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UK supplier guide

AutoGenAI vs Responsive:
which suits UK public-sector bids?

Both are enterprise response tools, but they start from different jobs. AutoGenAI is built around writing new bid narrative; Responsive is built around managing and reusing approved answers at volume. Pick the job first.

Find a live tender to test both tools on →

Checked against primary sources6 sources linked below

  1. Name the job

    This guide’s primary sources

  2. Use one live tender pack

    This guide’s primary sources

  3. Check requirement coverage

    This guide’s primary sources

  4. Check evidence and correction time

    This guide’s primary sources

  1. Different starting points

    AutoGenAI starts from drafting; Responsive starts from the answer library.

    This guide’s primary sources

  2. Test on your own tender

    Requirement coverage, evidence and correction time beat demo fluency.

    This guide’s primary sources

  3. Discovery is a separate job

    Find and qualify the tender before paying anyone to draft it.

    This guide’s primary sources

What is the difference between AutoGenAI and Responsive?

AutoGenAI leads with AI drafting for bids, tenders and grants; Responsive leads with a governed answer library for RFPs and security questionnaires.

AutoGenAIResponsive (formerly RFPIO)
What the vendor says it doesWrites “bids, tenders, proposals and grants” with a custom language engine in your brand’s voice (AutoGenAI).Drafts answers “from your best content, guided by subject-matter experts” across RFPs, security questionnaires and buyer questions (Responsive).
Centre of gravityNew narrative for scored questionsReuse of approved answers at volume
UK public-sector materialPublishes guidance on bidding under the Procurement Act, including most advantageous tender and social value (AutoGenAI blog).Acquired Australian bid-management platform Bidhive in May 2025 to expand in Asia Pacific and public-sector tendering (Responsive).
Typical teamBid teams writing many scored narrative answersSales and proposal teams answering repeated questions across departments
PriceBy quoteBy quote
Vendor websites, read 18 October 2026. Features change; confirm in a demonstration. RFP Quest has no commercial relationship with either vendor.

Which job are you buying software for?

Public-sector tenders reward answers written for one buyer’s criteria; commercial RFPs reward fast, consistent reuse.

Your next twelve months of bids

  • Few bids, deeply scored

    UK public tenders are marked by an evaluation panel against published award criteria, often with social value weighted separately.

    A drafting-first tool such as AutoGenAI targets this work. Reused library text often needs rewriting to score well.

  • Many questionnaires, repeated questions

    Security questionnaires, due diligence and vendor RFPs repeat the same questions.

    A library-first tool such as Responsive targets this: owners, review dates and consistent answers.

How do you choose between a drafting-first and a library-first response tool?

Test both on the same real tender and judge the output, not the demonstration.

  1. Start with the source01

    Name the job

    Separate deeply scored narrative from repeated questionnaire answers.
  2. Define the scope02

    Use one live tender pack

    Give each vendor the same current notice and documents.
  3. Read the evidence03

    Check requirement coverage

    Confirm every requirement, pass/fail condition and response format is captured.
  4. Make the decision04

    Check evidence and correction time

    Trace each claim to your own evidence and time the rewriting.
  5. Name the next action05

    Record AI use

    Keep a record of AI assistance and checks in case the buyer asks under PPN 017.

A supplier’s review sequence, based on the primary sources below. It is not a measured outcome or a prescribed buyer timetable.

What should a UK public-sector bid team test?

Run both tools on the same live tender and judge the output, not the demo.

  1. Before you start01

    Use one real tender pack

    Pick a current notice from the tender search with a full specification and scored questions, and give both vendors the same pack.
  2. Check 202

    Check requirement coverage

    Does each tool extract every requirement, including pass/fail conditions and the response format?
  3. Check 303

    Check evidence, not fluency

    Is every claim in the draft traceable to your own case studies and data? Fluent text without evidence scores poorly and creates risk.
  4. Check 404

    Time the correction

    Measure how long your writers spend fixing each draft. That is the real saving, not drafting speed.
  5. Follow through05

    Check AI disclosure

    PPN 017 lets in-scope buyers ask whether AI was used and whether answers were checked. Make sure your process records that.

