Uploading Tenders

Bid Refinery accepts most common tender document formats. This article explains what you can upload, what limits apply, and what the platform does with your file.

Supported formats

Format	Extension	Notes
PDF	.pdf	Most tender packs. Text-layer required; scanned images use OCR.
Word	.docx	Invitation to Tender documents
Excel	.xlsx	Scoring matrices, question schedules

File size limits

• Maximum file size: 50 MB per upload
• You can upload one tender document per project
• Library evidence files follow the same 50 MB limit each

What happens after upload

1. Text extraction — Bid Refinery reads every page and stores the raw text. For scanned PDFs, OCR runs automatically.
2. Requirement extraction — The AI identifies all requirements from the tender and classifies them: Mandatory, Scoring, Attachment, Policy, Certification, Insurance, or Other.
3. Structured review — Requirements appear in the Requirements tab within 1–3 minutes, organised by type with source page references.

Tips for best results

• Use the buyer's original PDF rather than a printed scan where possible.
• If your tender spans multiple documents, combine them into one PDF before uploading.
• Check the extracted requirements before generating a draft — the AI uses these as the framework for responses.

What is NOT extracted automatically

• Pricing schedules (these remain for human completion)
• Attachments referenced externally (e.g. "see Appendix 3 on the portal")
• Password-protected files (remove password protection before uploading)