9 Best RFP Writers & RFP Writing Services in 2026

Shipley Associates is the best-known RFP writing service for large and complex proposals, backed by a proposal methodology used worldwide. It's not cheap, though, and smaller firms often get better value elsewhere. Every option below, from consultancies to AI tools and freelance marketplaces, is compared on pricing, fit and limitations.

An RFP writer produces your response to a request for proposal: the document or portal submission in which a buyer asks suppliers to explain how they would deliver a service, at what price and with what evidence. In the UK public sector the same thing is usually called a tender or invitation to tender, while "RFP" is more common in private-sector procurement and in the US. The skills are the same: reading the requirement closely, building a compliant structure, writing persuasive, evidenced answers and hitting the deadline.

This guide compares nine RFP writing services. It includes international proposal consultancies, UK specialists, freelance marketplaces and two AI tools that give SMEs much of the benefit of an RFP writer for a fixed monthly price. We then cover what good RFP response writing looks like, how to brief an RFP writer, and when a human writer is clearly the better choice.

How we evaluated RFP writing services¶

• Writing quality: evidence-led, compliant, buyer-focused responses rather than generic marketing copy.
• Process: requirement analysis, compliance matrices, reviews and a clear timetable.
• Market fit: experience with the buyers you target, whether UK public sector, US federal or private enterprise.
• Credentials: recognised methodology, APMP certification and senior writers.
• Flexibility: single RFPs, surge support, retained writing or training.
• Accessibility for SMEs: engagement size, cost transparency and alternatives when a consultancy is too much.

1. Shipley Associates: Best for large, complex and high-value proposals¶

Shipley Associates pricing

When to choose Shipley Associates

• You have a large, complex, high-value proposal and want an established methodology behind it.
• You want capture and sales strategy as well as writing and editing.
• You want your team trained in a recognised proposal process.

Where Shipley Associates falls short

• Prices are not published.
• Best suited to larger organisations and bids.
• More than a small SME needs for routine RFPs.

2. CleanTender: Best for NHS cleaning bids and soft FM RFPs¶

CleanTender pricing

When to choose CleanTender

• You are a cleaning, security, grounds, waste or catering contractor who cannot justify an RFP writer on every bid.
• You want method statements, staffing, TUPE and mobilisation answers drafted from your evidence.
• You bid for NHS cleaning contracts.

Where CleanTender falls short

• Soft FM only.
• No human strategist or editor.
• You own the final edit, pricing and submission.

3. AI Tender Writer: Best for SMEs who can't justify agency fees¶

AI Tender Writer pricing

When to choose AI Tender Writer

• You are an SME that cannot justify agency fees on every RFP or tender.
• You want full responses drafted from your own evidence and exported to Word.
• You also want UK public sector opportunities found and fit-scored.

Where AI Tender Writer falls short

• UK public sector focus: not built for private-sector RFP libraries at enterprise scale.
• No interviews or win strategy from a human writer.
• You own the final edit and pricing.

4. Strategic Proposals: Best for RFP strategy and writing¶

Strategic Proposals pricing

When to choose Strategic Proposals

• You want strategy, writing, design and expert review on UK or international RFPs.
• You need presentation support after shortlisting.
• You want APMP-certified senior consultants.

Where Strategic Proposals falls short

• Prices are not published.
• Best value on larger bids.

5. Lohfeld Consulting: Best for US federal government RFPs¶

Lohfeld Consulting pricing

When to choose Lohfeld Consulting

• You bid for US federal government contracts.
• You want proposal management, writing, graphics and coaching from one firm.

Where Lohfeld Consulting falls short

• US federal focus, so less relevant to UK public tenders.
• Prices are not published.

6. OST Global Solutions: Best for US federal capture and proposal support¶

OST Global Solutions pricing

When to choose OST Global Solutions

• You need capture and proposal support in the US federal market.
• You want writers who build section plans with your subject matter experts.

Where OST Global Solutions falls short

• US federal focus.
• Prices are not published.

7. Bid Solutions: Best for independent UK RFP writers¶

Bid Solutions pricing

When to choose Bid Solutions

• You want to find an independent RFP writer in the UK by skill, sector, day rate and location.
• You are recruiting permanent or interim bid staff.

Where Bid Solutions falls short

• Quality depends on the individual you hire.
• Pricing not published; rates are agreed with each consultant.

