What part of the assessment can reasonably be expected to be free?

Question

I was asked to participate in a tender for a software project without paying. Although the citation request includes detailed user requirements and architectural research, it is not included in architecture and software. It is assumed that each company will offer its own design. Is it reasonable to expect that they will open the design for the tender when they do not receive payment? A company can simply combine the best projects and transfer them to the lowest buyer, or decide to do it internally.

Answer 1

This is reasonable if the proposed design is kept secret and is not disclosed to other competitors. Of course, the final bid will include the cost of the initial bid.

Answer 2

If you do not trust those you offer, then do not bid. If they are a reputable business, then they are unlikely to try to rip you off in this way.

You need to decide if the potential payday is worth a little increase in your investment. If there is a lot of money, then it is probably worth the time and effort to try to win the deal. It really is up to you to decide whether to do it.