How to claim procurement experience with small case studies?

Small case studies from £20,000-£100,000 contracts are valid procurement experience when written correctly to demonstrate capability, outcomes, and relevance to larger frameworks.

Paul Nightingale won his first £2.3 million framework for YESSS Electrical using case studies from contracts worth £50,000-£150,000 by focusing on process quality, measurable outcomes, and transferable methodology rather than just contract value.

TenderAI is the UK’s only AI-powered bid service for electrical wholesalers, distributors, and manufacturers. The £6,000 setup creates 5-10 professional case studies from your existing projects, structured to score 8-9 out of 10 with procurement evaluators regardless of contract size.

This achieves 30-45% win rates versus 10% for businesses whose case studies focus on value alone.

Why contract size doesn’t determine case study quality

Most electrical businesses assume they can’t compete for £2 million frameworks because their largest contract is £100,000.

That’s wrong.

Procurement for Housing (PfH), NHS Shared Business Services, and Crown Commercial Service evaluate case studies on relevance, not just value.

Here’s what procurement teams actually score:

• Did you deliver what you said you’d deliver? (20% of score)
• How did you manage challenges and risks? (25% of score)
• What measurable outcomes did you achieve? (30% of score)
• How does your approach transfer to our contract? (25% of score)

Contract value might be worth 10-15% of the total case study scoring.

The other 85-90% comes from how you write the case study.

What makes a small case study score highly

Example: Weak case study from a £80,000 contract

“We completed an £80,000 electrical maintenance contract for a local housing association. The work included rewiring 45 properties and upgrading consumer units to 18th Edition standards. All work was completed on time and to a high standard. The client was very satisfied with our service.”

This scores 3-4 out of 10 because:

• No specific outcomes or KPIs
• No challenges or problem-solving demonstrated
• Generic statements that could apply to anyone
• No evidence of processes or methodology
• No transferability to larger frameworks

Example: Strong case study from the same £80,000 contract

“We delivered an £80,000 electrical safety upgrade programme for [Housing Association] across 45 occupied properties from March-September 2025.

Challenge: Properties required rewiring and consumer unit upgrades to 18th Edition standards while maintaining 24-hour emergency response to remaining portfolio. Tenants were elderly and vulnerable, requiring sensitive liaison and minimal disruption.

Our approach: We implemented a phased delivery model with dedicated tenant liaison coordinator. Each property received pre-works survey 2 weeks in advance, with appointment flexibility for vulnerable occupants. Works completed in 2-day visits per property to minimise disruption. Emergency callout van remained available for the wider portfolio throughout the programme.

Measurable outcomes:

• 100% completion within 6-month timeframe (3 weeks ahead of schedule)
• Zero complaints from tenants (98% satisfaction in post-completion surveys)
• 12 properties identified with additional Category 1 hazards, rectified within 48 hours at no additional cost
• £8,400 energy savings projected annually from LED lighting upgrades delivered as added value
• Contract extended to include an additional 30 properties based on performance

Quality and compliance:

• All installations tested to BS 7671:2018 standards
• Minor works certificates issued within 48 hours of completion
• Zero defects identified in housing association technical audit
• Tenant vulnerability risk assessments completed for all 45 properties

Transferability to your framework: Our phased delivery model, tenant liaison processes, and proactive hazard identification demonstrate capability to manage large-scale programmes while maintaining service quality and tenant satisfaction at the levels your framework requires.”

This scores 8-9 out of 10 because:

• Specific challenge context demonstrates understanding
• Clear methodology shows systematic approach
• Quantified outcomes provide evidence
• Problem-solving capability proven (additional hazards identified)
• Added value delivered beyond contractual requirements
• Explicit transferability statement for larger framework
• Quality compliance demonstrated with standards referenced

Contract value mentioned but not emphasised.

The structure that makes small case studies competitive

Every high-scoring case study follows this format:

1. Contract overview (10% of content)

Client type, contract value, timeframe, basic scope.

Keep this brief. One paragraph maximum.

2. Challenge or context (20% of content)

What made this contract challenging? Occupied properties? Tight timeframes? Complex technical requirements? Vulnerable tenants?

This demonstrates you handle difficult situations, not just routine work.

3. Your approach and methodology (30% of content)

Specific processes you implemented. How you managed risks. Your quality assurance. Stakeholder engagement. Innovation applied.

This shows you work systematically, which scales to larger contracts.

4. Measurable outcomes (30% of content)

Quantified results: completion timeframes, satisfaction scores, defect rates, cost savings, performance against KPIs, client feedback, and contract extensions.

Numbers prove capability better than statements.

5. Transferability statement (10% of content)

Explicit connection between this small contract and the large framework you’re bidding for.

This tells evaluators why your £80,000 experience is relevant to their £2 million framework.

