Reminder of the requirements of the Social Value Act

This week the Cabinet Office issued guidance on the requirements of the Social Value Act that apply when you procure a service valued above the EU Threshold (£181k). The guide serves as a reminder of the need for you to consider, at the pre-procurement stage, how procurement could improve the social, economic and environmental well-being of the relevant area, and also to consider how in conducting the process of procurement, you might act with a view to securing that improvement. The guide also contains some practical examples that you could use when designing your service and then writing your service specification.

For example;

• We will require the successful supplier to measure the number of apprenticeship opportunities that are created for the delivery of this service as a direct result of this contract providing details of the type and number of opportunities. Tip: This could include: partnering with other organisations, schools or colleges to provide skills and training; creating apprenticeships; developing construction skills; providing work experience or work placements; developing trade skills.
• We want to create skills, training and apprenticeship opportunities through delivering this service. Tip: Harness a range of opportunities that the bidders may already provide by not being prescriptive about what or how skills should be delivered.
• Where opportunities arise through the delivery of this contract, we want to generate employment and training opportunities for the following targeted groups: long-term unemployed, young people (including school-leavers, young unemployed and/or student graduates), people with disabilities, and other groups. Tip: Setting out a specific requirement is a good approach to take if the market is immature, so that you need to explain more about what you are looking for (a good reason to consult the market in advance).

The guide along with a summary of the requirements of the Social Value Act and additional resources can be found on FELP - your go to resource powered by Crescent Purchasing Consortium.