Since the Social Value Act and the government’s Social Value Model, most public tenders now weight social value at a minimum of 10% of the total score. For SMEs this is a genuine opportunity — you can often outscore larger competitors here if you answer well.
Be specific and local
Evaluators reward concrete, measurable commitments tied to the contract, not generic statements about being a responsible business. “We will offer two apprenticeships to local unemployed residents within the first six months” beats “we are committed to supporting the community” every time.
Map to the buyer’s priorities
Read the social value themes the authority has chosen and mirror them. Attach metrics, timescales and a named owner to each commitment, and explain how you will report on delivery. That turns a promise into something an evaluator can score with confidence — and something you can be held to.