Social value strategy 2024-28

Content

1. Strategy foreword
2. Where are we now
3. Summary
4. The social value opportunity
5. Why do we need to act
6. The strategy
7. Strategy implementation
   • Policy and vision
     • Lancashire TOMs
     • Social value policy
     • Social value websites
     • Lancashire TOMs mapping
     • Social value annual statement
   • Governance, management and reporting
     • Social value governance
     • Resource bank and training programme
     • Social value evolution
   • Commissioning and procurement
     • Standardised approach
     • Social value templates
     • Consistent evaluation and marking
     • Local needs platform
     • Category plan guidance
   • Market engagement and collaboration
     • Early market engagement
     • Social value forums
     • Greater Lancashire approach
   • Contract management
     • Qualitative delivery plan
     • Social value reporting
     • Case studies
8. Contact

Strategy foreword

This strategy presents information about the Authority's vision, values, objectives and diagnostic analysis before it addresses the strategy. This is intentional; the strategy was developed based on an understanding of our corporate values and priorities, our strengths, challenges, and opportunities to deliver social value. While the strategy may be read in isolation, it is best understood when prefaced with context.

After outlining the themes and priority areas, the bulk of the strategy offers short, medium, and long-term actions advising how we will deliver these priorities.

This strategy has been co-created with the Social Value Portal (SVP). SVP has supported the Authority to:

• Define an overall social value direction in relation to the needs and wants of the Authority, the local area and common priorities across Directorates and the LEP.
• Integrate a developed approach with a measurable social value plan to support the Authority in delivering better services, protecting our environment, supporting economic growth and caring for the vulnerable in our society.
• Make decisions which inform a policy which can be shared internally and externally.

Colleagues across the Authority have collaborated through a series of online surveys and workshops to understand the main social value challenges. As a result, an overall direction of travel has become clearer to guide our approach to social value delivery, management and measurement for the Lancashire region.

Where are we now?

The Authority undertook a social value diagnostic exercise to understand where we are now. Whilst table 1 outlines the diagnostic results, the assessment reviewed:

• 23 questions explored across five core elements of activity that constitutes social value creation in Lancashire.
• responses were collated to recognise where LCC is performing well alongside areas of challenge.
• Priority issues were identified that will support embedding social value across the Authority.

Summary

The diagnostic reviewed, collated from responses provided during the social value workshops, recognise where LCC is performing well alongside areas of challenge. 

Social value diagnostic summary of strengths and challenges.

Key areas of strength

• Mature sectors demonstrating best practice: Construction, LEP projects and Foundations for Wellbeing toolkit already have social value embedded.
• Social value is often considered at early stages: Although no common practice exists across LCC Service Areas, this is still considered.
• Awareness that approach relies on sector maturity and capabilities: Some tenders are formed with social value as the key outcome whilst others expect this as one of the key outcomes
• Collaboration is already happening to achieve outcomes: LCC and LEP do work in partnership with a wide range of public and private bodies to maximise social value e.g. Care Leaver Covenant, Employment & Skills, Armed Forces Covenant.
• Need to balance where impact can be achieved: SME's make up the vast majority of the supply basis in Lancashire, however the larger value projects (that hold the greatest opportunity for the least involvement) are usually pushed for social value reporting and return.
• Some case studies exist: Case studies are produced capturing activity across some LCC/LEP higher profile projects.

Key areas of challenge

• No Cabinet member sponsor
• Policy is dated: LCC's Social Value Policy was drafted in response to the original legislation.
• Corporate plan lacks explicit connection to social value.
• No targeted measurement framework: The application and monitoring of social value metrics is ad hoc, with performance monitoring being a particular challenge.
• Council-wide buy in: Mixed feelings regarding appetite for social value. Some feel it exists, others feel social value does not appear to be high profile, or the concern is in a specific theme only e.g. environmental.
• Reporting progress: Social value progress and performance is reported into respective Programme Management Boards, LEP board etc but not clear if this is an approach which is mirrored across Service Areas.
• Social value consistency: There are good examples but not consistent across LCC.
• Social value evaluation: Quantitative social value assessment not done as standard.
• Seeing procurement commitments through to the contract has been an ongoing challenge.

