Free pitch calculator

Is this pitch worth it?

Work out what a pitch will cost you, check it against a sensible ceiling, and see whether the expected return justifies the spend. It uses the same method as the Bid Tool. Nothing you type leaves your browser.

1 The tender

Currency Client budget Your expected margin if you win (%) Chance of winning (%)

Not sure? 15% margin and a 25% win chance are the Bid Tool's starting points.

2 Team time on the pitch

3 Other pitch costs

Assumptions contingency and ceiling

Contingency (%) Pitch ceiling (% of client budget)

The ceiling is a guide limit for pitch spend. The Bid Tool uses 2% unless you change it.

See result ↓

How the calculator works

Pitch budget

Hours × hourly rate for each person, plus other pitch costs, plus contingency on top of both.

Ceiling

A share of the client's budget that you're prepared to spend winning the work (2% by default). Going over isn't always wrong, but it should be a deliberate choice.

Expected return and the worth-it check

Expected return = your margin if you win × your chance of winning. If the pitch budget is up to 50% of the expected return, it's worth it. Between 50% and 100% it's marginal. Over 100%, pitches like this lose money on average.

Break-even win chance

Pitch budget ÷ margin if you win. It's the win rate you need on bids like this one just to cover what you spend pitching for them.