There is no doubt that social value has moved from the periphery to the absolute fore of public procurement. Under the Procurement Act 2023, social value can now account for a significant proportion of a contract's overall score. This shift reflects a clear, legitimate expectation from our communities that public money should deliver a wider community dividend - tangible benefits that sit alongside core services like construction, waste management or social care.
Yet, in conversations with local authority officers, a recurring frustration emerges. Social value often looks impressive during the tender process, where bidders - ranging from global construction firms to boutique professional services - commit to thousands of volunteering hours, specific employment pathways and substantial environmental gains with remarkable confidence. However, once the contract moves into mobilisation and live delivery, that clear picture often begins to blur. This is the emergence of what I describe as the social value ‘black hole'. Promises enter the contract clearly defined, but without the right structures and digital infrastructure in place, the supporting evidence fails to emerge.