The social value opportunity

With the release of the ‘New Deal for a Greater Lancashire’ (2050 vision), the strategic framework provides a platform by which to launch a dedicated Lancashire TOMs (Themes, Outcomes & Measures) framework that brings our 2050 new deal priorities together in a way that has been missing before.

An agreed TOMs framework unlocks the ability to standardise a standalone weighting. It allows procurement to follow a simple approach right through to contract management that intentionally doesn’t create multiple layers of complexity. A more sophisticated approach should evolve with time once the basics have been mastered across categories.

Combining a simple approach with a programme of clarity of ownership and training for both colleagues and suppliers will help to build understanding of a common language. A more connected tender pack through to contract management will be the priority.

Why do we need to act

The Authority's vision is to help everyone make Lancashire the best place to live, work, visit and prosper. To support this, we need to work more closely with our partners and supply chain to help people anticipate their own needs and take greater responsibility for themselves and their communities.

The financial challenges we continually face mean that we must focus on the most vital services. Through our buying power, we can support both our supply chain and our communities to create a strong sense of place we can all be proud of.

A local needs analysis was conducted to provide information and insights about the areas that we need to support. A snap shot of some of these insights are below, but the key takeaway is that this message must be shared with our suppliers to focus social value where it's needed most.

• Pockets of deprivation can be seen within the county, especially Hyndburn and Burnley experiencing the largest amounts of high to severe overall deprivation compared to other areas of the county.
• Burnley and Hyndburn also experience a significant amount of high to severe employment deprivation with 68.3% and 65.4% respectively compared to other areas of the county.
• 5% of businesses in Lancashire are micro businesses, with the three key enterprise groups being in construction, professional, scientific & technical services and retail.
• Lancashire experiences the greatest high to severe deprivation in the domain of barriers to housing and services. Focus on health initiatives, supporting those in carer roles and those vulnerable to reoffending and drug misuse are high priorities for Lancashire.
• Areas such as Preston are experiencing more than double high to severe outdoor living environment deprivation at 50% whilst the North West experiences 20.4%.

The strategy

Strengthening our social value partnerships with our supply chain to improve the economic, social and environmental outcomes for Lancashire. This will be achieved through:

• Cabinet member to have oversight of social value,
• Dedicated TOMs framework that reflects Lancashire's corporate priorities,
• Standard, standalone weighting for all procurement's,
• Published Policy with supporting webpage & tender packs,
• Map ‘match making’ organisations or departments to TOMs measures,
• Training programme to upskill staff in social value, and
• Sharing of best practice and accessible needs assessments.

Strategy implementation

Policy and vision

1. Lancashire TOMs (Short)
2. Social Value policy (Short)
3. Social value websites (Medium)
4. Lancashire TOMs mapping (Medium)
5. Social Value annual statement (Long)

Governance, management and reporting

6. Social Value governance (Short)
7. Resource bank and training programme (Medium)
8. Social Value evolution (Long)

Commissioning and procurement

9. Standardised approaches (Short)
10. Social Value templates (Short)
11. Consistent evaluation and marking (Short)
12. Local Needs platform (Medium)
13. Category plan guidance (Long)

Market engagement and collaboration

14. Early market engagement (Short)
15. Social Value forums (Medium)
16. Greater Lancashire approach (Long)

Contract management

17. Qualitative delivery plan (Short)
18. Social Value reporting (Medium)
19. Case studies (Long)

1. Lancashire TOMs

Based on the Social Value Portal (SVP) TOMs framework, the Lancashire TOMs build on these social value founding principles to:

• Themes – aligned to our LCC corporate priorities and Lancashire 2050 strategic framework,
• Outcomes – with our objectives, and
• Measures – as measurable activities.

This foundation enables all Directorates within the Authority to focus on social value generating efforts that are targeted and aligned to complementing strategies, at the same time allowing flexibility and proportionate contribution per service area.

