The “New” Social Value Model Question (and how SMEs can respond in 2026)

If you’re bidding for UK public sector work in 2026, you’ll see Social Value asked in a more consistent, structured way than many suppliers are used to. The shift comes from PPN 002 (the updated Social Value Model), which moved into a transition period from 24 February 2025 and became mandatory from 1 October 2025 for in-scope central government procurements.

At the heart of this is a standardised model Social Value question that asks for a method statement and project plan with commitments that are specific, measurable and time-bound. It’s already being used in many tenders with varying degrees of compliance with the intent of PPN002, however it is expected that procurement departments will develop their own processes to follow the guidance more effectively throughout 2026.

What the model question is really asking for

The wording is refreshingly direct: bidders must set out (within a word limit) the commitment(s) they will make to deliver the selected policy outcome, plus how those commitments meet the related award criteria. For some outcomes, you also need to state a baseline: the total number of people who will work on the contract (in roles, not FTE).

Crucially, the evaluation guidance makes clear that scorers are looking for:

• A SMART commitment (minimum requirement to score points)
• A target cohort (or how you’ll identify one) and how you’ll reach them
• How you’ll influence staff/suppliers/communities (e.g., partnering, training, volunteering)
• Transparency (plans to publish commitments and performance)
• A timed project plan, with metrics, tools, governance/escalation, and feedback/improvement loops

It’s also designed to keep Social Value grounded in delivery, not glossy statements. The guide warns authorities not to assess general corporate policies (e.g., generic CSR) instead of contract-specific deliverables.

The core themes: from “nice-to-have” to mission-linked outcomes

The updated model is explicitly aligned to the government’s missions (for example, “Kick start economic growth”), with outcomes such as fair work sitting underneath those missions.

Across the model, you’ll notice a few recurring themes in what buyers are trying to achieve:

1. Quality jobs and fair work
   This shows up in expectations around job quality, fair conditions, progression, and ethical supply chains (including modern slavery risk management).
2. Targeted opportunity and inclusion
   The question structure pushes you to define who benefits (the cohort) and how you’ll tailor delivery, rather than making broad claims.
3. Measurable delivery with standard metrics
   The guide promotes standard reporting metrics so suppliers aren’t constantly reinventing measurement approaches.
4. Transparency and contract management
   Social Value is intended to be managed through the contract—commitments should translate into KPIs/monitoring, not disappear after award.

And in many competitions, Social Value is materially important: PPN 002 mandates a minimum 10% weighting (or equivalent) for Social Value in scope.

Practical advice for SMEs tendering in 2026

SMEs can absolutely compete here, often with an advantage, if you stay focused and credible.

1) Start with “relevance”, not a wishlist.

Buyers must select outcomes that are relevant and proportionate, and the model encourages pre-market engagement to make sure requirements are achievable.
So your bid should mirror that discipline: pick 1–2 commitments that clearly connect to the contract, the location, and the likely beneficiaries.

2) Show “additionality”.

Social Value must be over and above the contract’s core deliverables (i.e., you can’t just relabel what you’re already being paid to do).
A simple test: if the contract never existed, would your Social Value activity still happen in the same way? If yes, sharpen it.

3) Don’t oversell – operationalise.

The model is asking for a project plan, governance, escalation points, and monitoring.
This is good news for SMEs: you can win points with a clear, realistic plan and named accountability, even without a huge “CSR department”.

4) Partner smartly.

If you need reach into a cohort or community, consider delivery partners (VCSEs, training providers, local networks). Explain how you’ll manage them and measure outcomes.

A simple structure you can reuse for your response

When you’re drafting your method statement, a clean structure helps you hit every scoring lever:

1. Commitment summary (SMART): bullet the 1 – 3 commitments, with numbers, dates, and location(s).
2. Baseline (if required): roles on the contract, and assumptions.
   • Target cohort: define who benefits, how identified, and why they’re relevant.
3. Delivery approach: activities, partners, communications/recruitment route, accessibility considerations.
4. Timeline / project plan: phases, milestones, and who does what by when.
5. Measurement & reporting: metrics (use standard metrics where applicable), data collection, reporting cadence.
6. Governance & improvement: accountability, escalation, risks, and continuous improvement loop.
7. Transparency: what you’ll publish and where.

Call to action: get your Social Value response “bid-ready”

If you’d like a second pair of eyes on your Social Value plan (or want help turning good intentions into a score-friendly method statement), you can book a focused session at BidHelp.co.uk.

BidHelp offers flexible mentoring sessions including:

• 30-minute session (voice/video call)
• 1-hour session (voice/video call)
• 2-hour session (voice/video call)
• Half-day session (3.5 hours) for a deeper working session

A good use of a session is to map your commitments to the award criteria, tighten your measures, and sanity-check deliverability so you’re both persuasive and credible when you submit.