Social Value Procurement Policy
Purpose:
The primary purpose of this policy is to outline the council’s approach to embedding social value principles into its procurement processes in order to increase the social value delivered through its contracts.
Brighton & Hove City Council (the council) recognises the transformative potential of social value within procurement activities and is committed to harnessing this potential to generate a positive and lasting impact on our community.
Background:
The Public Services (Social Value) Act (2012) requires public authorities to have regard to economic, social and environmental well-being in connection with public services contracts and for connected purposes.
Social value is defined as “the additional benefit to the community derived from commissioning and procurement activities, extending beyond the direct purchasing of goods, services, and outcomes”.
The Council has developed a toolkit containing guidance and a set of social value outcomes that will enable it to consider the economic, social and environmental well-being of the city and its residents when procuring services from external suppliers. These outcomes are based on the vision and outcomes contained within the Council Plan 2023-2024.
Roles and responsibilities
All employees undertaking or participating in procurement-related activities are required to read and understand this policy and report any issues or non-compliance to the Contract and Supply Team.
The Head of Procurement has overall accountability and authority for this policy.
The Executive Leadership Team (ELT) is responsible for ensuring all staff operate in accordance with the content of this policy.
Line managers are responsible for ensuring that staff in their team are made aware of the policy and that they are provided with appropriate training.
The Sustainability and Social Value procurement manager is responsible for the annual review of the policy to ensure it remains relevant and proportionate.
Policy Principles:
The council will:
· Consider social value as part of all relevant procurement projects.
· Include the Real Living Wage in our specification where relevant and proportionate
· Encourage suppliers to adopt robust Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policies and support our Anti-Racism Strategy.
· Encourage suppliers to support initiatives that increase the wellbeing of residents of the Brighton and Hove area and staff working on council contracts.
· Encourage suppliers from within Brighton & Hove to support regeneration projects or initiatives in the communities in which they operate.
· Encourage suppliers to support initiatives that increase the digital inclusion of residents of the Brighton and Hove area.
· Encourage suppliers to support initiatives that increase biodiversity within the Brighton and Hove area.
· Encourage suppliers to take steps to make supply-chain opportunities accessible to local SMEs and Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations.
· Encourage suppliers to offer employment and training opportunities to people who may otherwise have difficulty finding employment.
· Encourage suppliers to engage, collaborate with, and support VCSE organisations.
· Encourage suppliers to support initiatives to alleviate the cost-of-living crisis.
· Encourage suppliers to support initiatives that help local communities to recover from the impact of the pandemic.
· Monitor the social value outcomes achieved by contracts.
Policy implementation:
The following process shows how social value will be built into competitive procurements
1. The commissioner/procurer will identify connected social value outcomes which apply, by giving consideration to what else can be achieved for the stakeholders of the contract beyond the core services procured.
2. Where available, Equalities Impact Assessments will be considered in connection with the identification of social value outcomes.
3. Social value outcomes will be connected and proportionate to the opportunity.
4. Selected social value outcomes will be included in any market engagement activity for consultation with prospective suppliers.
5. Every tender will have considered social value and have at least one outcome included, unless there is a legitimate reason not to.
6. Minimum 10% of the quality award criteria will be allocated to Social Value, where relevant and proportionate.
7. Suppliers will be scored on the strength of their social value proposals ;
8. The responses of the winning bid will be incorporated into the contract itself and the contract manager will monitor the delivery of the Social Value outcomes throughout the contract.
9. Contract Managers will monitor and report on delivery of Social Value as part of their KPI reporting process.
Managing Compliance with the policy:
Compliance with this policy will form part of annual contract management audits
Policy Controls: