How to write a case study for tendering

Good case studies often comprise:

An overview of the scope of works

A good case study needs to immediately let the evaluator know exactly how and why it is relevant to the opportunity you are tendering for. Providing key information at the beginning of the case study, such as the value, size and scope of the contract, will allow the evaluator to instantly connect the dots and assess whether or not the narrative will be relevant to the opportunity.

The content of your case study can evidence effective processes and your ability to resolve key logistical and operational challenges, but if the contract value or scope is not similar to the opportunity you are tendering for, it may be disregarded as irrelevant.

Evidence of an efficient and effective mobilisation period

Evaluators want assurances that you have effective processes in place for efficiently mobilising upon contract award. Not only will this set their minds at ease that they are doing business with a competent contractor but it will evidence that the transitional period between mobilisation and implementation will be smooth and efficient. Key topics to cover include:

• Outlining exactly how you mobilised the contract, e.g., devising a bespoke communication plan to ensure effective communication from commencement, planning a series of mobilisation update/review meetings so progress can be tracked and assigning a mobilisation-specific team.
• Providing an example mobilisation Gantt chart or implementation plan, which outlines the critical path and task interdependencies to ensure commencement on the stipulated date.
• How you overcame any challenges during mobilisation, e.g., supply chain issues.
• Describing any interactions with the outgoing provider to obtain recommendations, an insight on contract-specific nuances, and important contractual information, such as TUPE transferee details.

 Demonstrating an effective mobilisation plan will highlight to the evaluator that you are experienced in managing and coordinating pre-commencement activities.

Key personnel involved in the delivery of the contract

Providing the names, roles, responsibilities, qualifications and experience of each member of staff involved in the delivery of the contract will show that only competent employees are allocated to contracts. If the contract manager is to be the same for the opportunity you are tendering for, this is a perfect opportunity to evidence their ability and competency, e.g., pointing out correlating responsibilities that will be applicable to both contracts.

Key challenges and how you overcame them

Outlining a key challenge and the measures your company took to mitigate/remedy any issues associated with it will evidence both your understanding of relevant issues that may impact performance and your ability to negate any potential contract disruptions. For example, key challenges could include:

• COVID-19 implications: and how your company reacted during the initial lockdown period and subsequent government measures.
• Supply chain issues stemming from Brexit: and any changes you made to existing processes and procedures to mitigate disruptions, e.g., sourcing exclusively from within the United Kingdom.

 Showing that you met and overcame a key challenge and went on to deliver the contract effectively will provide assurances to the evaluator that your contract team possess the competency to react to unforeseen changes.

Contract successes and improvements

Contract successes, such as consistently meeting and bettering key performance indicators (KPIs) and service level agreements, are a great footer when concluding your case study. Providing a chronological account of how you mobilised, implemented and delivered the contractual requirements, rounded off by tangible evidence of this, will leave a lasting impression on the tender evaluator.

This is also a great opportunity to highlight any measurable improvements your company had on the contract and for the authority. For example, did you introduce any innovative ways of working or procedures that either saved the authority money or maximised efficiency? Are there noticeable improvements in contractual performance when compared to the previous contractor? Have you implemented any continuous improvement targets for the next quarter/year?

Tender writing support

For information on how we can support you to produce a high-quality case study, contact our team today and we will be happy to discuss the tender writing services that we offer.