Successful Public Sector Tenders and Grants
How to Build a Winning Social Value Response for Public Sector Tenders
The process of creating a response to social value requirements for public sector tender opportunities requires specific steps.
The social value section of public sector tenders presents the biggest challenge for SMEs who bid on these opportunities because it now carries significant weight in evaluation scoring. The social value section of tenders represents 10-30% of the evaluation criteria and proper execution will determine whether your company wins or loses the bid.
The following steps outline how to create a successful social value response that delivers both clarity and impactful results.
1. Study the Social Value Instruction Pack from the Council with full attention to its content.
The Social Value Instruction Pack represents a standard document which appears in most tenders to explain what contracting authorities seek from bidders. The document contains three main sections which include:
- The document includes specific priority themes which focus on local employment and net zero initiatives and inequality reduction efforts.
- The document includes specific performance targets and evaluation metrics which must be achieved.
- The document uses the TOMs framework to structure its content which includes Themes and Outcomes and Measures.
Review the entire Social Value Instruction Pack before starting your response preparation. Your social value commitments need to match exactly what the authority has identified as its main objectives. Your response will achieve better scores because it demonstrates direct relevance and measurable outcomes.
2. Your proposal must contain specific measurable actions which match the buyer’s established priorities.
The statement “We support local communities” fails to generate sufficient points in scoring. Your proposal should include detailed measurable steps which directly support the priorities mentioned by the buyer. For example:
- Our company will create four two-week work experience programs annually for people between 16 and 25 years old who live in the area and will receive guidance from a mentor.
- Our company will purchase at least 25% of all contract materials from local SMEs operating within a 15-mile radius of the contract site.
The delivery process together with monitoring systems and reporting mechanisms need to be described in detail for each proposed action. The council requires a practical implementation strategy instead of vague promises.
3. Show Previous Social Value Initiatives Through Specific Examples
When possible you should support your commitments with concrete evidence. The use of specific examples helps businesses demonstrate their ability to deliver substantial social value to their operations. For instance:
- Our company employed two jobless people through a JobCentre partnership which led to their permanent placement in our organization.
- Our university facilities contract included a program which brought Year 10 students to the site for engineering and maintenance career promotion sessions every month.
- Our previous NHS framework included a “zero waste to landfill” initiative which achieved 12% better carbon reduction performance than required targets.
The provided examples establish trust with the council while showing your ability to execute your stated commitments.
4. Revenue-Based Contributions require a full understanding of their operation.
The tender process includes a requirement for bidders to allocate a percentage of their contract value (ranging from 1% to 2%) which the authority can use to support local community projects. The authority maintains flexibility to direct funding toward specific social initiatives which match their current priorities.
When the tender requires this specific contribution you should answer affirmatively while following the tender requirements exactly.
We will donate 1.5% of the complete contract value to the social value fund operated by the council according to the tender requirements.
You can include an additional statement which restates your organization’s dedication to community-driven social impact initiatives.
In closing…
A successful social value response requires businesses to match the authority’s requirements through specific commitments backed by their previous achievements in delivering social value.
The team at Tender Response assists small and medium enterprises to create social value responses which fulfill requirements and showcase their capabilities to potential buyers. Our team will assist you in creating a clear and aligned social value offer which demonstrates genuine impact through detailed action plans or percentage-based contributions.
Your business success and community impact will receive maximum value from our team will help you achieve through your next bid submission.
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