Social Value Tender Responses
Social Value responses now make up a minimum of 10% of the scoring for a bid. However, when you remove the pricing element of a response criteria, the weighting in terms of written solution is in fact far higher.
“Social value tender responses should aim to identify and demonstrate the bidder's ability to deliver additional Social, Economic and Environmental benefits that go beyond the primary objectives of the contract.”
Key Steps for Writing Winning Responses:
- Research and Understand Requirements
Carefully read the tender documents to understand the social value criteria.
Identify and target the key social value priorities for the contracting authority (e.g. community engagement, sustainability, local employment).
- Align with Organisational Capabilities
Ensure that any proposed social value initiatives align with your organisation's capabilities and experience.
Highlight previous successful projects that demonstrate your ability to deliver social value.
- Engage Stakeholders
Consult with internal and external stakeholders to gather insights and support.
Collaborate with local communities, suppliers, and other partners to design effective social value initiatives.
- Provide Clear and Specific Commitments
Avoid vague statements. Be specific about what you will deliver, how you will deliver it, and the impact it will have.
Use quantifiable targets (e.g. number of jobs created, amount of waste reduced).
- Evidence-Based Approach
Support your commitments with evidence from past projects.
Include testimonials, case studies, and metrics that showcase your track record in delivering social value.
- Demonstrate Innovation
Seek out and highlight unique initiatives that set your proposal apart from competitors.
- Impact Measurement and Reporting
Outline how you will measure and report the social value impact.
Use recognised frameworks and methodologies (e.g. Social Return on Investment (SROI), the National TOMs Framework).
If you need support creating your Social Value Strategy or writing a winning Social Value response to your Public Sector tender please get in touch with our experienced team.