LCC corporate priorities

• Delivering better services
• Caring for the vulnerable
• Supporting economic growth
• Protecting our environment

Lancashire 2050 strategic framework

• Transport, connectivity, and infrastructure
• Early years, education, adult skills, and employment;
• Economic growth and investment
• Environment, climate change and housing quality.

Lancashire Themes

• Employment & skills
• Economic prosperity
• Community building: health & wellbeing

Employment and skills

Outcomes	Measure		Proxy values
More local people in employment	NT1	No. of full time equivalent direct local employees (FTE) hired or retained for the duration of the contract	Number of people (FTE)	£31,285.00
More opportunities for disadvantaged people	NT3	No. of full time equivalent local employees (FTE) hired or retained on the contract who are long-term unemployed (unemployed for a year or longer)	Number of people (FTE)	£20,429.00
	NT3d	No. of full time equivalent local employees (FTE) hired on the contract that are survivors of modern slavery	Number of people (FTE)	£20,496.00
	NT4	No. of full time equivalent local employees (FTE) hired on the contract who are NOT in Employment, Education, or Training (NEETs)	Number of people (FTE)	£15,382.90
	NT4a	No. of full time equivalent local 16-25 y.o. care leavers (FTE) hired on the contract	Number of people (FTE)	£15,382.90
	NT76	No. of full time equivalent local employees (FTE) hired on the contract who are registered as unemployed	Number of people (FTE)	£2,899.00
	NT5	No. of full time equivalent local employees (FTE) aged 18+ years hired on the contract who are rehabilitating or ex-offenders.	Number of people (FTE)	£24,269.00
	NT6	No. of full time equivalent disabled local employees (FTE) hired or retained on the contract	Number of people (FTE)	£16,605.00
	NT6a	No. of full time equivalent local armed forces veteran employees (FTE) hired or retained on the contract who are disabled and are facing specific barriers to transitioning to civilian employment (e.g. physical injury, medical discharge, psychological condition)	Number of people (FTE)	£16,605.00
Improved skills	NT8	No. of staff hours spent on local school and college visits supporting pupils e.g. delivering career talks, curriculum support, literacy support, safety talks (including preparation time)	Number of staff hours	£16.93
	NT9	No. of weeks of training opportunities (BTEC, City & Guilds, NVQ, HNC - Level 2,3, or 4+) on the contract that have either been completed during the year, or that will be supported by the organisation until completion in the following years	Number of weeks	£317.82
	NT10	No. of weeks of apprenticeships or T-Levels (Level 2,3, or 4) provided on the contract (completed or supported by the organisation)	Number of weeks	£251.79
Improved skills for disadvantaged people	NT9a	No. of weeks of training opportunities (BTEC, City & Guilds, NVQ, HNC - Level 2,3, or 4+) on the contract that have either been completed during the year, or that will be supported by the organisation until completion in the following years - delivered for specified groups (e.g. NEETs, under-represented gender and ethnic groups, disabled, homeless, rehabilitating young offenders)	Number of weeks	£317.82
	NT10a	No. of weeks of apprenticeships or T-Levels (Level 2,3, or 4) provided on the contract (completed or supported by the organisation) - delivered for specified groups (e.g. NEETs, under-represented gender and ethnic groups, disabled, homeless, rehabilitating young offenders)	Number of weeks	£251.79
	NT11	No. of hours of 'support into work' assistance provided to unemployed people through career mentoring, including mock interviews, CV advice, and careers guidance	Number of weeks	£105.58
Improved employability of young people	NT12	No. of weeks spent on meaningful work placements or pre-employment course; 1-6 weeks student placements (unpaid)	Number of weeks	£194.50
	NT13	Meaningful work placements that pay Minimum or National Living wage according to eligibility - 6 weeks or more (internships)	Number of weeks	£194.50
Social innovation to create local skills and employment	NT50	Innovative measures to promote local skills and employment to be delivered on the contract - these could be e.g. co-designed with stakeholders or communities, or aiming at delivering benefits while minimising carbon footprint from initiatives, etc.	£ invested inc. time, materials, equipment etc	£1.00

