The Social Value Model: How to Answer Social Value Questions in Tenders

How the Social Value Model works under PPN 002 and the new PPN 026, what the 10% and 20% minimum weightings mean for your bid and how to write answers that score.

From 1 January 2027, a new Social Value Model will change how central government evaluates the benefits suppliers promise to deliver through public contracts. For contracts worth £5 million or more, the minimum social value weighting will rise to 20%, making it an even more important part of winning government work.

But there's an important distinction: these requirements do not automatically apply across the entire public sector. The policy applies to central government departments, their executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies. Other public bodies may choose to adopt the model, but they aren't automatically bound by the new requirements.

There's another detail bidders need to understand. The headline weighting doesn't always translate directly into the proportion of marks available in an individual evaluation. The scoring methodology, including approaches such as a Value for Money index, can affect how social value contributes to the overall result.

For bid teams, the message is clear: understand which rules apply to your tender, check how the buyer will calculate the score, and make sure your answer addresses the specific social value criteria.

This guide explains how the model is changing, who the new requirements affect, and how to write social value answers that give your bid the best chance of success.

Where social value comes from

Two pieces of policy underpin social value in public procurement.

The Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 requires relevant public authorities to consider how their procurement of services might improve the economic, social and environmental well-being of their area.

For central government procurement under the Procurement Act 2023, the current framework is set out in PPN 002. This replaced PPN 06/20 and has been mandatory for procurements commenced under the Act on or after 1 October 2025. The Act itself came into force on 24 February 2025.

From 1 January 2027, the new framework will be set out in PPN 026: The Social Value Model.

PPN 026 applies to central government departments, their executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies. These are the organisations covered by the policy, known as in-scope organisations. Other public sector contracting authorities can choose to adopt the approach, but the new requirements do not automatically extend to them.

The new model applies to covered procurements commenced under the Procurement Act 2023 on or after 1 January 2027, subject to the policy's scope and conditions. The commencement date is generally the date the tender notice is published.

PPN 026 only covers procurements worth £1 million or more including VAT, so smaller contracts fall outside it. For procurements that started under the Act before 1 January 2027, buyers are encouraged to move to the new model early but may keep using the previous edition where switching would take disproportionate resources or undo earlier market engagement. The Cabinet Office has also said detailed guidance, including the sub-criteria and how responses are evaluated, will follow in autumn 2026, so some of the scoring detail described here may change once it's published.

For suppliers, this means checking both the contracting authority and the date the procurement starts. Don't assume that every public sector tender will follow the new model simply because the changes have taken effect.

How the current Social Value Model works

Until PPN 026 takes over, in-scope buyers use the PPN 002 model, which ties social value to the government's five missions. These are kickstarting economic growth, making Britain a clean energy superpower, taking back our streets, breaking down barriers to opportunity and building an NHS fit for the future. Below them sit eight outcomes, from fair work and skills for growth to sustainable procurement and reducing crime. PPN 026 narrows this to two outcomes, which we cover below.

Each outcome has a model question, model award criteria (often called MACs), sub-criteria and standard reporting metrics. The buyer picks the outcome that suits the contract and puts the matching question in the tender. The PPN 002 guidance encourages buyers to choose a single outcome for most contracts, so you'll usually face one focused question.

For tenders run under PPN 002, the minimum weighting is 10% of the total score, or 10% of the quality score where the buyer uses an absolute method such as price per quality point. PPN 002 also requires every social value commitment made in a tender to go into the contract as a term, a key performance indicator or a performance indicator, and any local jobs created to deliver the contract must be advertised on the government's Find a Job service. These rules still apply to in-scope procurements that aren't yet using PPN 026.

What's changing in January 2027?

The most significant change is the minimum weighting attached to social value.

Under the new model, in-scope organisations must apply the following minimum weightings to relevant social value criteria:

• Contracts worth £1 million or more but less than £5 million: at least 10%.
• Contracts worth £5 million or more: at least 20%.

These thresholds include VAT. The policy also requires buyers to select social value outcomes that are relevant to the contract, proportionate to the procurement and consistent with the applicable procurement rules.

