Winning the Bid: How Ample Innovation Can Lead the New Era of Social Value in Government Contracts

The landscape of government procurement has shifted. For a forward-thinking business like Ample Innovation, the publication of Procurement Policy Note (PPN) 06/20 represents a massive opportunity to turn our values into a competitive edge.  

Gone are the days when social value was a "nice-to-have" or a vague consideration. Under this new model, central government departments are now mandated to explicitly evaluate social value in all new procurements.

The Social Value Advantage: Navigating PPN 06/20 in UK Procurement

Here is how we can take advantage of this shift and position Ample Innovation as the partner of choice for the public sector.

1. The 10% Advantage: Why Quality Trumps Quantity

One of the most significant changes in PPN 06/20 is the requirement for a minimum weighting of 10% of the total score for social value. In a tight bidding process, this 10% can be the deciding factor.

Crucially, the evaluation is qualitative, not quantitative. The government isn't just looking at "how much" we do, but the quality of "what" we deliver and "how" we deliver it. This levels the playing field for innovative companies like ours to outshine larger competitors through superior, creative social value strategies.

2. Leading with "Tackling Economic Inequality"

As Ample Innovation, our business model naturally aligns with the "Tackling economic inequality" theme. The government is specifically looking for activities that:

• Create diverse supply chains: By partnering with start-ups, SMEs, and VCSEs, we directly support government goals to grow small organisations.

• Support innovation: The model rewards the use of disruptive technologies and new methods that modernise delivery and increase productivity.

• Identify and manage cyber security risks: Demonstrating our rigorous approach to digital safety in our supply chain is now a recognised social value outcome.

3. Demonstrating Environmental Stewardship

The "Fighting climate change" theme is a priority policy outcome. Ample Innovation can win by embedding environmental benefits directly into our contract performance. This includes:

• Working toward net zero greenhouse gas emissions.

• Influencing our staff and suppliers to support environmental protection and improvement.

4. Prioritising Wellbeing and Equal Opportunity

The social value model isn't just about "green" initiatives; it’s about people. We can differentiate our bids by demonstrating clear action in:

• Reducing the disability employment gap: Increasing representation and providing training for disabled people in our workforce.

• Workplace Wellbeing: Implementing concrete actions to support the physical and mental health of the contract workforce.

• Community Integration: Collaborating with local users and communities to co-design the delivery of contracts.

Summary of Strategic Action for Ample Innovation

Focus Area	Priority Outcome to Target
Business Growth	Support new businesses and entrepreneurs to grow economic resilience.
Technology	Use disruptive technologies to lower costs and improve quality.
Workforce	Tackle inequality in pay and skills while supporting mental health.
Sustainability	Commit to net zero and influence the supply chain toward protection.

The Bottom Line

PPN 06/20 is designed to ensure the public sector maximises social value "effectively and comprehensively". By familiarising ourselves with the Social Value Model, we can stop viewing social responsibility as a cost and start seeing it as a primary driver of our commercial success.

At Ample Innovation, we don’t just deliver a service—we deliver a better future for the communities we serve. Now, we have the framework to prove it.