Economic prosperity

Outcomes	Measure		Proxy values
More opportunities for local MSMEs and VCSEs	NT14	Total amount (£) spent with VCSEs within your supply chain	Per £ spent	£0.12
	NT15	Provision of expert business advice to VCSEs and MSMEs (e.g. financial advice / legal advice / HR advice/HSE)	Per expert staff hours	£101.00
	NT17	Number of voluntary hours donated to support VCSEs (excludes expert business advice)	Number of staff volunteering hours	£16.93
	NT18	Total amount (£) spent in local supply chain through the contract	Per £ spent	£1.00
	NT19	Total amount (£) spent through contract with local micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs)	Per £ spent	£1.00
Improving staff wellbeing and mental health	NT20	No. of employees on the contract that have been provided access for at least 12 months to comprehensive and multidimensional wellbeing programmes	Number of  employees provided access	£130.29
	NT21	Equality, diversity and inclusion training provided both for staff and supply chain staff	Number of hours (total session duration) *number attendees	£101.00
Reducing inequalities	NT40	Number and type of initiatives to be put in place to reduce the gender pay gap for staff employed in relation to the contract (describe and document initiatives)	Per £ invested including staff time	£1.00
	NT41	Percentage of staff on contract that is paid at least the relevant Real Living wage as specified by Living Wage foundation	%	No proxy value
Ethical Procurement is promoted	NT43	Initiatives taken throughout the local and global supply chain to strengthen the identification, monitoring and reduction of risks of modern slavery and unethical work practices occurring  in relation to the contract (i.e. supply chain mapping, staff training, contract management)	£ invested including staff time	£1.00
Social innovation to support responsible business	NT51	Innovative measures to promote and support responsible business to be delivered on the contract - these could be e.g. co-designed with stakeholders or communities, or aiming at delivering benefits while minimising carbon footprint from initiatives, etc.	£ invested inc. time, materials, equipment etc	£1.00

Community building: health & wellbeing

Outcomes	Measure		Proxy values
Creating a healthier community	NT26	Initiatives taken or supported to engage people in health interventions (e.g. stop smoking, obesity, alcoholism, drugs, etc.) or wellbeing initiatives in the community, including physical activities for adults and children	£ invested including staff time	£1.00
Vulnerable people are helped to live independently	NT27	Initiatives to be taken to support older, disabled and vulnerable people to build stronger community networks (e.g. befriending schemes, digital inclusion clubs)	£ invested including staff time	£1.00
More working with the Community	NT28	Donations and/or in-kind contributions to specific local community projects (£ & materials)	Per £ spent	£1.00
	NT29	No. of hours volunteering time provided to support local community projects	Number of staff volunteering hours	£1.00
Social innovation to enable healthier safer and more resilient communities	NT52	Innovative measures to enable healthier, safer and more resilient communities to be delivered on the contract - these could be e.g. co-designed with stakeholders or communities, or aiming at delivering benefits while minimising carbon footprint from initiatives, etc.	£ invested inc. time, materials, equipment etc	£1.00

