Over this past month, we’ve shifted our focus to the social value side of procurement. First, we outlined 3 fresh new challenges being faced by procurement teams as a result of January’s changing guidance. Then, we revealed 4 of our top tips for any procurement team looking to boost the value they’re generating while maximising on efficiency.
To round out this month of content, we’ve put together a checklist you can use to assess how your own team has adapted to the changes, and to highlight any further areas for improvement. We’ve shaped it around the government’s own guide to following the new social value model. So give that a read if you want any more information about what your social value process should look like!
For each question, simply choose the option that best suits your team. As you go through, keep track of how many As, Bc, Cs, or Ds you pick and check the answer guide at the end to see what it says about your team.
Let’s start!
1) Do you encourage organisation-wide awareness and education in terms of social value? Rather than approaching social value on a need-to-know basis for specific roles or teams, do you actively encourage all internal staff and clients to familiarise themselves with the new guidance and what it means for generating value through projects?
A. Strongly agree
B. Agree
C. Neither agree nor disagree
D. Disagree
2) Does your public-facing social value statement clearly outline your organisation’s views and positioning in terms of the social impact of your projects? And does it do so in an obviously actionable way?
A. Strongly agree
B. Agree
C. Neither agree nor disagree
D. Disagree
“Start talking to the supply market as early as possible […] and include social value in these discussions.”
3) Do you consider social value sooner rather than later, identifying the most relevant themes and outcomes for upcoming projects before procurement begins, and recognising which model award criteria, reporting metrics, and KPIs will be best at tracking social value delivery?
A. Strongly agree
B. Agree
C. Neither agree nor disagree
D. Disagree
4) Are you engaging with the wider market to test your approach and methodology ahead of time, collecting external insight into how best to structure the social value aspect of your procurement process?
A. Strongly agree
B. Agree
C. Neither agree nor disagree
D. Disagree
5) Do you frequently test your chosen social value outcomes and process to ensure it’s best suited to current market maturity? Are you regularly engaging with your suppliers to find the best value solutions for all parties involved?
A. Strongly agree
B. Agree
C. Neither agree nor disagree
D. Disagree
“Test the themes and policy outcomes in the Model to confirm how to best drive social value through the procurement and to confirm these are relevant to the contract. Test options for the Model Evaluation Questions, Model Award Criteria, Reporting Metrics, and the SV KPIs that you will develop with the market. Test the 10% minimum weighting for social value and explore whether this can be increased, depending on market maturity in delivering social value.”
6) Are you thoroughly embedding your chosen social value priorities, themes, and outcomes into your draft specification and procurement documentation, ensuring full transparency to suppliers and external organisations from the get go?
A. Strongly agree
B. Agree
C. Neither agree nor disagree
D. Disagree
7) Do you have the capacity to evaluate suppliers’ bids on both the quantity and quality of their commitments and promised social value?
A. Strongly agree
B. Agree
C. Neither agree nor disagree
D. Disagree
“Evaluate the quality of tenderers’ responses using the evaluation questions for the procurement. Also evaluate against the award criteria in the same way as the evaluation of any other quality aspect in a procurement.”
8) Do you consider the feasibility of supplier commitments, as well as the amount of social value promised?
A. Strongly agree
B. Agree
C. Neither agree nor disagree
D. Disagree
9) Are your projects’ social value tracked throughout their life cycle? Is contract management embedded in your procurement process to ensure a seamless transition from the awarding of bids to tracking deliverables and reporting on progress?
A. Strongly agree
B. Agree
C. Neither agree nor disagree
D. Disagree
10) Is there full transparency of project progress amongst suppliers, the contracting organisation, and contract managers, with frequent and reliable social value reporting keeping everyone on track and up to speed on delivery?
A. Strongly agree
B. Agree
C. Neither agree nor disagree
D. Disagree
Results
If you answered mostly A: You’ve really hit the ground running since January’s changes came into effect. Amazing work! Answering mostly A means you’re well aligned with the government’s expectations for actioning the new social value model. Now will be the time to focus on any B/C areas and look for ways to improve.
If you answered mostly B: Your team is on solid ground; you’ve successfully pivoted alongside the changes, but perhaps there are still some areas where you’re finding yourself falling short. Any questions you answered with a C or D should be a keen focus over the coming months, as you continue to adapt to the changing social value landscape.
If you answered mostly C: It’s likely your organisation is still finding its feet with the heightened role social value must play in public procurement. But you’re open to finding ways to improve, and that’s a critical first step. The 10 questions above will be a great place to start when tightening your approach over the coming months.
If you answered mostly D: You’ve still got a ways to go when it comes to embracing the new social value model. But luckily, there’s plenty of guidance out there to help. We’d start by giving the government guide a read through as it goes into the entire process in greater detail. You can also always check back here as we’re regularly updating our own advice and top tips.
Whether you’ve found it smooth sailing since January, or are struggling to find your feet, there will be plenty of areas for improvement. As long as you’re taking the time to educate yourself and your staff, and are open to finding ways to pivot your processes and systems to better suit the changing guidance, you’re on the right track.
At Impact, we want to make procurement teams’ lives easier. Empowering councils and local authorities to embrace all opportunities for generating social value throughout their projects, we provide straightforward bid evaluation, a seamless transition to contract management, and consistent value reporting. If you want to find out more, get in touch on 0161 532 4752 or book a demo.