evaluation.
• Social value capability. PPN 002 sets a minimum 10% weighting for social value in in-scope central government procurements.
• AI disclosure. PPN 017 lets buyers ask how you've used AI in your bid, so any writer or tool should support an honest answer.
• Independence. Executive Compass and Thornton & Lowe share an owner, so pick at least one quote from outside the group if you want a real comparison.
• Clear scope. A cheap quote that excludes the SQ, pricing schedule or clarifications isn't cheap.

The reality is that most SMEs don't need an agency for every bid. Use one for the contracts that could change your business, and handle the routine ones in-house with good tools and a solid evidence library.

Related guides: the best bid writers in the UK, bid writing services compared, freelance bid writers, tender consultants, how to write a winning bid. Free tools: bid cost calculator, bid answer grader and tender word counter.