Do something good: Get to grips with the Social Value Model
Before you start yawning at the prospect of another detail of public procurement policy, stop and think about it. Here’s a chance to make a real difference. Do your bit for the planet, for its people, for the things that matter.
What is it and why do we need it?
Although it’s wrapped up in the normal, sometimes rather dry terms of Public Contracts Regulations, PPN 06/20 is a force for good. It ensures that Social Value is properly evaluated when Central Government Contracts are awarded.
If you're in a central government department, one of its executive agencies or a non-departmental public body (an In-Scope Organisation), and you’re awarding a contract, your evaluation is critical. It could affect someone’s job prospects, help build a strong community or even tackle climate change. The Social Value Model recognises five themes which have a total of eight outcomes. We’ve summarised these as follows:
| Themes | Policy Outcomes |
| COVID-19 recovery | Help local communities to manage and recover from the impact of COVID-19 |
| Tackling economic inequality | Create new businesses, new jobs and new skills |
| Increase supply chain resilience and capacity | |
| Fighting climate change | Effective stewardship of the environment |
| Equal opportunity | Reduce the disability employment gap |
| Tackle workforce inequality | |
| Wellbeing | Improve health and wellbeing |
| Improve community cohesion |
It’s flexible but effective
While it may appear prescriptive, the Social Value Model allows commercial teams to decide which policy themes and outcomes should be applied to their procurements. What’s more, by defining the key themes and desired outcomes, potential suppliers can describe and detail what they will deliver and how they will do it.
Getting it right
As always, there’s more detail than we’re introducing here. For example, a minimum weighting of 10% of the total score for social value should be applied in the procurement to ensure that it is a differentiating factor in bid evaluation. The full policy note can be found here.
Do your bit, with our help
Understanding the detail of PPN 06/20 is important, not just for compliance but for issues that impact globally, nationally, locally and at an individual level. To make meaningful change, we must embrace this policy note and we’re here if you want help with that. We have considerable expertise in public procurement and extensive experience working with In-Scope Organisations.
If like to learn more, to do more, to make that difference, get in touch.
