Last verified: October 2026
It is Thursday afternoon, and the QS at a main contractor has 14 subcontractor prices for the groundworks package in four formats: two PDFs, a marked-up bill, a spreadsheet that has quietly dropped the drainage items, and a number given over the phone. The package has to be let on Monday.
“Tender management software” means two different things. For a main contractor it is the software you use to send packages out to subcontractors and suppliers, compare what comes back and award the work. For a firm bidding for contracts it means finding tenders and writing bids. This guide covers the first. If you are looking for bid writing tools, or for US-style bid management with a bidder network, see our guide to construction bid management software. Below you will find what to look for, a comparison table with October 2026 prices, ten tools ranked for UK main contractors, and an FAQ.
What to Look For in Construction Tender Software
Bids compared against your budget
A comparison sheet that only ranks bidders against each other tells you who is cheapest. Comparing each bid against the tender allowance on the budget line tells you whether the package still works. Look for a view that shows the budget, the bids and the gaps item by item.
No account for subcontractors
Every extra step between your enquiry and their price costs you responses. Tools that let a subcontractor price in the browser, or upload a bid sheet, without registering get more prices back from smaller trades.
Like-for-like bid sheets
If bidders price your item list, or a bill to NRM2 or SMM7, the comparison builds itself and missing items show up. If they send their own quotes, someone retypes them, and that is where items go missing.
Award without re-keying
When the winning bid turns straight into a subcontract or purchase order with the same items and prices, the committed cost reaches the budget the moment you award. Otherwise the tender lives in one system and the order in another.
An audit trail
Clients, boards and funders increasingly ask contractors to show that a package went to competitive tender. Software that records who was invited, who replied, and why the winner was chosen answers that question in one report.
Construction Tender Software Compared
Prices are as published in October 2026, excluding VAT. Most vendors in this category price on application.
| Tool | Type | Best for | Price | Free option |
| Planyard | Tendering, orders and cost control | SME main contractors and developers | £164 per PM per month (Ultimate) | 14-day trial |
| Access ConQuest | Estimating with enquiries | Estimating-led contractors on ConQuest | Quote | Demo |
| Constructionline Tender Management | Tender platform | Contractors in the Constructionline supply chain | Quote | Demo |
| Causeway | Estimating and supply chain suite | High volumes of trade packages | Quote | Demo |
| Eque2 EValuate | Estimating with enquiries | SMEs on Sage or Xero | Quote | Demo |
| ProcurePro | Procurement and bid levelling | Contractors with a procurement team | Quote, unlimited users | Demo |
| Procore Tender Management | Module of a project platform | Firms already on Procore | Quote, by annual volume | Demo |
| ConWize | Bidding module | Small contractors trying structured bidding | Free up to 3 users | Free plan |
| Archdesk | Construction ERP | Single platform with weighted scoring | Quote, by annual volume | Demo |
| Oracle Aconex | Common data environment | Document-led tenders on large projects | £46 per user per month (G-Cloud) | Demo |
"I would say Planyard is a great way to easily and conveniently track all your job costs in one place. It allows you to compare your projections against real-time costs while streamlining subcontractor bids; you can receive those bids, import them directly into the software, and track them effortlessly as the project progresses."
Read moreThe 10 Best Construction Tender Software Tools for UK Contractors
1. Planyard – Best for Tender Comparison Tied to the Budget

Planyard builds the bid request from the budget: select the items, set a deadline, invite subcontractors by trade, and it sends reminders. Subcontractors price in the browser or upload the bid sheet, with no account and no training. Prices come back into one view next to the target price on each budget line, so missing items and outliers stand out, and you can run several bidding rounds or compare complete scenarios before you decide.
The winning bid becomes a subcontract or purchase order with one click, so the committed cost lands in the budget and the CVR on award. Every invite, reminder and response stays on record against the package, which is the audit trail a board or client asks for. Approved costs then sync to Xero, QuickBooks or Sage.
Best for: SME main contractors and developers who want tendering, orders and cost control in one place without an enterprise rollout.
Watch out for: Planyard has no bidder network, so you invite your own supply chain. Tendering sits in the top plan.
Pricing: Subcontractor tendering is in Ultimate at £164 per project manager per month; supporting staff are £33. 14-day free trial, see pricing.
"The ability to create different tendering scenarios is incredibly valuable for us; it makes it so simple to choose the right contractor by comparing complete scenarios that include pricing and all the necessary details. Having that full overview of various options within the system allows us to make much more informed decisions for every project."
Read more2. Access ConQuest – Best for Estimating-Led Contractors

ConQuest is a long-standing UK estimating system, now owned by The Access Group. Its Online Enquiries and Comparisons modules send BoQ-driven enquiries to subcontractors and suppliers and pull the returns into comparison sheets inside the estimate.
It fits contractors whose estimators already price in ConQuest. The post-contract side sits in other Access products.
Best for: Estimating teams already using ConQuest who want enquiries and comparisons in the same system.
Watch out for: The value depends on running ConQuest for estimating. On its own it is a lot of system for tendering alone.
Pricing: Quote only.
3. Constructionline Tender Management – Best for Contractors in the Constructionline Supply Chain