The higher weighting reflects the government's intention to use public spending to support good jobs, skills development and opportunities for people in local communities.

However, the distinction between the headline weighting and the actual scoring method matters.

Where a buyer uses a conventional total-score approach, social value can account for the specified percentage of the overall score. Where an absolute evaluation methodology is used, such as Price per Quality Point (PQP) or a Value for Money index, the minimum weighting is applied to the non-price criteria, or overall quality score, instead.

This can affect the proportion of the final evaluation that social value effectively represents. The precise impact depends on the buyer's scoring model.

The practical takeaway: don't assume that a 20% headline weighting means your social value answer will automatically account for 20% of the final comparative result. Read the tender documents carefully to understand how the buyer will evaluate and combine quality, price and social value.

Our guide to tender evaluation criteria explains how these elements can work together.

How the new Social Value Model works

The new model simplifies the approach to social value, focusing on the jobs, skills and opportunities suppliers can deliver through government contracts.

PPN 026 has two outcomes, good jobs and skills, with six model award criteria between them. Under good jobs, buyers can score creating or retaining high-quality jobs, fair working conditions and fair pay. Under skills, the criteria are training or retraining, in-work progression and building a talent pipeline for future workforce needs.

Buyers select relevant outcomes from the model and use the associated award criteria to frame their tender questions. These criteria establish what suppliers are expected to deliver and give evaluators a consistent basis for assessing responses.

The new approach also connects social value commitments more directly to delivery. Buyers can draw on relevant community programmes and use key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor whether suppliers fulfil their promises.

This means suppliers need to understand more than the general principles of social value. They need to understand the specific outcome selected by the buyer, what the award criteria require and how the proposed commitments will be measured.

A generic statement about your organisation's charitable work or environmental policies is unlikely to be enough. The evaluator needs evidence of what you will deliver through the contract being awarded.

What evaluators look for

The central principle remains the same: social value answers must address the contract, not just describe your organisation's general approach to corporate social responsibility.

Your existing initiatives can provide useful evidence. For example, an established relationship with an apprenticeship provider could demonstrate that you have the infrastructure and experience to deliver training opportunities.

But the marks depend on how effectively you translate that experience into a credible commitment for the contract.

Compare these two statements:

"We support local employment and invest in our communities."

"We will create four apprenticeship opportunities linked to contract delivery during the first year. We will advertise the opportunities locally, work with relevant training providers and report recruitment and retention figures quarterly."

The second statement gives the evaluator something concrete to assess. It explains what you will deliver, when you will deliver it and how progress will be measured.

Your commitments should also be proportionate. A small software contract is unlikely to justify the same social value promises as a major construction programme. The right commitments depend on the contract's scope, workforce, supply chain, location and opportunities to deliver additional benefits.

The stronger your connection between the proposed commitment and the contract, the easier it is for an evaluator to understand its value.

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How to write a social value answer that scores

The January 2027 changes make it even more important to develop a consistent approach to social value bidding. A structured response helps evaluators identify how your proposal meets the criteria and gives your delivery team a clear plan to follow.

1. Start with the buyer's chosen outcome

Read the social value question, award criteria and any associated sub-criteria carefully.

Identify exactly what the buyer wants to achieve and structure your answer around those requirements, ideally in the same order.

Don't assume that a strong response to a previous tender will automatically work for a new one. Different contracts may prioritise different outcomes, and the new model's requirements may differ from those used in earlier procurements.

If labour makes up a large share of the contract cost, expect questions about the staff working on it. PPN 026's criteria on fair pay and fair working conditions are aimed at the contract workforce, so be ready to talk about pay, conditions and progression.

2. Make every commitment specific

For each commitment, explain:

• What you will deliver.
• Where the benefit will be delivered.
• Who will benefit.
• When the activity will take place.
• How you will measure and report progress.
• Who in your organisation will be responsible for delivery.

This turns a broad ambition into a commitment that can be evaluated and managed.

For example, rather than promising to support local skills, explain how many training opportunities you will provide, which groups or communities you will target, when the opportunities will be available and how you will measure participation and outcomes.

