Athena Commercial has published a new white paper, The State of Bid Management in 2026, providing in-depth insight into how UK organisations are currently managing public sector and enterprise bids — and where major structural capability gaps are emerging.
The research is based on input from bid managers and proposal professionals working across the UK public sector supply chain. It explores how organisations are identifying tender opportunities, navigating complex procurement routes, and building internal bid capability in an increasingly competitive and regulated environment.
Key findings from the report highlight persistent challenges across public sector tendering and framework-based procurement. Athena’s research shows that 74% of bid managers do not use dedicated tender tracking software, while 72% only search for tenders weekly, rather than monitoring opportunities in real time. An overwhelming 95% of respondents said they want a consolidated view of Dynamic Purchasing Systems (DPS) and framework opportunities, reinforcing how fragmented access to procurement information remains a major barrier.
The white paper examines seven core themes shaping bid management in 2026, including fragmented tender discovery, over-reliance on manual searches and email alerts, limited use of automation, inconsistent organisational support for bid functions, and the growing importance of governance, auditability, and structured bid operations.
Beyond the data, the report explores how high-performing organisations are modernising their bid management approach. It highlights the role of automation, AI-supported bid workflows, real-time tender monitoring, and structured proposal operations in improving efficiency, increasing win rates, and enabling sustainable growth in public sector and regulated-market sales.
“The findings show that many capable organisations are being constrained not by their capabilities, but by their bid infrastructure,” said Lloyd Stafford, MD. “Bid management is rapidly becoming a strategic growth function rather than an administrative task.”
The white paper is aimed at SMEs and growth-stage organisations seeking to compete more effectively for public sector contracts, frameworks, and enterprise opportunities.
Athena Commercial supports organisations across the UK with bid management, public sector procurement strategy, and commercial growth. More information about Athena and its work in bid management and public sector advisory services is available at https://www.commercial-consulting.co.uk/