Constructionline bought BidWork and now sells it as Tender Management. Subcontractors respond without an account, and the platform reads tender packs to pull out scope. It integrates with Causeway, ConQuest and Procore, so it can sit in front of an existing estimating or project system.
If your supply chain is already prequalified on Constructionline, finding and inviting bidders is quicker.
Best for: Main contractors who already use Constructionline for prequalification.
Watch out for: You still need another system for orders and cost control after award.
Pricing: Quote only.
4. Causeway – Best for High Volumes of Trade Packages

Causeway’s estimating and supply chain tools are built for contractors sending out large numbers of trade packages. Causeway says its customers send more than 1.7 million trade packages a year, and bids come back into the estimate for comparison.
It is part of a wider suite that covers commercial management after award.
Best for: Tier 1 and tier 2 contractors with dedicated estimating and procurement teams.
Watch out for: Enterprise rollout and pricing. Too much for a contractor letting a few packages a month.
Pricing: Quote only.
Compare subcontractor bids against your budget
Send the package, let subcontractors price without an account, and turn the winner into an order in one click. 14-day free trial.
5. Eque2 EValuate – Best for SMEs Wanting Estimating and Enquiries Together

EValuate combines estimating, on-screen takeoff and subcontractor enquiries for UK SMEs, with SMM7 and NRM2 structures. Eque2 Construct takes over after award for job costing and applications, and links to Sage and Xero.
It suits a contractor that wants one UK supplier from estimate to job costing.
Best for: SME contractors that estimate in-house and run Sage or Xero.
Watch out for: Tendering, estimating and post-contract are separate products, priced on application.
Pricing: Quote only.
6. ProcurePro – Best for Procurement Teams Running a Schedule

ProcurePro organises tendering around a procurement schedule for each project, so the team can see which packages are late to go out or late to award. It levels bids with AI and licenses unlimited users and projects.
It is aimed at head contractors with someone whose job is procurement.
Best for: Larger contractors with a procurement function.
Watch out for: One-off implementation fee on top of the annual licence.
Pricing: Quote only. Unlimited users and projects.
7. Procore Tender Management – Best for Firms Already on Procore

Procore’s tendering module invites bidders, collects prices and compares them inside the Procore project, with the documents already there. Procore licenses unlimited users and prices on annual construction volume.
If you already run Procore for project management, keeping tenders there is sensible. Buying Procore for tendering alone is not. Our Procore vs Planyard comparison covers the cost side.
Best for: Contractors already using Procore.
Watch out for: Pricing based on turnover makes the cost hard to predict, and tendering is one module of many.
Pricing: Quote only, based on annual construction volume.
8. ConWize – Best Free Option

ConWize offers its bidding module free for up to three users with no time limit. The paid Pro plan adds estimating, procurement and CRM.
It is an easy way to try structured bid collection before committing to anything.
Best for: Small contractors moving off email and spreadsheets.
Watch out for: The free plan covers bidding only, and the full product is priced on application.
Pricing: Essential free for up to 3 users; Pro quote only.
9. Archdesk – Best for Weighted Evaluation Criteria

Archdesk is an all-in-one construction ERP with a tender module that scores bids against weighted criteria as well as price. External collaborators, including subcontractors, use it free. See Archdesk vs Planyard for the wider comparison.
It suits contractors who want CRM, tendering, project management and finance in one system.
Best for: Mid-sized contractors buying a single platform for everything.
Watch out for: Priced on annual construction volume, and a bigger implementation than a tendering tool.
Pricing: Quote only.
10. Oracle Aconex and Trimble Viewpoint for Projects – Best for Document-Led Tenders on Large Projects

Both are common data environments. On large projects the tender documents already live there, so issuing packages and collecting returns through the same system keeps one record of what each bidder was sent.
Neither compares bids against a budget or turns the winner into an order. They handle the documents, and the commercial decision happens elsewhere.
Best for: Large projects where the client or main contractor already mandates Aconex or Viewpoint.
Watch out for: Document control rather than commercial tendering.
Pricing: Aconex lists £46 per named user per month on G-Cloud 14, minimum five users. Viewpoint for Projects is quote only.
How to Choose
You let a few packages a month: start with a tender comparison template or ConWize’s free plan, and move to Planyard when you want the award to flow into orders and cost control.
You estimate in ConQuest, Causeway or Eque2: use its enquiry tools, since the bill is already there.
You already run Procore or Archdesk: use their tender module before buying another system.
You are an SME main contractor or developer on Xero, QuickBooks or Sage: Planyard keeps the tender, the order and the cost report in one place, with a published price and a trial.
"Everything has a PO linked to a job number. No one does a job without a purchase order, so when I look at margin I know it’s the true margin."
Read more"You need Planyard because it helps you do your job better and faster. For example, for a procurement specialist, Planyard helps to speed up tendering activities precisely because all tendering is on one platform and in one place."
Read moreNext Step
If your tenders run on email and spreadsheets, try the next package in Planyard: build the request from the budget, send it out, and compare what comes back. The tendering process guide covers the steps around it.
Run your next package tender in Planyard
Bid requests from the budget, no subcontractor accounts, one-click award to order. 14-day free trial, no credit card.