Construction event to explore rule changes aimed at helping SMEs win work
Businesses in Shropshire working in the construction sector and its supply chains can discover more about fundamental changes to how public sector contracts are awarded at a new event next month.
Building Beyond Price – Social Value & the Procurement Act on May 22 in Telford aims to help businesses understand why tenders with the cheapest price will not necessarily be the preferred option by local authorities in 2025.
Hosted by Shropshire Constructing Excellence, the Constructing Excellence Midlands Shropshire club, the event will explore the impact of the Procurement Act 2023, which came into force in February this year and represents the most significant reform of how councils award contracts in a generation.
SCE chairman Paul Inions, managing director of McPhillips (Wellington) Ltd, said the new legislation could open up more work to SMEs, but only if they understood the requirements around social value.
Paul said: “The legislation introduces fundamental changes to how public sector contracts are awarded and managed, with social value taking centre stage in the decision-making process.
“This shift signals a crucial change in public procurement, where value is no longer measured purely in financial terms but encompasses broader benefits to local communities.
“For the construction sector, these changes are particularly significant. The Act mandates that contracting authorities must consider how procurement can improve social, economic, and environmental well-being in their area. Quite simply, being the cheapest isn’t necessarily going to win you the work.”
The Act moves away from the traditional Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT) approach to a new Most Advantageous Tender (MAT) system.
Talking Shropshire's construction sector through the changes will be procurement expert Gary Stevens, of GBS Procure, who has worked closely with Shropshire Council’s STAR Housing team in recent months.
He will be joined by Kate Moore, Social Value lead with Speller Metcalfe, to talk through how businesses can align and measure activity to benefit communities and create lasting social impact.
Under the Act, companies will need to demonstrate not just their technical and financial capabilities, but also their commitment to delivering meaningful social value.
This includes:
- Developing robust methodologies for measuring and reporting social value
- Creating clear strategies for local employment and skills development
- Establishing partnerships with education providers & community organisations
- Implementing systems to track and report social value outcomes
- Understanding how to effectively communicate social value propositions in tenders
- Building capacity within supply chains to deliver social value commitments
Amy Bould, managing director of Be Bold Media and committee member of SCE, will host the event in the Orange Tree at Telford College, which will start with breakfast networking at 8am.