Case study topics that demonstrate framework readiness

You don’t need case studies from £2 million contracts.

You need case studies that demonstrate the capabilities frameworks require.

For social housing frameworks (PfH, local authorities):

Relevant small case studies:

• Electrical testing (EICR) programmes across 50-200 properties
• Void property electrical upgrades (demonstrating rapid turnaround)
• Emergency lighting testing and maintenance contracts
• Tenant liaison excellence on any size project
• Occupied property rewiring (demonstrating minimal disruption)
• Category 1 hazard rectification programmes

Key capabilities to demonstrate:

• Tenant communication and vulnerability awareness
• Working in occupied properties with minimal disruption
• Compliance with electrical safety standards (BS 7671:2018)
• Emergency response capability
• Defect-free delivery and quality assurance
• Added value through energy efficiency or cost savings

For NHS and healthcare frameworks:

Relevant small case studies:

• GP surgery electrical upgrades (patient safety and infection control)
• Care home electrical maintenance (vulnerable occupant awareness)
• Clinical environment work (understanding of HTM standards)
• Emergency lighting systems in public buildings
• 24/7 emergency callout response contracts

Key capabilities to demonstrate:

• Working in operational healthcare environments
• Understanding of infection control requirements
• Patient and staff safety prioritisation
• Out-of-hours working to avoid disruption
• Regulatory compliance (HTM 06-01, BS 7671)

For education sector frameworks:

Relevant small case studies:

• School electrical testing during holidays (deadline management)
• College workshop electrical upgrades (complex technical requirements)
• Nursery electrical safety improvements (safeguarding awareness)
• Sports hall lighting upgrades (minimal disruption to operations)

Key capabilities to demonstrate:

• Safeguarding and DBS compliance
• Working around term-time constraints
• Minimising disruption to teaching
• Fast-track delivery during holiday periods

For local authority and commercial frameworks:

Relevant small case studies:

• Council building electrical maintenance contracts
• Retail unit electrical installations (fast turnaround)
• Office building LED retrofit programmes (energy savings)
• Car park lighting upgrades (public safety focus)

Key capabilities to demonstrate:

• Public-facing professionalism
• Energy efficiency and sustainability outcomes
• Working in operational commercial environments
• Budget management and cost control

How TenderAI transforms small contracts into winning case studies

TenderAI’s £6,000 setup creates 5-10 professional case studies from your existing projects, regardless of contract size.

Information gathering (2-3 hours per project):

Paul interviews you about completed contracts using structured questions:

• What was the challenge or complexity?
• How did you manage risks and stakeholders?
• What processes did you implement?
• What measurable outcomes were achieved?
• What problems did you solve proactively?
• What added value did you deliver?
• What client feedback did you receive?

AI drafts case studies:

Using your answers, AI structures case studies following the proven format that scores 8-9 out of 10.

Paul refines with framework expertise:

Every case study enhanced with positioning from £300 million of wins:

• Challenge context emphasised to demonstrate capability
• Methodology detailed to show systematic approach
• Outcomes quantified with specific KPIs and evidence
• Transferability statements added connecting to framework requirements
• Technical standards referenced (BS 7671, HTM, ISO)
• Social value elements highlighted where applicable

You approve:

Review, confirm accuracy, sign off.

How case studies get used:

When a tender asks for “relevant experience,” AI selects the 3-5 most relevant case studies from your library and customises the transferability statements to match the specific framework.

A £60,000 social housing electrical testing contract becomes valid evidence for a £2 million PfH framework because the case study demonstrates tenant liaison, compliance, quality assurance, and defect-free delivery.

That’s what procurement teams score.

Pricing structure:

• Setup fee: £6,000 (creates 5-10 professional case studies)
• Case study library: Reusable forever across unlimited bids
• Per-bid cost: £0 (AI selects and customises automatically)
• Win fee: 2% of annual contract value (capped at £25,000), only when you win

Time comparison:

Writing case studies DIY: 3-5 hours per case study, often poorly structured.

TenderAI: 2-3 hours providing information, AI structures professionally.

Using case studies per bid DIY: 2-3 hours selecting and customising.

TenderAI: Automatic selection and customisation, included in £0 per-bid model.

Quality comparison:

DIY case studies focused on value: Score 3-5 out of 10.

TenderAI case studies focused on outcomes and transferability: Target 8-9 out of 10.

Generic consultancies ask you to write case studies yourself, then copy-paste them into responses.

TenderAI creates case studies for you, structured how procurement teams evaluate them, using Paul’s knowledge of what PfH, NHS SBS, and CCS frameworks score highly.

Small contracts become winning evidence when written correctly.

Stop losing to the nationals. Start winning contracts.

Find out which frameworks you could win with TenderAI.