PPN 026 and social value FAQs
Procurement Policy Note 026 changes how social value is scored on central government contracts. Some businesses that talk to us about sponsoring repairs are doing so partly with a public sector bid in mind, so here's a plain summary of what's changing and how sponsoring repairs through Fixrs fits in.
This is a summary, not procurement or legal advice. Check the source policy, published by the Cabinet Office, or your own procurement team, before relying on it for a live bid.
What is PPN 026?
Procurement Policy Note 026 updates the Social Value Model used to score central government contracts worth £1m and over. It takes effect from 1 January 2027.
What's actually changing?
For contracts of £5m and over, the weighting given to local social and economic value in scoring rises from 10% to 20%. Scoring is also narrower, tied more directly to British jobs, local skills, apprenticeships, fair pay, and support for disadvantaged groups, rather than standalone environmental or wellbeing measures.
Does this mean carbon or waste reduction no longer counts at all?
Not for every buyer. Under the central government model, a bid built solely around metrics like tonnes of e-waste diverted or CO2 saved, without a link to local jobs or skills, is less likely to score well against the dedicated criteria. Local authorities and NHS trusts often use broader frameworks, such as the National TOMs, which can still credit environmental and circular economy work directly, so it depends who the buyer is.
Who does PPN 026 apply to?
Central government departments and their contracts of £1m and over, once it takes effect on 1 January 2027. Local authorities, NHS trusts and other public bodies set their own social value frameworks, and many keep a broader model.
How does sponsoring repairs through Fixrs fit into this?
Sponsoring repairs pays a named local repair business for real work, and helps a household in that business's area avoid replacing something that still had life in it. That's a concrete, local example you can point to in a bid, alongside whatever jobs, skills and pay evidence you're already building for the wider criteria.
Can you provide postcode-level reporting or KPI data for a submission?
Yes, postcode-level reporting on where sponsored repairs land is a core part of what we offer, not an add-on. Tell us what your bid needs to evidence when you enquire, and we'll set reporting up to match it.
Does sponsoring repairs count as apprenticeships or skills training?
Not directly. It's paid work for a local repair business, not a placement or training scheme. If that's specifically what your bid needs, say so when you enquire, it's useful for us to know there's demand for it even though we're not offering it today.
Where can I read PPN 026 itself?
It's published by the Cabinet Office as an official Procurement Policy Note. This page is a plain summary of it, not procurement or legal advice, so check the source document or your own procurement team before relying on it for a live bid.
Want to talk about sponsoring repairs as part of a bid or wider social responsibility work? Get in touch.