In the UK, social value has shifted from a “bonus” to a scored requirement in public procurement. Buyers now expect suppliers to demonstrate how their contracts will generate wider community, economic and environmental benefit — not just deliver the core service. With many tenders assigning 10%+ of evaluation to social value, the ability to articulate credible, evidenced and contract-relevant commitments is now a decisive factor in winning public contracts.

AI is reshaping the way organisations approach tenders — but not by writing responses. This article explains how AI can be used strategically to support qualification, strategy, pricing and review to improve bid success without replacing human expertise.