Why does it matter?
PPN 06/20 was a transformative step in UK procurement policy. It moved social value from something public bodies were merely required to "consider" (under the Social Value Act 2012) to something that must be formally scored and evaluated in every above-threshold central government tender. For suppliers, this means social value responses directly affect your chances of winning contracts. A weak or generic social value submission can cost you marks that would otherwise have been won on price or technical quality.
Key details
The Social Value Model
At the heart of PPN 06/20 is the Social Value Model, which provides a structured framework for evaluating social value. The original model comprised five themes: COVID-19 recovery; tackling economic inequality; fighting climate change; equal opportunity; and wellbeing. Each theme contained specific policy outcomes with associated evaluation criteria, model questions, and reporting metrics.
Contracting authorities select the themes and outcomes most relevant to the specific contract and evaluate supplier responses qualitatively. The emphasis is on what the supplier will deliver and how they will deliver it, not simply on the quantity of commitments.
Who it applies to
PPN 06/20 applies to all central government departments, their executive agencies, and non-departmental public bodies. This covers over 400 organisations. While it does not formally apply to local authorities, NHS trusts, or other public bodies, many have adopted the Social Value Model voluntarily or adapted it for their own use.
The transition to PPN 002
In February 2025, the government published PPN 002, which updates the Social Value Model to align with the Procurement Act 2023 and the current government's five missions. PPN 002 became mandatory for above-threshold procurements from October 2025. The COVID-19 recovery theme has been removed, and there is a stronger emphasis on economic growth and mission alignment. For procurements commenced before October 2025 under the Procurement Act 2023, contracting authorities could choose to apply either PPN 06/20 or PPN 002 during the transition period.
UK & public sector context
PPN 06/20 fundamentally changed how central government buys services and, by extension, influenced procurement practice across the wider public sector. Its legacy is the expectation, now firmly embedded in procurement culture, that social value is scored, not just considered.
For suppliers, even though PPN 002 has now superseded PPN 06/20 for new procurements, understanding the original policy remains important. Many existing framework agreements and call-off contracts still reference PPN 06/20's Social Value Model, and the principles it established continue to shape how all public sector bodies approach social value evaluation.