AI Project Estimation and Commercial Proposal in PRO-dela: How to Prepare a Proposal in One Day

Preparing a project estimate and commercial proposal is a routine but critical task for any digital agency, web studio, or freelancer. Without it, you cannot start negotiations, agree on a budget, or launch work. The problem is that collecting data, calculating labor costs, and formatting a proposal takes from two days to a week, and the client is not ready to wait.

PRO-dela automates this process with AI. The platform analyzes the project's technical specifications, generates a structured estimate of timelines and costs, and then creates a ready-to-use B2B commercial proposal that can be sent to the client immediately or downloaded as a PDF with your company's branding.

Below is how it works in practice, what data AI needs, and what results you can get today.

What is AI Project Estimation in PRO-dela

AI project estimation is a feature that uses an LLM model to generate a structured forecast based on the project's technical specifications (TS): understanding of the task, completeness of the TS, scope of work, timelines, cost for the Russian and international markets, assumptions, risks, and recommendations.

This is not a "magic button" that guesses the price. It is a tool that turns raw TS into a first reasonable draft estimate. The manager or project lead can manually edit the result, add their adjustments, and only then use it in work.

What Data Does AI Need for Estimation

For the feature to work, one condition is required: a completed project technical specification. The more detailed and structured the TS, the more accurate and useful the estimate will be.

If the TS describes the project goal, scope of work, expected results, technical requirements, and constraints, AI can:

• assess how fully the requirements are formulated;
• suggest the scope of work needed to achieve the result;
• calculate the range of labor hours (minimum, most likely, maximum);
• provide a cost estimate for the Russian market (in rubles) and the international market (in dollars);
• indicate assumptions, risks, and questions to clarify before starting.

What is Included in the AI Estimation Result

The estimate structure includes nine blocks in strict sequence:

1. Brief understanding of the task — how AI interprets the project based on the TS.
2. Completeness of TS and questions — what is missing in the source data, what clarifications are needed.
3. Proposed scope of work — list of key activities for implementation.
4. Timeline estimate — hours (minimum / most likely / maximum) and calendar weeks considering team size.
5. Estimate for the Russian market — role rates, total budget in rubles, segment (freelancer / team / agency).
6. Estimate for the international market — role rates, total budget in dollars, segment.
7. Assumptions and exclusions — what exactly is not included in the estimate.
8. Estimation risks — factors that may affect the final cost and timeline.
9. Recommendation before starting — what to do before beginning work.

The result is saved in the project and available for viewing, editing, and use in subsequent steps.

How AI Helps Generate a Commercial Proposal

Once the project estimate is ready, the next logical step is to prepare a commercial proposal for the client. AI in PRO-dela can generate a professional B2B proposal based on two data sources: the technical specification and the saved project estimate.

Additional Context for the Proposal

Before generation, you can provide AI with additional information:

• Implementation methods — how you plan to execute the work (e.g., "phased delivery with demo after each sprint").
• Client wishes — known requirements or constraints from the client.
• Proposal recipient — name, position, or company name so AI addresses the recipient personally.
• Company or executor resume — a Markdown (.md) file up to 1 MB describing competencies, cases, and expertise.

You can also control the composition of proposal sections using flags: include or exclude the "Stages", "Timelines", and "Cost" blocks.

Structure of AI-Generated Proposal

The commercial proposal is generated as a structured HTML document that includes sections (depending on flags and data availability):

• Recipient (if specified);
• Understanding of the task and project goal;
• Proposed solution and approach;
• Scope and expected result;
• Confirmed competencies of the executor (from the uploaded resume);
• Work stages (if flag enabled);
• Timelines (if flag enabled);
• Cost and terms (if flag enabled);
• Assumptions and boundaries;
• Next step — what the client needs to do to start.

The result is saved in the project. The proposal can be manually edited and then downloaded as a PDF.

PDF with Company Branding

The PDF is generated via DomPDF and includes:

• company logo (uploaded in the company profile);
• brand color;
• company details (INN, KPP, OGRN, legal address);
• company name.

This is a full-fledged document for sending to the client — with generation date, executor details, and content formed by AI.

