UK Procurement Glossary
Social Value
The additional economic, social and environmental benefits a supplier brings beyond the core contract, weighted in UK public sector tender evaluation.
Definition
Social value in UK public sector procurement refers to the wider economic, social and environmental benefits a supplier delivers beyond the core goods or services. Under PPN 06/20 (still applied across UK government), social value must be weighted at a minimum 10% of the total evaluation score in central government procurements, often more.
Common social-value themes include local employment, fighting climate change, equal opportunity, wellbeing and tackling economic inequality. Bidders score by proposing specific, measurable, locally-relevant commitments — not generic policy statements.
How this affects your bid
Bake measurable, location-specific social-value commitments into the bid from the start. "We will employ 3 apprentices from [specific area] within 12 months" outscores "we are committed to social value" every time.
Common questions about social value
How is social value scored?
Against the published PPN 06/20 themes and outcomes, on a 0-5 or 0-10 scoring scale. Specific quantified commitments score highest.
Does social value apply to all UK public sector contracts?
It applies to central government procurements above £5m and is widely adopted by wider public sector. Many councils and NHS Trusts now require it for contracts well below that.
Related terms
Procurement Policy Note (PPN)
UK Cabinet Office guidance documents setting mandatory or recommended practices for UK …
Carbon Reduction Plan (CRP)
A published supplier statement of carbon footprint and reduction commitments — required…
Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT)
The UK public sector evaluation principle that contracts are awarded on overall value (…
Writing a bid that involves social value?
BidWriter is the AI bid-writing tool built specifically for UK public sector bidders. Free plan, no card required.
Start free →See all UK procurement terms in the BidWriter glossary, or read our long-form procurement guides.