Environment sustainability

Outcomes	Measure		Proxy values
Carbon emissions are reduced	NT31	Savings in CO2e emissions on contract achieved through de-carbonisation (i.e. a reduction of the carbon intensity of processes and operations, specify how these are to be achieved) against a specific benchmark.	Per tCO2e	£244.63
	NT82	Carbon emissions reductions through reduced energy use and energy efficiency measures - on site	Per tCO2e	£244.63
Air pollution is reduced	NT32	Car miles saved on the project as a result of a green transport programme or equivalent (e.g. cycle to work programmes, public transport or car pooling programmes, etc.)	Per mile saved	£0.06
Safeguarding the natural environment	NT86	Volunteering time for environmental conservation & sustainable ecosystem management initiatives	Number of staff volunteering hours	£16.93
	NT85	Resources (on the contract) dedicated to creating green spaces, improving biodiversity or helping ecosystems.	Number of staff volunteering hours	£16.93
	NT87	Total volume of reduced plastics against a relevant benchmark	Per £ invested	£1.00
Resource efficiency and circular economy solutions are promoted	NT72	Hard to recycle waste diverted from landfill or incineration through specific recycling partnerships (e.g. Terracycle or equivalent)	Per £ invested	£1.00
	NT88	Reduce waste through reuse of products and materials	Per kg	£158.02
Social innovation to safeguard the environment and respond to the climate emergency	NT53	Innovative measures to safeguard the environment and respond to the climate emergency to be delivered on the contract - these could be e.g. co-designed with stakeholders or communities, or aiming at delivering benefits while minimising carbon footprint from initiatives, etc.	£ invested inc. time, materials, equipment etc	£1.00

2. Social value policy

Aim for a short, simple Policy that uses plain English.

Purpose

The Policy will communicate simply what the LCC approach to social value creation is, including our strategic Themes and Outcomes. It will be promoted on a dedicated webpage.

Scope

As part of our partnership, SVP have drafted an external facing LCC Social Value Policy. The Policy aim is an external articulation of the actions and strategy outlined in this document. It includes a simple definition of what it means to LCC as part of our new deal

Audience

The Policy document is high level so can be aimed at all suppliers, colleagues and partners so that any social value activities undertaken including procurement and community activities are informed by the policy.

Contents

Any policy should be short, plain English and simple. The Authority's LCC Policy will be structured as follows:

• Policy vision & scope
• Introduction
• Policy objectives
• Achieving our social value ambitions & measurement framework
• Governance
• Useful links

3. Social value websites

Engaging content online

To complement our Social Value Policy, we will create a dedicated webpage online to publish all detail related to social value delivery, coordination and best practice inspiration.

In 2021, only 151 out of 332 Authorities in England had published their social value approach online. A webpage is a simple solution to make our approach to social value more accessible, engaging and current.

We will start with a simple page that could be added to over time, which will include:

• A detailed Social Value framework (TOMs) - staff will be able to find information on the Outcomes and Measures (including Measure definition and evidence requirements) at any time.
• Local Needs Analysis information – to help bidders and colleagues better target initiatives to the areas of Lancashire that need social value support.
• Match-making TOMs map of potential partners to engage with to deliver specific outcomes.
• Presentations, webinars and recordings for new staff to use to upskill and existing staff to refer to - resources will be found through the National Social Value Taskforce and SVP annual conference.
• Links to all external-facing documents (e.g. Social Value Policy, Social Value Statements, annual report).
• Message board - to share any upcoming initiatives or Social Value events.
• LCC case studies - these will be both internal and external to aid idea generation.
• LCC annual Social Value Statement.
• Lessons learned & feedback - process managed by the Cross Sector Advisory Group.
• FAQs - recurring questions, points of contact (Social Value Champions, Lead) etc.

4. Lancashire TOMs mapping

Coordinated activity

By mapping the Lancashire TOMs with LCC service areas that already offer support and guidance, such as the Lancashire Skills & Employment Hub, we can help our market understand how best to plan their social value commitments and delivery in a coordinated way. Think of it like a ‘match making’ guide.

We will publish a version of this mapped TOMs in collaboration with the partners on the social value website to signpost a menu of initial ideas to guide our market towards social value activity in Lancashire that meets our priorities and objectives.

Best practice example from Suffolk County Council:

• Published their ‘Social Value Ask’, a match making guide of practical examples and partners who can support delivery for each measure in their TOMs set.
• It is kept up to date as new initiatives and credible partners establish initiatives that suppliers can contribute to through measure activity.
• Ensure hyperlinks and contact details are added where appropriate to make it easy for organisations to collaborate.

5. Social value annual statement

Communicate progress

To demonstrate clarity, transparency and to communicate our future ambitions, we will publish a social value statement, aligned to the LGA template.