An editorial order of work, not a buyer's fixed timetable. The current notice and documents determine participation and submission.

Where does RFP Quest fit next to either tool?

Before drafting: finding the tender and making the bid or no-bid decision. RFP Quest does not write responses.

Both tools are bought chiefly for the response. Whatever you use to find opportunities, the drafting effort pays off only on tenders you have already qualified against the original notice.

  1. Search Find a Tender and Contracts Finder notices free.

    Tender search

  2. Check the stage, lot, value basis and deadline in the original notice.

    AI tender search

  3. Record why you bid or decline, with evidence and an owner.

    Bid management

  4. Hand qualified tenders to whichever response tool you choose.

    Compare AI bid tools

What if you are a small business?

Both are sold as enterprise contracts. Price your own bid effort before committing to either.

An SME bidding a handful of tenders a year

  • Enterprise tool

    Worth it when the time saved across many bids clearly exceeds the annual contract. Ask for the price per seat and minimum seats in writing.

  • Lighter route

    Free search, a clear bid decision and your own answer library may be enough. AI tender software for SMEs and free RFP software cover the options.

Choose the tool for the questions you actually answer.

  1. Different starting points

    AutoGenAI starts from drafting; Responsive starts from the answer library.

  2. Test on your own tender

    Requirement coverage, evidence and correction time beat demo fluency.

  3. Discovery is a separate job

    Find and qualify the tender before paying anyone to draft it.
Find a live tender to test both tools on →

Free search across Find a Tender and Contracts Finder; open the original notice for the tender pack.

What else should you know about AutoGenAI vs Responsive?

Check these points before committing your team’s time.

Is AutoGenAI better than Responsive for UK tenders?
It depends on the work. AutoGenAI presents itself as bid, tender and grant writing software and publishes UK Procurement Act guidance; Responsive presents itself as response management across RFPs and security questionnaires. For scored UK public-sector narrative, test both on the same live tender and compare requirement coverage, evidence and the time your writers spend correcting each draft.
Is Responsive the same as RFPIO?
Yes. Responsive is the company formerly known as RFPIO. In May 2025 it acquired Bidhive, an Australian bid and proposal management platform.
How much do AutoGenAI and Responsive cost?
Neither publishes a standard price on its homepage; both sell by quote. Third-party sites report figures, but ask each vendor for the price per seat, minimum seats and contract length in writing before comparing.
Can I use AI-written answers in a UK public sector bid?
Yes. PPN 017 says suppliers' use of AI is not prohibited, but in-scope buyers may ask you to disclose it and to confirm the answers were checked for accuracy. Whichever tool you use, a person must check every claim.
Does RFP Quest write bids like AutoGenAI or Responsive?
No. RFP Quest finds UK public tenders and keeps the bid decision, owners and evidence together. It does not draft or submit responses, so it sits before a drafting tool rather than replacing one. See the RFP platform for what it does.

Where can you check the evidence?

Read the primary publication and the buyer’s current documents before acting.

SourceWhat it supports
AutoGenAI · UK homepage ↗Product description and positioning, read 18 October 2026.
AutoGenAI · bidding under the UK Procurement Act ↗Vendor's own account of its public-sector features.
Responsive · homepage ↗Product description and positioning, read 18 October 2026.
Responsive acquires Bidhive · press release ↗May 2025 acquisition, Asia Pacific and public-sector tendering.
Capterra UK · Responsive vs AutoGenAI ↗Third-party listing and user reviews; opinion, not verified fact.
PPN 017: Improving transparency of AI use in procurement ↗Buyers' approach to suppliers' AI use.
Follow the current primary publication for its scope and any later changes. Calculators use your inputs, not measured savings.

Follow the part of the bid you need to work on next.

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