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Uploading RFPs

Supported file formats, size limits, and how bid analyses run after upload

Updated 2026-07-223 min read

Uploading RFPs

Uploading an RFP document is the first step of every bid analysis. This page covers what files Cothon accepts and what happens after you upload.

Supported Files

FormatExtensionNotes
PDF.pdfBest results with text-based (searchable) PDFs
Word.doc, .docxText is extracted directly from the document

The maximum file size is 50 MB. One document is analyzed at a time — there is no batch upload.

Warning

Scanned or image-only PDFs contain little or no extractable text. If your PDF is a scan of a paper document, the analysis may find few or no requirements. Whenever possible, download the original digital version of the solicitation from the procurement portal.

Where to Upload

Open the opportunity or tender you are pursuing and use its Documents section to upload the RFP file. The uploaded document is analyzed and linked to that opportunity, so the results stay attached to the pursuit they belong to.

What Happens After Upload

  1. The analysis starts in the background. You do not need to keep the page open while it runs.
  2. The document shows an "Analyzing" state while extraction and capability matching are in progress.
  3. When processing finishes, the analysis opens into the full results view with extracted requirements, statuses, the compliance ring, and any flagged terms.
  4. If processing fails, the analysis is marked as failed with an error message.

Processing time depends on document length. Short documents finish quickly; long, dense RFPs can take considerably longer.

Note

There is no re-analyze button on a completed analysis. If you want to analyze a document again — for example after updating your company profile — upload the file again to create a new analysis.

Getting the Best Results

  • Upload the main solicitation document. The document that contains the mandatory and point-rated criteria produces the most useful analysis.
  • Prefer text-based files. Digital PDFs and Word files extract cleanly; scans do not.
  • Complete your company profile first. Capability matching runs at analysis time against your profile as it exists at that moment. A richer profile produces more accurate statuses — see Capability Matching.
  • Set up flagged terms before uploading. Terms are detected during analysis, so configure them first to have them highlighted in the results — see Flagged Terms.

Common Upload Problems

ProblemCauseFix
File is rejectedUnsupported typeConvert to PDF, DOC, or DOCX
File is too largeOver the 50 MB limitCompress the PDF or remove non-essential appendices
Analysis finds almost nothingScanned/image PDFObtain a text-based version of the document
Analysis failsProcessing errorTry uploading again; see Troubleshooting

Next Steps

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