The statement is intended to act as a snapshot of our progress at a given point in time, updated on an annual basis. It is designed to be more accessible and less formal than a Policy and will communicate where we're currently at alongside areas of future focus.

The LGA template:

• Introduction to the organisations approach and intentions in relation to social value.
• Key areas that the organisation will be focusing on.
• Communication, co-ordination and internal management i.e. implementation process for Social Value.
• Supporting staff to contribute and succeed in delivering the organisations social value ambitions.
• Supporting suppliers and partners to contribute to delivering the social value approach i.e. performance management.
• Social value achievements to date.
• Action plan: How will this statement be delivered.

6. Social value governance

A Cabinet Member will be ultimately accountable for the delivery of this strategy.

They are to be supported by the Executive Director for Resources and Director of Finance, given the aspiration from the working group for social value to be a central function.

The Resources Executive Director and Finance Director to ensure:

• Supported by Procurement Head of Service for strategy oversight.
• Dedicated resource in the Corporate Policy and Strategy team to lead strategy implementation.
• Sign off Social Value Policy.
• Cross Sector Advisory Group* develops and manages the delivery of joined up social value policies.
• All relevant staff to have suitable social value KPIs as part of the review process.

* Cross Sector Advisory Group = Representation from Lancashire LEP, Corporate Policy and Strategy team, Planning, Procurement, Commissioning, HR, Investment, Employment & Skills, Growth, Environment and Transport, EDI, Heads of Service, Foundations for Wellbeing

Specific strategy responsibilities to be agreed in key functions, such as:

• Cabinet Member – responsible for social value through our operations. The Authority could set three to four core performance metrics (KPIs), such as: Social Value Add % in relation to organisation spend, overall data submission, staff awareness and understanding, own corporate social value delivery.
• Executive Director for Resources – responsible for overseeing policy and strategy delivery.
• Director – oversee and facilitate the strategy implementation in collaboration with all Directorates. To ensure data capture and reporting to centralised Portal. Also support the mapping of the TOMs framework to potential delivery partners and create resource bank.
• Commissioning – Engage with market to understand social value capability for each service area.
• Procurement – Responsibility for reviewing supplier compliance, application of social value ask, engaging with commissioners and service areas to agree priority measures for each bid from core LCC TOMs set.
• Planning – A review of existing local policies, including a Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) that provides the Authority with the format and content to require developers to make a Social Value response and address Social Value issues as a part of a planning application for major developments.
• Investment, Employment & Skills – Feed into TOMs mapped to delivery partners, share new insights into LMI that can be shared to inform local needs.
• Corporate comms – Director to share news on best practice for communications team to create case studies and include news on internal channels. Engage to create dedicated social value webpage.

7. Resource bank and training programme

Transfer of knowledge

Communicate the resource commitment LCC is making to upskill staff on social value. Deliver a programme of activity to provide a ‘drumbeat’ of social value engagement with colleagues.

Education programme

Social Value education and training will be delivered via a range of formal and informal throughout the year. Approaches such as lunch & learns, circulating best-practice case studies, sharing winning bid method statements, circulating relevant webinars and e-learning courses. When the TOMs Academy launches, all colleagues involved in procurement and contract management will receive updated training.

Resource bank

We will build and actively promote a resource bank (or toolkit), which will include:

• A detailed Social Value framework (TOMs) – staff will be able to find information on the Outcomes and Measures (including Measure definition and evidence requirements).
• Link to all external documents (e.g. Social Value Policy, Social Value Statements, annual report, etc.).
• LCC case studies – both internal and external to aid idea generation.
• Lessons learned & feedback – process managed by the Cross Sector Advisory Group: results and relevant information are shared with the organisation
• FAQs – recurring questions, links to useful information (e.g. SVP website, webinars), where things might be located internally, who to talk to (e.g. Corporate strategy team) etc.
• Marketing collateral for internal and external use.
• Past social value bids and reports – to show ‘what good looks like’ by service are.

