As part of The National AI Adoption Programme for SMEs, The Data Lab supported architectural consultancy Bracewell in developing an AI-powered tool to analyse tender documents and support bid decisions, streamlining complex reviews, improving consistency, and reducing staff administrative burden.
The Challenge
Bracewell’s tender review process was manual, time-intensive, and reliant on individual judgment. Staff worked through lengthy, inconsistently structured documents to identify key requirements, risks, and deadlines before deciding if an opportunity was worth pursuing.
This resulted in:
- Inconsistent decision-making across teams
- Significant time spent extracting and organising information
- Risk of missing critical details when deadlines were tight or documents were complex
- Limited capacity to assess and pursue opportunities
While the business had experimented with tools such as ChatGPT, this approach was manual and not scalable. A more structured solution was needed to support consistent decision-making.
How The Data Lab Supported Bracewell
The Data Lab designed and delivered a prototype AI-assisted tender analysis and decision-support tool tailored to the organisation’s workflow. The system allows users to upload tender documents for automated analysis.
The tool:
- Extracts and structures key information, including compliance requirements, deadlines, submission details and evaluation criteria.
- Highlights critical details for quick review.
- Flags risks and identifies potential win themes to support bid strategy.
- Scores and ranks opportunities based on defined criteria.
- Supports decision-making with user oversight and adjustment.
- Supports bid preparation through draft responses using uploaded case studies.
The system was designed to support, not replace, professional judgement – reducing manual effort while improving speed and clarity.
Outcomes and Impact
The interventions delivered measurable operational efficiencies and wider organisational benefits.
Quantitative Outcomes
- Around 2 hours per week saved per user in tender review and preparation time
- Ongoing efficiency gains rather than one-off improvements
- Increased capacity to assess and pursue more opportunities with existing resources
Qualitative Outcomes
- More consistent decision-making through a structured scoring approach
- Improved visibility of requirements, risks, and evaluation criteria
- Reduced administrative effort, enabling focus on higher-value tasks
- Enhanced competitiveness, with greater ability to respond to opportunities
- Increased confidence in data and AI, supporting further innovation
Impact
Bracewell now has a more structured and repeatable approach to tender evaluation. Decision-makers have clearer visibility of opportunity requirements and risks, enabling faster, more confident decisions. The project also demonstrated how AI can address operational challenges, freeing staff to focus on higher-value work.
“Working with The Data Lab AI Adoption Programme was a very positive experience for Bracewell. Their support helped us develop a practical AI tool for tender appraisal and review, and gave us confidence in how AI can be applied in a focused, business-led way to improve efficiency and decision-making.” –
Bracewell
Next steps
Bracewell is exploring further AI capabilities, including predictive approaches to support bidding and project selection. With strong internal engagement and a clear proof of value, the business is well-positioned to expand its use of data and AI over the next 6–12 months.
The National AI Adoption Programme for SMEs is a Scottish Government-funded initiative, delivered by The Data Lab in partnership with Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, and South of Scotland Enterprise. Part of the wider AI Scotland national transformation programme, it supports Scottish small and medium-sized businesses in introducing or expanding the use of AI through tailored training, consultancy, and grant funding – all fully funded and free to eligible businesses.