Step-by-Step Process: From TS to PDF Proposal

Let's look at a complete end-to-end scenario — from uploading the technical specification to downloading the commercial proposal with the company logo.

Step 1. Fill in the Project Technical Specification

Create a project in PRO-dela and enter the work description in the "Technical Specification" field. The TS can be in free form, but for estimation quality, it is recommended to include: goal, scope of work, key functions, technical requirements, expected results, and known constraints.

Step 2. Run AI Project Estimation

On the project page, click the "Estimate TS" button (if the feature is enabled by the administrator). AI processes the TS text via an LLM model and returns a structured estimate. The result appears in a preview modal — you can immediately see all nine blocks: from understanding the task to recommendations.

If necessary, edit the estimate manually.

Step 3. Prepare Context for the Proposal

Proceed to generate the commercial proposal. In the modal window, fill in additional fields:

• implementation methods (how you will do it);
• client wishes;
• proposal recipient (name or company);
• resume file in Markdown (optional);
• flags for including sections: "Stages", "Timelines", "Cost".

Step 4. Generate and Review the Proposal

Click "Generate Proposal". AI creates a draft based on the TS, estimate, and provided context. The result opens in preview — you can assess completeness, style, and correctness of numbers.

If necessary, edit the proposal text manually.

Step 5. Download PDF and Send to Client

The final step is to download the ready proposal as a PDF. The document automatically includes your company branding: logo, color scheme, and details. All that remains is to send the file to the client.

Limitations and Best Practices

PRO-dela AI tools are assistants, not replacements for expert evaluation. To get the most benefit, it is important to understand their boundaries.

Honest Limitations

• The estimate is an AI forecast, not a guaranteed price. The result depends on the quality of the TS and the model's capabilities. Always check the numbers and adjust them based on your team's real experience.
• The proposal does not replace a legal contract. The generated commercial proposal is a basis for discussion with the client, not a final legal document. Contracts and fiscal documents are created separately.
• PRO-dela does not store hourly rates as a separate proposal entity. The estimate is based on LLM data, not your company's rate directory. It is recommended to compare the AI estimate with your specialists' actual rates and make manual corrections.
• Accurate estimation requires a quality TS. AI cannot guess requirements that are not described. The more detailed the technical specification, the more accurate the estimate and the more useful the proposal.
• The PDF proposal is for sending to the client, but fiscal documents are created separately. The commercial proposal PDF is a document for commercial negotiations. Invoices, acts, and contracts are created in PRO-dela through the relevant modules (invoices, documents).
• Data from files attached to the TS is not automatically considered. If files contain important information, add it to the TS text.

Recommendations for Better Results

• Before running AI estimation, ensure the TS contains at least the goal, scope of work, and known constraints.
• After generating the estimate, review the "Completeness of TS and questions" block — it is a free checklist of what to clarify with the client before starting.
• Upload your company resume in Markdown — this significantly improves the quality of the "Confirmed Competencies" section in the proposal.
• Do not include sections in the proposal for which you do not yet have data. The flags "Include stages", "Include timelines", "Include cost" allow you to hide unprepared blocks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use AI estimation without a TS?

No. Generating an estimate requires a project technical specification. If the TS is empty, the function will return a message: "To estimate, first add the project technical specification."

Is a project estimate required to generate a proposal?

Yes. The AI commercial proposal is generated based on the TS and a saved estimate. If there is no estimate, the system will ask you to first generate or fill it in manually.

Can I edit the generated estimate or proposal?

Yes. Both results can be edited manually.

Who can run AI estimation and proposal generation?

Users who have permission to modify the project.

Do files attached to the TS affect the estimate?

No. AI analyzes only the TS text. If attached files contain important requirements, add them to the TS text field.

How often can I generate proposals?

There is a separate rate limit for the commercial proposal endpoint to prevent abuse.

Try AI Estimation in Your Project

PRO-dela AI features do not require separate activation or additional payment — they are part of the platform that the administrator can enable in settings.

If you already use PRO-dela, open any project with a TS and try the "Estimate TS" button. If you are not yet familiar with the platform — register, create a project, and fill in the technical specification.

Learn more about the platform's capabilities in the use cases and features sections.