8. Social value evolution

As the Authority evolves, the Lancashire TOMs need to evolve with it. As Social Value becomes embedded in the Authority, new objectives and measures will be introduced or refinements made to existing measures.

As part of Cabinet reporting, we will establish initial social value performance metrics that can be evolved annually as we mature in practice. We will make use of our existing Corporate Performance dashboard by adding some additional metrics. Some common metrics that other Authorities report against annually include:

• Spend with local suppliers – understand how we can support MSMEs that account for 88% of all Lancashire registered businesses.
• Number of Officers who have completed training – track corporate training and take-up
• Total Social and Local Economic Add (%) – once data becomes available, we'll be able to aggregation our performance and calculate our ‘Social Value Add %’ in relation to organisational spend. A benchmark can be set and new targets for future years agreed.

9. Standardised approach

To support a consistent approach around Social Value, a standardised approach will be the corner stone of the Authority's Social Value Policy. The key areas that will be standardised are:

• £100k minimum threshold for including social value in tenders,
• 10% minimum weighting for Social Value, and
• 43 core Lancashire TOMs with no prioritisation, mandatory inclusion, or multipliers

The Lancashire TOMs are designed to keep it simple.

10. Social Value templates

A range of tried and tested templates will be made available to Lancashire staff and tenderers. This will support a consistent application and the initial roll out of social value evaluation, management and measurement. Templates to be available include:

• ITT wording that explains Social Value and the evaluation methodology.
• Qualitative Delivery Plan template to assist tenderer's demonstrate their ability to deliver against their social value commitment.
• Evidence templates to support suppliers in reporting against their Lancashire TOMs commitments.

11. Consistent evaluation and marking

Each tender will have an allocated social value weighting of 10%, which will be evaluated on the following basis:

Quantitative score: the what

Tenderers submit their social value offering based on the Lancashire TOMs. The Lancashire approach provides tenderers with the freedom to propose what they can offer that is relevant and proportional to the contract and their own business operations.

Qualitative score: the how

Tenderers submit evidence to demonstrate how they will deliver against each of the Lancashire TOMs commitments. Responses to the Social Value qualitative section will be evaluated using the LCC standard quality scoring profile.

12. Local needs platform

The most meaningful social value is targeted to meet local needs.

The Authority and its partners have committed to "listening to residents". To ensure our supply chain's social value activity is targeted, insights of the target areas need to be readily available.

As well as sharing insights from all active listening activity undertaken as part of the Lancashire 2050 strategic framework, the Authority will take the data from the local needs analysis and provide this via a public-facing interactive map. The map will be user-friendly and suitable manipulation functionality so that the supply chain can filter by the Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) or other thematic layers e.g. by the Lancashire TOMs. A link to the map will be provided to potential tenderers via our ITT, e-tendering portal and shared during market engagement events.

13. Category plan guidance

One size does not fit all when it comes to social value.

The Lancashire TOMs are designed to be a ‘menu’ from which Outcomes and Measures can be selected that are relevant to the underlying contractual activity and aligned with both the Authority’s needs and aspirations and, importantly, the capability of the supply chain to deliver. It is certainly not expected that all measures will be applicable in all circumstances.

As the Authority matures in the application, evaluation and monitoring of our supply chain’s social value, we will aim to analyse and capture the different capacities and capabilities of our service area’s suppliers. It might be that some service areas require specific information to better target their common initiatives.

The Authority aims to build, over time, a simple category plan or guide that captures the opportunities, strengths, and weaknesses of our different service areas social value capabilities. With this insight, we can upskill and better support their market to deliver against the areas they have the most opportunity to contribute.

Good practice will be captured and shared across the different sectors to support a consistent and standardised approach across the Authority.

14. Early market engagement

The Authority will engage with potential suppliers as much as possible on social value. Social value may be new to them, but the Authority can help them build their knowledge to ensure good tender responses and maximise delivery.

This is also an opportunity for the Authority to share priorities with future suppliers. We will create a market engagement presentation and deliver it regularly. The session will describe the overall process and what will be expected from tenderers at each stage of the procurement and contract management cycle. Sessions will be delivered online and in person if suitable across accessible locations.