3. Use relevant evidence

Support your proposal with evidence that demonstrates your ability to deliver.

This could include previous contract results, established partnerships, training programmes, recruitment processes or examples of successful community engagement.

Make the link between past performance and the new contract explicit. Previous experience should give the evaluator confidence that your proposed commitments are realistic, rather than simply demonstrate that your organisation has a good corporate social responsibility policy.

4. Understand the scoring methodology

The social value weighting is only part of the evaluation picture.

Check whether the tender uses a conventional weighted-score model, an absolute pricing methodology or another approach. Establish how the buyer will calculate the quality score, how price will be assessed and how the results will contribute to the final ranking.

Pay particular attention to whether the published social value percentage applies to the total score or the non-price quality score.

This matters when deciding how much effort to devote to each section of your response. A higher headline weighting can increase the importance of social value, but the precise effect on your overall competitiveness depends on the evaluation methodology.

5. Make sure your promises are deliverable

A commitment should be ambitious enough to demonstrate value but realistic enough to fulfil.

Under PPN 026, in-scope organisations must establish at least one social value KPI for contracts worth £5 million or more, in addition to the other contract KPIs required under the Procurement Act 2023. Relevant KPI information must also be published and reported on in accordance with the applicable requirements.

Your bid team should therefore work with the people responsible for delivery before making commitments. Confirm that the proposed targets are achievable, that resources are available and that the necessary reporting arrangements can be maintained.

A promise that wins marks but cannot be delivered creates unnecessary contractual and reputational risk.

Promise 20 work placements and you'll be reporting on 20. Under PPN 026, evidence of poor performance against social value KPIs can also be taken into account when a buyer decides whether to exclude a supplier from future tenders.

6. Tailor your answer to every tender

A library of approved evidence and previously successful responses can save considerable time. But the final answer must reflect the buyer's requirements and the specific contract.

Reuse the evidence, not the assumptions.

Review the question, select the most relevant examples, adapt the commitments to the contract and check that every claim can be substantiated.

This is particularly important during the transition to the new model, when bid teams may encounter different requirements depending on the procurement's commencement date and the contracting authority.

FAQs

Does the social value model apply to local authorities?

Not directly. PPN 002 and PPN 026 both apply to central government departments, their executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies, though other public bodies can choose to adopt the same approach. Councils still have a duty under the Social Value Act 2012 to consider social value when they buy services, so expect social value questions in council tenders too, often in a format the council has set itself.

What is the minimum weighting for social value?

It depends on which PPN the buyer is using. Under PPN 002, in-scope buyers must give social value at least 10% of the total score. PPN 026 applies to tenders published from 1 January 2027, though buyers can adopt it sooner, and sets at least 10% for contracts from £1 million up to £5 million and at least 20% for contracts of £5 million or more, including VAT. Under both, a buyer using an absolute method such as price per quality point applies the minimum to the quality score instead. Buyers can weight social value higher, so check the tender documents for the exact figure before you plan your answer.

Can I reuse social value answers across tenders?

You can reuse your evidence, case studies and delivery methods, but write the commitments fresh for each contract. Evaluators score what you'll deliver on that contract, in that buyer's area, and the award criteria under PPN 026 differ from those in the PPN 002 model, so an older answer may not match the question at all. A good library of past answers and proven results makes this much quicker, as long as someone tailors each response to the question in front of them.

What happens if we miss our social value commitments?

Under PPN 002, commitments must be written into the contract as terms, KPIs or performance indicators. PPN 026 says they should be monitored through contractual mechanisms such as KPIs, with at least one social value KPI on contracts of £5 million or more. Either way, a shortfall becomes a contract performance issue, and under PPN 026 poor performance against social value KPIs can be considered if a buyer looks at excluding you from future tenders. That's a good reason to set realistic targets rather than the biggest numbers you can think of.

Make social value a strength

In our view, social value is one of the most winnable parts of a central government tender, because specific, owned commitments stand out against vague ones. BidScript helps bid teams find their strongest evidence quickly and draft answers against the buyer's criteria. Book a demo to see how it could help on your next tender.