8. Hudson Succeed: Best for outsourced RFP writing¶

Hudson Succeed pricing

When to choose Hudson Succeed

• You want outsourced RFP and tender writing across sectors such as healthcare, construction and technology.
• You want bespoke consultancy or a retained arrangement.
• You bid in the US as well as the UK.

Where Hudson Succeed falls short

• Prices are not published.
• Confirm who will actually write your RFP.

9. Upwork (freelance RFP writers): Best for budget freelance RFP writing¶

Upwork (freelance RFP writers) pricing

When to choose Upwork (freelance RFP writers)

• You need one-off RFP writing on a budget.
• The job is small enough to start with a paid test.
• You are comfortable reviewing portfolios and managing a freelancer.

Where Upwork (freelance RFP writers) falls short

• Quality varies widely.
• Few writers know UK public sector procurement.

RFP writing services pricing summary¶

What good RFP response writing looks like¶

• Compliant: every requirement, question and attachment is addressed, in the order and format the buyer asked for.
• Buyer-focused: answers start with the buyer's need and outcome, not your company history.
• Evidenced: claims are backed by named examples, figures, certifications and case studies.
• Specific: method, people, timescales, tools and KPIs are spelled out.
• Scannable: headings mirror the question, key points stand out, and word limits are respected.
• Consistent: pricing, staffing and commitments match across every section.

RFP writer vs AI RFP writing: when each wins¶

AI RFP writing tools are now good at much of the groundwork: reading the RFP, extracting requirements, drafting from your evidence and cutting answers to length. A skilled RFP writer is still better at the final layer: working out what the buyer really cares about, shaping win themes, interviewing your experts to find the proof points no document contains, and making a complex solution easy to follow.

• Choose an RFP writer for strategic bids, first-time entry into a new market, complex multi-partner offers or RFPs with oral presentations.
• Choose AI RFP writing for regular, repeatable RFPs and public tenders where you already have strong evidence.
• Combine them by giving your writer an AI draft to improve. It shortens the engagement and lowers the cost.

RFP writers by market¶

• UK public sector: look for experience with Find a Tender and Contracts Finder opportunities, frameworks, Selection Questionnaires, social value and quality scoring on a 0 to 5 or 0 to 10 scale.
• US federal: look for experience with federal solicitation structures, compliance matrices and capture processes; firms such as Lohfeld Consulting and OST Global Solutions specialise here.
• Private enterprise: RFPs are often shorter, more commercially focused and sometimes include security questionnaires, so a writer with sales proposal experience fits well.
• International development and NGOs: donor-specific formats, logframes and budget narratives call for writers who know those funders.

How to hire an RFP writer¶

What to send an RFP writer¶

• The complete RFP pack: requirements, instructions, evaluation criteria, pricing schedule, contract terms and all clarifications issued so far.
• Your solution: how you will actually deliver, who will do it, the tools you will use and the timetable.
• Evidence: case studies with measurable outcomes, client references, certifications, policies and CVs.
• Commercial context: pricing approach, any assumptions, and anything you cannot commit to.
• Win themes: why the buyer should choose you over the incumbent or likely competitors.
• Contacts and availability: which experts the writer can interview, and when.

A typical RFP response timetable¶

Common mistakes when outsourcing RFP writing¶

• Hiring too late, leaving the writer days rather than weeks.
• Not giving the writer access to the people who know the solution.
• Expecting persuasive writing to make up for missing evidence or a weak solution.
• Letting pricing and the written response drift apart, so staffing or service levels contradict each other.
• Skipping an independent review because the writer is experienced.
• Losing the final answers when the engagement ends instead of adding them to your bid library.

RFPs in the UK public sector¶

If your RFP comes from a UK public body, it is a tender governed by procurement law. Since 24 February 2025, new procurements in England, Wales and Northern Ireland run under the Procurement Act 2023, with notices on Find a Tender and supplier information on the Central Digital Platform. Scotland has its own regime and publishes on Public Contracts Scotland. Evaluation criteria and weightings are published, social value carries a minimum 10% weighting in in-scope central government contracts under PPN 002, and buyers may ask about your use of AI under PPN 017. An RFP writer used to private-sector proposals needs to adapt to this: public evaluators score strictly against the published criteria, and persuasive language without evidence scores poorly.

Related guides: how to respond to an RFP, RFP response template, RFP software, proposal writing services and AI RFP software.