Getting listed on a framework is a significant milestone. After the effort of a compliant application, it’s tempting to treat Social Value as a box ticked.
For most frameworks, that’s not how it works. Your Social Value commitments don’t end when you’re awarded a place. In many cases, the real work starts there.
If you’re listed on or preparing to list on any GCA framework, such as G-Cloud 15, NS4, PSSS, CaPS, or DOS7, here’s what you need to know about your ongoing obligations and what’s changing from January 2027.
Framework level vs call-off level
Social Value obligations in public sector procurement operate at two levels:
- Framework level is what you committed to when you applied. Your application set out your organisational Social Value approach – your commitments, how you measure them, and who is responsible. This forms part of your framework agreement.
- Call-off level is where the work happens. When a buyer calls off from the framework, they can set their own Social Value requirements for that specific contract. These may be more detailed and more demanding than your framework-level commitments.
The key point is that your framework-level commitments set a floor, not a ceiling. Buyers at call-off can ask for more, and from January 2027, PPN 026 changes what that looks like for central government contracts.
What PPN 026 means for call-offs from January 2027
PPN 026, published in August 2026, introduces a new Social Value Model for central government procurement. It applies to procurements commenced on or after 1st January 2027, including call-offs from frameworks starting after that date.
Under PPN 026, Social Value at call-off level focuses on two outcomes: Good Jobs and Skills. Contracts between £1m and £5m carry a minimum 10% Social Value weighting. Contracts of £5m or more carry a minimum 20%.
Call-off competitions from January 2027 will ask you to evidence how your delivery creates jobs, develops skills, and builds a talent pipeline. Generic responses will not score well.
Well-placed suppliers have been building Social Value evidence throughout the contracts they’re already delivering.
What ‘contractual commitment’ means in practice
When you commit to Social Value in a framework application or call-off response, those commitments become part of the contract. That carries real implications.
Contracting authorities can monitor Social Value delivery as part of contract management. Under PPN 026, contracts of £5m or more must carry at least one Social Value KPI. This must be published on the central digital platform and reported on annually.
For contracts below that threshold, formal KPI reporting may not be mandated. But buyers can still include Social Value as a contractual obligation and review it during the contract.
If you committed to two apprenticeships per year or 50 hours of volunteering per quarter, you need records to prove it.
What happens if you don’t deliver?
Under PPN 026, poor Social Value performance can be taken into account when considering whether to exclude a supplier from future tenders. A pattern of committing to Social Value and not delivering is a potential barrier to winning future contracts.
Even outside PPN 026’s formal scope, buyers are increasingly sophisticated. A buyer who finds your commitments weren’t fulfilled during a previous contract is unlikely to score your next bid generously.
Only commit to what you can deliver. Make sure you can prove you delivered it.
How to build a Social Value evidence bank during delivery
The suppliers who handle this well build evidence continuously throughout the contract.
Keep a delivery log
Record Social Value activities as they happen — who benefited, when, what the outcome was. A simple spreadsheet is enough to start with.
Tie activities to your commitments
Note which commitment each activity evidences. This makes it straightforward to demonstrate delivery, rather than presenting unrelated activities and hoping the evaluator joins the dots. If you need a refresher on how to structure commitments that score well, our guide covers the detail.
Report proactively
Where your contract includes Social Value KPIs, don’t wait to be asked. A brief quarterly update to your contract manager builds trust and creates a paper trail.
Use the right tools
Platforms like Neighbourly’s Pulse can help you evidence local Social Value activity and generate reports buyers find credible.
Know what you signed up for
When you were awarded a framework place, you agreed to terms that may include ongoing Social Value obligations. Some frameworks require regular reporting to the contracting authority. Others include Social Value in KPIs that affect whether your place is renewed.
If you’re unsure what your framework agreement says about Social Value, find out before you’re asked.
The bigger picture
The suppliers who will do best under PPN 026 treat Social Value as a delivery discipline, not just a bid-writing exercise.
The commitment you make in a bid response is the starting point. The evidence you build during delivery determines whether you can make that commitment again, more credibly, next time.
Getting listed on a framework opens a long-term relationship with the public sector. Your Social Value approach should reflect that.
To understand your framework obligations or get support building a credible Social Value approach, book a call with our team.
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- How to write a Social Value response that scores well