It will include a presentation of the Lancashire TOMs and the Do’s and Don'ts of Social Value.

We will try to do this in partnership with other Service Areas from the Authority and partners. Partners include job centres, LEP, Integrated Care Boards (ICB), local communities and anyone within the Authority with existing relationships with those organisations to help future suppliers to know where to find what they need in relation to social value delivery within Lancashire.

15. Social value forums

Concept

Developing supplier awareness and understanding of LCC’s social value vision, commitments and requirements is critical to delivering social value.

We will create a platform for radical collaboration by hosting an annual conference style event where we can gather key suppliers, local bidders (including SMEs and VCSEs) and key enabling or delivery organisations, as well as other community partners.

The conference aim is to build knowledge of social value and to facilitate relationships between suppliers and community partners. This is an opportunity to highlight the latest needs and priority data so that suppliers are responding to current issues.

Content

The Authority will use the conference as an opportunity to listen to the different experiences and ideas to gather feedback. The conference will explore the following themes:

• What is social value for LCC and Our New Deal?
• Local Needs – where should the focus be.
• Sectoral focus (Health, Housing, Construction etc.): Opportunities & challenges for the sector.
• Case studies of social value in LCC.
• Opportunities to collaborate.

Long term, the conference can act as a pre-cursor to a place-based programme with LCC’s anchor institutions.

16. Greater Lancashire approach

To maximise our long-term vision of council-wide action, there is ambition across the Authority to broaden our scope to achieve a more collaborative approach through a ‘place-based programme’ or ‘Social Value Charter’. This is an opportunity to share best practice and help the community in and around Lancashire to unlock more social value.

To achieve this, the Authority will identify key delivery partners, such as ICBs, LEPs, public sector institutions, sectors, businesses, VCSEs and others operating in the Lancashire region. Each of the organisations will have enabling activities and business levers that can be mobilised to target specific community needs (i.e. procurement, planning, grants, and investments). The partners could include:

• ‘Anchor’ institutions: other councils in the areas, health and education (e.g. University of Central Lancashire), central government (e.g. prison), housing associations, and others.
• Suppliers to the public sector: local businesses, MSMEs (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) and VCSEs (Voluntary Community and Social Enterprises).

This action can only be taken once the Authority has aligned, agreed and implemented the Lancashire TOMs and Social Value strategy first, before widening this to anchor institutions and community organisations to ensure successful delivery.

17. Qualitative delivery plan

Roll out a Qualitative Delivery Plan template for contract management. Using templates will support a consistent social value application. Contract management relies on quantitative targets and qualitative evidence. To assist tenderers in capturing the qualitative element of their bid, we will use a tried and tested template from the Social Value Portal. This will be embedded in our contract management approach.

Using this template will help:

• Innovate and organise social value delivery plans.
• Ease the process of submitting social value target descriptions.
• Support the equality of bid submissions across novice and veteran bidders utilising our TOMs.

18. Social value reporting

Due to the volume, range and breath of contracts the Authority lets, our reporting needs to be efficiently structured. We will adopt a quarterly monitoring and reporting of social value with all suppliers. This will cut across the challenges of coordinating against contract timelines and ensure the Authority has a structured reporting cycle. This will also support suppliers that hold multiple contracts with the Authority, reducing the administrative activity to quarterly for all contracts, irrelevant of contract maturity.

19. Case studies

Although Social Value has been around for years and embedded in tenders as standard since 2015, there are not enough ‘best practice’ case studies for social value as a concept.

To support colleagues and suppliers in the habit of capturing their social value delivery, we will create a simple case study template. In the short term, the Authority will produce at least one case study a quarter. Long term, we will make it a contractual obligation that suppliers will be required to write up a short case study of their successful social value delivery.

Good social value delivery should be celebrated, we will publish and share the good news stories to build inspiration locally. We will also use our other social value footholds, such as websites, social media, early market engagement, partnerships and forums to showcase our social value successes.

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