What is Social Value?
North Tyneside Council want to partner with suppliers that share our values, that look at the wider value they can offer to society, and that will contribute to North Tyneside’s ambition to be zero-carbon by 2030.
The concept of social value refers to creating additional social, economic, and environmental benefits for the residents and communities of North Tyneside through procurement and delivery of service contracts.
In simple terms, social value is added benefit to the residents of North Tyneside outside of the requirement of a contract.
North Tyneside Council takes this seriously when evaluating tenders for council contracts with a minimum of 10% weighting to be applied to social value when evaluating tenders. The first 5% is dedicated to environmental sustainability.
Local authorities and other public bodies have a legal duty under The Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 to consider the social good and wider impact that could come from the procurement of services before they embark upon it.
Our Social Value Priorities
We work with our suppliers to shape their social value objectives to align with the policy priorities of the Mayor and Cabinet.
Thriving
It’s important to bring about more good quality and secure jobs for the residents of North Tyneside and help local business to develop and grow.
We particularly ask our suppliers to consider a) promoting skills, and employability within North Tyneside; b) increasing the number of direct employees who are residents of North Tyneside; c) increasing spending with suppliers based in North Tyneside; d) investing in community projects within North Tyneside.
Family Friendly
We want the suppliers we work with to be inspiring young people to develop careers and understand the opportunities that are available to them by offering career advice, work experience placements and apprenticeships.
We particularly ask our suppliers to consider a) working with schools and colleges within North Tyneside attending local career events; b) offering work experience placements to young people living within North Tyneside; c) offering apprenticeships to residents of North Tyneside d) finding innovative ways to support to the long term unemployed.
Secure
Social value can be achieved through purchasing goods or services locally in an ethical and sustainable way. More can be achieved by the Authorities suppliers influencing their own suppliers to apply the same principles.
We particularly ask our suppliers to consider a) initiatives aimed at tackling health and socio-economic inequalities, b) providing or improving equality, diversity, and inclusion training to staff and supply chain, c) how suppliers procure their own contracts, d) how the social value commitments of your supply chain are monitored.
Caring
One of the key social value benefits comes from suppliers providing (financial or non-financial) support to VCSE’s within the borough, particularly supporting priority groups. Suppliers getting involved in these community projects can result in real positive benefits for local people as well as your employees.
We particularly ask our suppliers to consider a) support Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprises within North Tyneside whether that be through money, time, or materials b) supporting older, disabled, vulnerable or any other priority group within the borough, c) paying all staff at least the Real Living Wage d) supporting initiatives tackling homelessness.
Greener
North Tyneside have a target to make North Tyneside carbon net-zero by 2030 - twenty years ahead of the national target date. Being carbon neutral or carbon net zero means reducing as much climate-damaging carbon emissions as possible that come from our actions as individuals, organisations, industry, agriculture, and business – or off-setting any you do. North Tyneside Council has developed an action plan to reduce our emissions and we are looking for our suppliers to contribute.
We particularly ask our suppliers to consider a) reducing business miles, b) reducing single use plastics, c) reducing energy/fuel usages, d) increasing recycling, or e) contributing to any carbon offset schemes.
Key Elements of the Question
There are usually three elements to a social value question: baseline, target, and methodology.
Your current baseline - If you don’t currently work within the North Tyneside Area, tell us about what you are doing in the areas you work. If you don’t currently have any social value experience, tell us, we want to understand how your current work compares to your targets going forward.
A target for the contract period – Make sure your target is realistic and achievable for your organisation as this target will be used to measure achievements throughout the contract alongside the contractual Key Performance Indicators.
A clear method statement – Explain how your targets will be achieved throughout a contract, with enough detail to provide confidence that your social value commitments are deliverable. Your response may include a clear operational plan, details of proposed links with other organisations (for example local schools, VCSE’s, employment agencies), and examples of previous social value case studies and lessons learnt (where available).
General Advice When Submitting Tenders
- Treat social value as a core aspect of the delivery of the contract.
- Don’t assume we know about your company even if you have worked with North Tyneside Council previously – Write it down!
- Think carefully about the question asked, and make sure your response is relevant.
- Don’t be put off if you don’t have experience delivering social value, tailor your response to provide confidence in your methodology to achieve your target.
- Make sure you cover all aspects of the question fully.
- Tailor your response to relate to the delivery of the contract you are bidding for (for example, if your services are focused in a certain area of North Tyneside, you may look to make links with VCSE’s or schools near the area you will be working).
Managing Delivery of Social Value
Contract managers & the commercial team will periodically discuss with suppliers about the social value they are achieving, and how we can provide any support.
- These discussions will be based on your tender responses but make sure you keep us informed of any additional social value activity you are doing within North Tyneside or the local area.
- Details of achievements will be recorded on the contract management toolkit and evaluated alongside any performance measures as part of the contract.
- Where possible we will also gather case studies to further illustrate the impact of a provider’s social value achievements.
Useful Contacts & Documents
North Tyneside Business Forum –provide support and advice, funding information and networking opportunities for businesses based in North Tyneside. www.northtynesidebusinessforum.org.uk
North Tyneside Learning Trust – work alongside schools, employers, universities, and colleges to improve education and life chances for all children and young people in North Tyneside. Host several events throughout the school year including career speed dating and mock interviews. www.ntlearningtrust.org.uk
North Tyneside VODA – provide support, advice and training to volunteers and voluntary and community groups operating in the borough. www.voda.org.uk
North Tyneside Council – Employment and Skills - manages an in-house training programme covering a wide range of subject areas. Can provide further details to employers when looking to hire apprentices. www.skillnorthtyneside.org.uk
NEPO – works in partnership with Northeast local authorities to procure a wide range of goods and services. Provide training and networking events for suppliers including bid writing master classes, and introduction to social value sessions. www.nepo.org
Related documents
White Ribbon Campaign
For more information and to sign-up please visit the White Ribbon website: https://www.whiteribbon.org.uk/